Mystery Mammoth Tusk (1/13/25)

Summary

Wow in the World: Episode Summary - "Mystery Mammoth Tusk" (January 13, 2025)

Hosts: Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz
Released: January 13, 2025
Podcast: Wow in the World by Tinkercast | Wondery

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1. Introduction and Setup

The episode kicks off with a playful and engaging narrative featuring Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz embarking on a thrilling scientific mystery. Listeners are introduced to the central plot when a mysterious mammoth tusk is discovered deep in the ocean, sparking a quest to uncover its origins.

Notable Quote:

Guy Raz [03:35]: "And on top of that, the ink ribbon was also bone. Dr. Mindy."

2. The Discovery of the Mammoth Tusk

The story begins when a delivery person recounts finding an elephant tusk 150 miles from shore and 10,000 feet below sea level—a location where such a discovery seems impossible. This unusual find sets the stage for the investigation.

Notable Quote:

Delivery Person [02:38 - 02:46]: "Wait a minute. What is that? What? Right there. Get a little closer. All right. It looks like... an elephant tusk. Gasp. But that's impossible."

3. Receiving the Mystery Letter

Mindy and Guy receive a mysterious letter from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute detailing the discovery of the tusk. The letter includes a sample and requests their expertise to solve the enigma of how a mammoth tusk ended up deep in the ocean.

Notable Quote:

Letter [05:42]: "Dear detectives Mindy and Guy Raz. We come to you with a mystery."

4. Collaborating with Grandma G Force

To analyze the tusk, Mindy and Guy seek the help of Grandma G Force, who possesses the only DNA testing machine in the neighborhood. Their interaction adds a humorous and familial dimension to the investigative process.

Notable Quote:

Mindy Thomas [09:05]: "No, no. I mean, didn't I give you a DNA testing machine for your birthday last year?"

5. Hypothesis Formation

Using the DNA tester, they discover that the tusk belongs to a mammoth and estimates it to be over 100,000 years old. This leads Mindy to propose a hypothesis that the mammoth died during the Ice Age, and its remains eventually settled at the ocean's bottom as ice sheets melted.

Notable Quote:

Mindy Thomas [14:28]: "Yeah. Okay, hear me out. Story time. It's about 100,000 years ago, massive ice sheets cover the oceans."

6. Understanding Mammoth Tusk Analysis

Guy Raz explains how mammoth tusks grow in layers, similar to tree rings, allowing scientists to determine the animal's age, reproductive history, and dietary patterns. This scientific insight underscores the significance of studying the tusk.

Notable Quote:

Guy Raz [16:03]: "They grow in layers, getting a new layer each year."

7. Planning the Next Steps

Convinced by their hypothesis, Mindy and Guy decide to retrieve the rest of the tusk from the ocean. They plan to utilize the "wow machine," a waterproof device, to access the tusk's full length and gather more comprehensive data.

Notable Quote:

Mindy Thomas [17:01]: "We gotta get the rest of that mammoth tusk."

8. Surprising Developments

Just as they prepare to take action, Dennis, a local delivery person, intercepts another letter intended for them. This letter reveals that researchers have successfully retrieved the full tuosk and completed initial analyses, partially confirming Mindy and Guy's hypothesis.

Notable Quote:

Mindy Thomas [19:15]: "It was a total success."

9. Resolution and Conclusion

The researchers' findings support the idea that ocean currents may have transported the tusk over thousands of years. Mindy and Guy conclude their adventure by acknowledging the success of their collaborative effort and the importance of scientific inquiry.

Notable Quote:

Mindy Thomas [21:24]: "Detective Guy Raz, it looks like we have another mystery solved. Nice work, partner."

10. Engagement with Young Listeners

The episode wraps up with interactive segments where young listeners share their "wows," fostering a sense of community and encouraging curiosity about the world.

Notable Quote:

Various Kids [22:23]: "My wow in the world is that babies have more bones than grown adults. Isn't that so cool?"

