Neanderthals - They're Just Like Us? (1/27/25)

Summary

Wow in the World: Neanderthals - They're Just Like Us? (January 27, 2025)

In this captivating episode of Wow in the World, hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz delve into the intriguing world of Neanderthals, exploring recent scientific discoveries that highlight the surprising similarities between these ancient relatives and modern humans. The episode is structured around a lively Collection Club meeting, where the hosts and their quirky characters discuss the latest findings about Neanderthal behavior, particularly their penchant for collecting fossils.

---

Collection Club Kickoff

[03:20] The episode begins with Mindy introducing the Collection Club, a fictional gathering where members share their unique collections. The playful banter among the characters—Grandma G Force, Thomas Fingerling, Dennis, and Guy Raz—sets a humorous tone. Mindy emphasizes the importance of collections as personal exhibits, likening them to "tiny museums."

Notable Quote:

• Mindy (04:00): "And at this Collection Club, while one of us shares, everyone else stares. It's a Sharon Stare."

The characters attempt to define what a collection is, leading to humorous misunderstandings and creative definitions, showcasing the show's signature blend of education and entertainment.

---

Unveiling the Neanderthal Discovery

[08:15] The core of the episode revolves around a groundbreaking discovery presented by Guy Raz. He shares findings from researchers at the University of Burgos in Spain, who uncovered evidence suggesting that Neanderthals engaged in fossil collecting over 40,000 years ago.

Key Points Discussed:

• Location of Discovery: Prado Vargas Cave in northern Spain.
• Evidence Found: Stone tools, butchered deer remains, and a collection of 15 marine fossils including extinct sea snails, ancient clams, and prehistoric sea urchins.
• Dating of Fossils: The fossils date back to 66 to 145 million years ago, spanning the late Cretaceous period.
• Implications: Suggests that Neanderthals had hobbies beyond survival, such as collecting fossils for fun, much like modern humans.

Notable Quotes:

• Guy Raz (09:47): "So Guy Raz, you're telling us that our ancient human relatives, the Neanderthals, held their own collection clubs just like us?"
• Mindy (13:06): "That's like the last period in the age of the dinosaurs."
• Guy Raz (14:23): "And furthermore, they also found evidence that they were likely collected by kids."

These insights challenge the traditional perception of Neanderthals as solely focused on survival, highlighting their capacity for curiosity and creativity.

---

Discussion and Reflections

The hosts engage in a thoughtful discussion about the significance of these findings. Mindy raises a critical question about the practicalities of Neanderthals having time for collections given their survival-focused lifestyles. Guy Raz responds by emphasizing the remarkable nature of the discovery, suggesting that even in harsh conditions, Neanderthals found time for intellectual and recreational pursuits.

Notable Quotes:

• Mindy (13:11): "Wait a minute. How do we know that these fossils were part of a Neanderthal collection?"
• Guy Raz (14:05): "Well, that's what's so remarkable about this discovery. All of the evidence found in this cave suggests that these early human relatives of ours were collecting fossils just for fun."

This segment underscores the evolving understanding of Neanderthal intelligence and social behaviors, drawing parallels to contemporary human activities.

---

Listener Engagement: Share and Stare

Following the scientific discussion, the episode shifts to the Share and Stare segment, where listeners' "wow" messages are featured. Children from various locations share their fascinating "wows," ranging from animal facts to unique personal discoveries.

Examples of Listener Wows:

• Ellie (17:02): "Bab has fingers. Isn't that amazing?"
• Isaacson (17:27): "Male velvet ants are the only velvet ants that have wings and females don't."
• Lucas (18:58): "The Fibonacci sequence is a sequence of numbers added by the sum of the two numbers added before that."

These contributions foster a sense of community and encourage young listeners to remain curious and engaged with the world around them.

---

Conclusion and Takeaways

The episode wraps up with Mindy and Guy Raz reflecting on the day's discussions. They highlight the fascinating notion that Neanderthals, much like today's children, found joy in collecting and curating items of interest. This revelation not only bridges the gap between past and present but also inspires young listeners to appreciate their own passions and curiosities.

Final Thoughts:

• Mindy (15:15): "Wow. How bonkerballs is it to think that our ancient Neanderthal relatives were out collecting the same prehistoric fossils that we're still searching for and finding today?"
• Guy Raz (15:50): "Fascinating new scientific discovery, Guy Raz."

The episode emphasizes the continuity of human behavior across millennia, celebrating the innate desire to explore, collect, and marvel at the wonders of the world.

---

Summary

In "Neanderthals - They're Just Like Us?", Wow in the World masterfully combines humor, storytelling, and scientific inquiry to shed light on the sophisticated behaviors of Neanderthals. Through the engaging format of the Collection Club, listeners are invited to explore the parallels between ancient and modern human activities, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for our shared heritage. The episode not only educates but also inspires young minds to continue asking "WOW" about the world around them.