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Key Insights and Discussions

• Interdisciplinary Collaboration: The episode highlights the importance of teamwork across different generations and expertise areas, as seen with the collaboration between Mindy, Guy, and Grandma G Force.

• Scientific Methodology: Mindy and Guy demonstrate the scientific process by forming hypotheses, conducting experiments, and analyzing data to reach conclusions.

• Paleontology and Climate History: The discussion delves into how ancient climate events like the Ice Age impacted animal migrations and fossilization processes.

• Educational Engagement: By integrating humor and relatable characters, the episode effectively engages both children and their grown-ups, making complex scientific concepts accessible and entertaining.

Concluding Thoughts

"Mystery Mammoth Tusk" exemplifies Wow in the World's mission to inspire curiosity and wonder about science and the natural world. Through storytelling, scientific exploration, and interactive elements, Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz create an enriching experience that both educates and entertains their audience.

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Additional Information:

• Listen Early and Ad-Free: Grown-ups with Wondery subscriptions can access episodes early and without ads via the Wondery app or Wondery Kids Plus on Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music.

• Join the Community: Listeners are encouraged to participate by sharing their own "wows" and engaging with the show’s content through various platforms.

• Further Engagement: For more information, resources, and to become part of the World Organization of Wowzers, visit tinkercast.com.

Transcript

[Guy Raz]

Grown Ups Wondery subscribers can listen to wow in the world early and ad free right now. Join Wondery in the Wondery app or Wondery Kids plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hey Wowzer Fams Mindy here and before we start the show, is your family homeschooling this year? You may have heard about our project based learning tool Tinkerclass which helps K5 students build 21st century skills like critical thinking, collaboration and creative innovation. Over 3,000 teachers are using Tinkerclass in their classrooms and now we want to bring Tinkerclass to a homeroom near you. With Tinkerclass at home, you get access to all of our podcast based projects or as we like to call them, podjects. Plus over a thousand online activities, experiments, crafts, recipes, worksheets and more. Want to learn more about how you can bring the WOW into your homeschool curriculum this year? Visit tinkercast.com that's tinkercast.com homeschool that's it. And now let's get back to the show.

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[Grandma G Force]

Get ready for an adv of magnificent proportion.

[Mindy Thomas]

I don't know what you've been told.

[Guy Raz]

We're in a golden age.

[Mindy Thomas]

So many discoveries that are jumping off the page.

[Delivery Person]

9,900Ft. 9,950ft.

[Grandma G Force]

And.

[Delivery Person]

10,000. Ha ha. We made it. 10,000ft below sea level.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wow.

[Delivery Person]

The ocean is incredible this far down. I mean just look at the. Wait a minute. What is that? What? Right there. Get a little closer. All right. It looks like. It looks like an elephant tus. Gasp. But that's impossible. We're 150 miles from shore and 10,000ft deep. Exactly. How on earth could there be an elephant tusk all the way out here? Huh? I don't know. But I do know someone who might quickly Help me get a sample. Copy that. But who would know why this elephant tusk is at the bottom of the ocean?

[Guy Raz]

And on top of that, the ink ribbon was also bone. Dr. Mindy.

[Mindy Thomas]

Ah, man, I got this caramel all over my hands. So sticky.

[Guy Raz]

Anyway, as I was saying, it took me 15 minutes to realize that my cartridge release lever was jammed.

[Mindy Thomas]

Uh huh.

[Guy Raz]

I tell you, I thought I might have to throw away the whole typewriter.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh no. Oh, somebody's at the door. Thank goodness. Coming.

[Guy Raz]

I'll get it. Mindy, your hands are all sticky with caramel.

[Mindy Thomas]

No, no, no, no, no. I got it, I got it. Walk. Walk. Opening door with foot.

[Delivery Person]

Ah, gee.

[Mindy Thomas]

There we go.

[Delivery Person]

Oh my gosh. Hello. I have a special delivery here for Mindy.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hey, that's me.

[Delivery Person]

Great. Would you please sign here for me?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, yeah, one little problem. My hands are kind of sticky, so you think you could just stick the pen in my mouth for me to sign?

[Delivery Person]

Um, okay. Gross. Here we go then.

[Grandma G Force]

I umm.

[Mindy Thomas]

Rew. There you go.

[Delivery Person]

Thanks. Um, here's your package.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, still got sticky hands. So maybe just stick it in my mouth.

[Delivery Person]

This is weird. There we are.

[Mindy Thomas]

Welcome.

[Delivery Person]

You're welcome. Hey, where'd you get a new door Walk.

[Mindy Thomas]

Guys. Cash. Ah, gross.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, what is this?

[Mindy Thomas]

I don't know. Open it up and find out. I gotta go wash my hands.

[Guy Raz]

All right, let's see here. Huh, it looks like there's a letter in here. Mindy, read it out loud. Okay, let's see here. Dear detectives Mindy and Guy Raz.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hey, that's us.

[Guy Raz]

We come to you with a mystery.

[Mindy Thomas]

Ooh, I love mysteries. Keep reading.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, our story starts way back in 2019, when myself and a colleague of mine from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Aquarium Research Institute, were out doing some deep sea exploring. We were on the lookout for gelatinous zooplankton when something even more exotic and unusual grabbed our attention.

[Delivery Person]

What?

[Grandma G Force]

What was it?

[Guy Raz]

A tusk.

[Mindy Thomas]

A tusk? You mean like those big bony things that stick out of the fronts of elephants faces?

[Guy Raz]

Well, that's what it says here. Mindy, what would an elephant.

[Mindy Thomas]

Elephant tusk be doing at the bottom of the ocean?

[Guy Raz]

I have no idea.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, maybe they have an idea. Keep reading.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, let's see here. Ahem. We have no idea how this tusk arrived here.

[Grandma G Force]

Aw, man.

[Guy Raz]

Or how long it's been here for. It's a total mystery.

[Mindy Thomas]

A mystery, huh? Well, that's where we come in. Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

That's where you come in.

[Mindy Thomas]

What?

[Guy Raz]

We've provided with this letter a Sample of the tusk that we were able to recover on our initial excavation. Huh, I didn't see that.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, maybe it's down there at the bottom of the envelope. Here, let me see that thing. Shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it. There it is.

[Guy Raz]

We were hoping with your past experience with the case of the missing salmon and the unveiling of static man that perh. Perhaps you would have more luck figuring out how this tusk ended up 150 miles off the coast and 10,000ft underwater. Yours sincerely, your friends at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wow.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah.

[Mindy Thomas]

So what do you say, partner? You up for another mystery, mystery solving adventure?

[Guy Raz]

You bet, Mindy. I'll go grab my detective hat.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yes, and I'll go grab our trench coats. Meet me at Grandma G force's house in 15 minutes. Run, run, run.

[Guy Raz]

Grandma G Force's house? Why there?

[Mindy Thomas]

I'll explain when we get there, partner.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, hey, Mindy.

[Grandma G Force]

Ah, good to see you.

[Mindy Thomas]

Nope, that's not it.

[Grandma G Force]

Good to see you.

[Mindy Thomas]

Grounded techno. Good to see you again, Detective Guy Raz.

[Grandma G Force]

Oh, yeah, that's it.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, do we have to do the detective voices the whole time? It really hurt my throat last time we did it.

[Mindy Thomas]

Fine, but you do have to keep your trench coat on.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, deal.

[Mindy Thomas]

All right, let's see if Grandma G Force is home. Knock knock. Knock, knock knock.

[Grandma G Force]

Oh, snap.

[Guy Raz]

Uh, why are we here again?

[Mindy Thomas]

Because we need to read the DNA code inside this tusk, and Grandma GeForce has the only DNA testing machine in the whole neighborhood.

[Guy Raz]

Wait, what?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, DNA is the coding that's inside of every living thing.

[Guy Raz]

No, no. I mean, didn't I give you a DNA testing machine for your birthday last year? Uh, you didn't re gift it, did you?

[Mindy Thomas]

Uh, no, Mindy. Ooh. Oh.

[Grandma G Force]

Huh? Cat.

[Guy Raz]

Hi, Grandma GeForce. Hi, Grandma G Force. Nice to see you.

[Grandma G Force]

What do you two Won't.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, do you remember that DNA testing kit that I gave you last year?

[Grandma G Force]

I remember saying, what am I supposed to do with this? And then I don't remember what you said after that.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, well, I kind of need it back now because we're trying to solve a mystery.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, we're trying to solve a mystery.

[Grandma G Force]

Oh, a mystery. Well, blah, blah, blah, blah. Okay, well, I think I may have tossed it out there in this garage. Follow me.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, walk, walk, walk.

[Grandma G Force]

Garage. Garage. Hey, isn't that your name, boy?

[Guy Raz]

Me?

[Delivery Person]

What?

[Guy Raz]

No, my name's Guy Raz, Not Garage.

[Grandma G Force]

Well, I don't hear no difference.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, once you hear it, you kinda can't unhear it.

[Grandma G Force]

Okay, now stand back while I try to open this thing.

[Guy Raz]

There we go.

[Delivery Person]

Could be a knife.

[Mindy Thomas]

What in the.

[Grandma G Force]

Oh, man. Get back in there where you belong. Well, let's just take a little look. See here? See what we got.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wow, this place is a real mess. How we're ever gonna find this DNA testing kit?

[Guy Raz]

Yeah.

[Grandma G Force]

Oh, look at that. My very first pair of nunchucks. Back when I was just a little bab.

[Mindy Thomas]

Grandma G Force. What are these?

[Grandma G Force]

Oh, wow. That's just my old collection of wrestling calendars.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wrestling calendars?

[Guy Raz]

1864. Grandma GeForce, how old are you exactly?

[Grandma G Force]

Oh, look, here it is. One DNA toaster.

[Mindy Thomas]

I think you mean a DNA tester.

[Grandma G Force]

That's what I said.

[Guy Raz]

Well, what are we waiting for, Detective Mindy? Let's see what this tusk is made of.

[Mindy Thomas]

All right. Okay. Pretty sure I still remember how this DNA tester works. Okay, let's see here. The elephant tusk goes in here and maybe I'm supposed to hit this button. Nope, nope, that's not it. That's not it. Okay, maybe it's. What is this one?

[Guy Raz]

Huh?

[Mindy Thomas]

Nope, that one does nothing.

[Grandma G Force]

Move over, young blood, and let Grandma G Force take the wheel. Okay, blah, blah, blah, bloop, bloop, booty doo and analyze.

[Mindy Thomas]

Huh?

[Guy Raz]

What does it say, Grandma G Force?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, what does it say?

[Grandma G Force]

Well, it's saying that this ain't no elephant tusk.

[Guy Raz]

It's not?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well then what is it?

[Grandma G Force]

It's mammoth.

[Mindy Thomas]

Mammoth?

[Guy Raz]

Mammoth. Like those big hairy elephants from the ice age?

[Mindy Thomas]

Actually, Guy Raz, mammoths were related to elephants, but not. Not the same species.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, kind of like how dogs and wolves are related, but not the same species.

[Mindy Thomas]

Exactly. Sort of like we humans and chimpanzees.

[Grandma G Force]

Well, speaking of chimpanzees, get a load of these results.

[Guy Raz]

Huh? It says here, Mindy, that not only does this tusk belong to a mammoth, it seems to be more than 100,000 years old.

[Mindy Thomas]

Huh. So a little bit before the end of the Paleolithic era.

[Guy Raz]

Exactly around the time human beings started to migrate out of Africa.

[Mindy Thomas]

And more importantly, when continents like Asia and America were connected by huge ice sheets.

[Guy Raz]

Of course, Mindy, the Ice Age.

[Mindy Thomas]

Uh huh. Detective Guy Raz, I think I may have a hypothesis.

[Grandma G Force]

Well, don't do it in here. The bathroom's in the house.

[Mindy Thomas]

No, no, Grandma G Force, a hypothesis is a scientific guess.

[Guy Raz]

And you have a hypothesis as to how this tusk got to the bottom of the ocean?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah. Okay, hear me out. Story time. It's about 100,000 years ago, massive ice sheets cover the oceans.

[Guy Raz]

Go on.

[Mindy Thomas]

And a herd of woolly mammoths are migrating across what is now the Pacific Ocean.

[Guy Raz]

Okay.

[Mindy Thomas]

And then suddenly, one of the mammoths falls sick and dies.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, no.

[Grandma G Force]

Well, that took a turn.

[Mindy Thomas]

Over the next several thousand years, the ice sheets begin to melt, and the remains of that mammoth sink to the ocean floor until 100,000 years later, present day, the ancestors of some primitive apes, our scientists arrive in an underwater machine, dig up a sample of those remains and mail them here to us. Guy Raz.

[Grandma G Force]

Well. Well.

[Guy Raz]

That'S a pretty good hypothesis, Mindy.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, I know. I just don't know how we're gonna prove it though.

[Guy Raz]

Well, if we were able to get a larger sample of this mammoth tusk, maybe we'd be able to find out a little more about this mammoth's life and what sort of conditions it lived in.

[Mindy Thomas]

Huh? What do you mean?

[Guy Raz]

Well, it all has to do with how mammoth tusks grow.

[Mindy Thomas]

How tus grow?

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, you see, they grow in layers, Getting a new layer each year. Huh.

[Mindy Thomas]

Kind of like stacking ice cream cones on top of each other until you've got a big tower of ice cream cones.

[Guy Raz]

Or like how you can tell the age of a tree by counting its rings.

[Mindy Thomas]

Huh. So you can tell the age of a mammoth by counting the rings in its tusk?

[Guy Raz]

Not only that, Mindy, but depending on the size and shape of the layers, scientists can also tell whether a mammoth had produced offspring.

[Grandma G Force]

Aw.

[Mindy Thomas]

So like if it had a lot of little mammoth babies.

[Guy Raz]

Uh huh. And they can even tell what kind of food the mammoths were eating during certain years and where they were eating it.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wow, that's a lot of information in one mammoth tusk.

[Guy Raz]

Uh huh.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, Detective Guy Raz, I think I know where we have to go next.

[Guy Raz]

Where?

[Mindy Thomas]

We gotta get the rest of that mammoth tusk.

[Guy Raz]

But Mindy, it's at the bottom of the pac. How on earth are we gonna get there?

[Mindy Thomas]

Uh, basically the same way we get everywhere else, Guy Raz. Oh, right, you know it.

[Guy Raz]

The wow machine and I plugged all.

[Mindy Thomas]

The holes up with marshmallows just yesterday. So basically, it's waterproof.

[Guy Raz]

Uh huh.

[Mindy Thomas]

Come on, Detective Guy Raz. Anything for the investigation.

[Guy Raz]

Anything for the investigation.

[Various Kids]

Booyah.

[Mindy Thomas]

See you later, Grandma GeForce. We've got a mess mystery to solve. What?

[Grandma G Force]

Oh, you two still here?

[Guy Raz]

Bye, Grandma. G Force.

[Grandma G Force]

Oh. See you later, Garage.

[Mindy Thomas]

Do you hear that, Guy Raz?

[Guy Raz]

Yeah. What is it, Mandy?

[Delivery Person]

Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

Dennis.

[Delivery Person]

How man? Hold on, I need to catch My breath.

[Mindy Thomas]

You okay?

[Guy Raz]

Why are you so out of breath?

[Delivery Person]

Well, I had to run all the way over here from my driveway and.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wait a minute. Don't you live like, two houses away from here, Dennis?

[Delivery Person]

Yeah, it's like 100ft or something.

[Guy Raz]

And why did you have to get over here so fast? What's so important?

[Delivery Person]

What's so important is this.

[Mindy Thomas]

What is that?

[Delivery Person]

It's a letter.

[Mindy Thomas]

You wrote me a letter, Dennis?

[Delivery Person]

No, I intercepted a letter for you.

[Guy Raz]

What are you talking about, Dennis?

[Delivery Person]

Well, I saw a delivery man trying to deliver this letter to your gingerbread house, Mindy.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, ahem, Mansion. Gingerbread mansion.

[Delivery Person]

Right, whatever. And the delivery man wouldn't leave the letter without a signature, so I signed your name for you.

[Grandma G Force]

What?

[Mindy Thomas]

You forged my signature, Dennis?

[Delivery Person]

Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. Oh, wait. Yes, yes, yes, I forged it, Dennis. Look, do you want the letter or not?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, of course I want the letter. Here, let me see that.

[Delivery Person]

That's what I thought. Well, I better get back home. Mother wants dinner soon, and those pizza rolls aren't gonna microwave themselves. Am I right, guys?

[Mindy Thomas]

All right. Reading, reading, reading, reading. Oh, man.

[Guy Raz]

What is it?

[Mindy Thomas]

It's written by those same researchers who wrote to us earlier today.

[Guy Raz]

And what did they say?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, it turns out they had the same bright idea that we did, that.

[Guy Raz]

They could get more information about the mammoth's life if they were able to study the whole tusk.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, and so they headed back out to where they originally found that piece of the tusk in hopes of finding the rest of it to bring back.

[Guy Raz]

And study, too, the same tiny sample that we just ran through Grandma G Force's DNA testing machine.

[Mindy Thomas]

Uh huh.

[Guy Raz]

So how did it go?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, let's see here. Reading, reading, reading, reading. Ah, look at that. It was a total success.

[Guy Raz]

That's great news, Mindy.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, it says here that they first took a whole bunch of pictures of the tusk to create a 3D model, you know, just in case something happened to it when they dug it out.

[Guy Raz]

Ah, you mean they made a digital copy?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, and once they made that 3D digital copy, they used a pair of robotic hands attached to the front of a submarine to carefully dislodge the mammoth tusk and bring it back up to the surface where they were able to do all of those tests and experiments you were just talking about.

[Guy Raz]

Wow. And what do they find?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, it says here that they're still going through the results, but it appears that the hypothesis that we came up with seems to be correct.

[Guy Raz]

You mean our hypothesis that the the owner of this mammoth tusk was migrating on packed ice when it died. And then once the ice melted, its remains drifted to the bottom of the ocean.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, basically, although these scientists think that this particular mammoth might not have died 150 miles off the coast, but instead they think that maybe its bones might have been pushed around by the current for a few thousand years and then just kind of settled where they found it.

[Grandma G Force]

Well, detective Guy Raz.

[Mindy Thomas]

Nope, that's not my detective voice. Well, detective Guy Raz, it looks like we have another mystery solved. Nice work, partner.

[Guy Raz]

Thanks, Mindy. Say we should write back to these researchers and congratulate them on their find.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, yeah, good idea, Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

On my brand new typewriter, I just got the keys oiled Mindy. And the new lever release is. This letter is going to look so good.

[Various Kids]

Wow in the world. We'll be right back. Grown ups, this message is for you.

[Mindy Thomas]

That's it.

[Various Kids]

Back to the show.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wow in the World. Hi, thanks for calling wow in the World. After the beep, get ready to record.

[Various Kids]

My name is Mac and I live in Louisville, Kentucky and I'm nine. And my wow in the world is that babies have more bones than grown adults. Isn't that so cool? Hi Mindy and Guy Raz. My name's Ava and I'm from New York. And my wow in my world is that roller coaster rides can cause your internal organs to move around in your body. Say hi to grandma GeForce, Reggie and Dennis for me.

[Grandma G Force]

Say what?

[Delivery Person]

Howdy.

[Various Kids]

Hello. My name is Felix and I live in Idaho. I'm 7 years old and giant panda bears poop 40 times 40 pounds per day. That's my wow and say hello to Dennis with PS he is static Miam.

[Delivery Person]

Yes.

[Various Kids]

Hi, my name Guy Ross. My name is Quacking from Rockville, Maryland. And my wow is that a slingshot spider could accelerate a hundred times faster than a cheetah. Hi, I'm Annika and I'm nine years old. I live in Dallas, Texas. And my wow is that a chef hat called a toke has 100 souls. These are supposed to represent all the way to kook and egg. Say hi to grandma G force.

[Grandma G Force]

Ah, hush puppies.

[Various Kids]

Ready And Thomas Fingerling Heavens. Oh yeah. Dennis.

[Guy Raz]

Hi there.

[Various Kids]

Stop snooping.

[Grandma G Force]

Aw.

[Various Kids]

Herman, Dean. Guy Raz. My name is Henry. I live in Oklahoma. My wow is that. Did you know that fossil from an older time period live deeper inside the earth. Okay, thanks, bye. Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz. My name is Iggy and I am 6 years old from Libertyville. My wow is that there is 195 countries in the world including Vatican City and the state of Palestine which are observer states. Bye Mindy and Guy Raz I love you so. Hello, my name is Diaz, I live in Korea. Am I around the world that octopuses can change color? Say hi to Gamma G Force.

[Grandma G Force]

Aw, isn't that nice.

[Various Kids]

I'm a string and Reggie for me. And please Gamma J first don't say.

[Grandma G Force]

Say what say what G fours. Oh sorry.

[Various Kids]

Hi my name is Shanan and I'm from Brooklyn, New York. And my WOW is that avocados are toxic to most bir. Say hi to everyone for me. Bye. Be careful out there Reggie.

[Guy Raz]

End of.

[Mindy Thomas]

Messages Grown Ups if you like wow in the World, you can listen early and ad free right now on Wondery.

[Guy Raz]

Join Wondery in the Wondery app or on Wondery Kids plus on Apple Podcasts. Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.

[Mindy Thomas]

And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey.

[Guy Raz]

Wow in the world is written by Mindy Thomas and Tom Van Kalken with help from me, Guy Raz.

[Mindy Thomas]

Original sound design and music editing is done by our senior producer Jed Anderson and Tyler Thole. You can also hear Jed Anderson in the voices of Dennis Thomas, Fingerling, Reggie and many of the other silly characters you hear on our show.

[Guy Raz]

Jessica Bode keeps our facts straight as our fact checker and Meredith Halpern Ranzer powers the WOW at Tinkercast.

[Mindy Thomas]

Our theme song was composed and performed by three time Grammy nominees the Pop Ups. Find them at thepopups.com Special thanks to.

[Guy Raz]

The rest of our team of Tinkerers including Anna Zagorski, Rebecca Kaban, Kit Ballinger and Henry Moskov.

[Mindy Thomas]

To keep the wows rolling, Visit [e-mail] There you can learn more about becoming an official member of the World Organization of wowzers. Learn more about upcoming events, shop our shop and pick up a copy of our new number one New York Times best selling book the how and wow of the Human Body.

[Guy Raz]

Grown Ups. You can follow wow in the World on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter owintheworld and our email address is hellonkercast.com and if.

[Mindy Thomas]

You'Re a kid with a big WOW to share with us, call us at 1-88-87 wow wow. For a chance to be featured at the end of our show or an upcoming episode of 2 what's in a wow?

[Guy Raz]

Thanks again for listening and until next time, keep on wowing.

[Various Kids]

Wow in the world was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.