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]

Hey Wowzer fams Mindy here and before we start the show, I've got a question for you. Are you ready to make it wow? Okay, here's the deal. My buddies Dennis and Karlie Q and I are hitting the road to make it wow with you in the Washington D.C. area and Denver, Colorado. That's right. We'll be making it wow in Bethesda, Maryland on March 29th and in Denver, Colorado on April 6th. Make it wow is a live Bonkerballs competition game show where real kids are the star of the show. Two teams of wowzers will turn their wildest and weirdest ideas into jaw dropping inventions live on stage. But that's not all. This show also features live music from the pop ups and special guest appearances from Dennis, Grandma G Force and Thomas Fingerling. Tickets to our D.C. and Denver shows go on sale starting Saturday, February 1st. But why wait? Grown Ups tickets are on presale right now for members of our world organization of Wowzers. Members, you can get your tickets [e-mail] events. That's tinkercast.com events. Not a member yet. Don't worry, you can sign up [e-mail] membership to get the special presale code and get your tickets now. We are so excited to make It Wow with you this spring. But until then, let's get back to the show.

[Unknown]

Hey grownups, are you looking for ways to enrich your child's homeschool curriculum? IXL is an online learning platform that offers practice in math, English, language arts, science and social studies. It's trusted by 15 million students worldwide and is backed by over 75 scientific research studies. IXL encourages students to be curious and empowers them to choose how to learn through games, videos and more. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and WOW in the world. Listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixl.com wow visit ixl.com wow to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price.

[Mindy]

So many discoveries that are jumping off the page.

[Dennis]

While in the world. While in the world. While in the world. You know what?

[Mindy]

I pretend.

[Grandma G Force]

Excuse me.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Excuse me.

[Mindy]

Hello everyone. Hi. Hi. Thank you for coming. I would just like to welcome you all to our first meeting of our neighborhood Collection Club.

[Dennis]

Collection Club. Collection Club.

[Grandma G Force]

Oh yeah.

[Mindy]

Now Collection Club is the club where we all come together and share our collections of the cool stuff we've collected.

[Guy Raz]

Like my collection of vintage scientist tools. See, I've got a compass from the Lewis and Clark expedition, geological hammer from 1924. Thank you.

[Mindy]

Oh, no, not yet, Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, sorry.

[Mindy]

And at this Collection Club, while one of us shares, everyone else stares. It's a Sharon Stare. Dennis, you stare with your eyes, not with your mouth.

[Grandma G Force]

Oh, excuse me.

[Mindy]

Yes, Grandma Jeep Force.

[Grandma G Force]

What if we need to say things like ooh and ugh, and where'd you get that? And give it to me?

[Guy Raz]

Yeah. Or things like wow, that must have taken a long time to collect.

[Mindy]

Yeah.

[Dennis]

And stuff like kuwa, that's so special and rare in vip.

[Mindy]

Okay, fine, you can say stuff like that.

[Dennis]

Yay.

[Mindy]

Now, before we begin our Collection Club, Sharon Stare, can anyone tell me what a collection is?

[Grandma G Force]

Why, yes, I can, Mindy.

[Mindy]

Uh, okay, Grandma GeForce.

[Grandma G Force]

Well, a collection is just a pile of trash that somebody forgot to throw away. Like these parking tickets I'd collected off your ice cream truck.

[Guy Raz]

Wait, what?

[Mindy]

Okay, not exactly, but can I see those, please?

[Thomas Fingerling]

Oh, I know what a collection is. It's lovely hoarding, except it's fancier.

[Mindy]

Ooo, okay, yeah, that's not it either.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Rats.

[Dennis]

Oh, I know. A collection is when you accidentally buy 30 pairs of underpants instead of three because you typed the wrong number while online shopping.

[Mindy]

No.

[Dennis]

And then you forget to return them.

[Mindy]

Well, Dennis, I.

[Dennis]

And then you try to hide your accidental underpants collection by wearing ten at a time.

[Guy Raz]

I'm sorry, how many?

[Grandma G Force]

Oh, yeah, Looks like he's wearing a big diaper.

[Guy Raz]

And then.

[Mindy]

Dennis, that is not what a collection is. Can anyone else tell me what a collection is?

[Guy Raz]

Oh, I think I can answer that question. Mindy.

[Mindy]

Yes, Guy Raz, please answer that question.

[Guy Raz]

A collection is a group of things, typically objects brought together because someone thinks they're cool or interesting. Okay, Oftentimes the collection is organized for study or presented in a showcase or just done as a personal hobby.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Neat.

[Mindy]

Exactly. Thank you, Guy Raz. See, a collection is kind of like a tiny museum of whatever your bonkerball's about.

[Dennis]

Yeah, but instead of a museum, it's like a youseum. Get it? Cause it's a museum of you. Youseum.

[Thomas Fingerling]

I get it.

[Guy Raz]

And people collect all sorts of things. Rocks, stamps, coins, underpants, bottle caps, bones.

[Dennis]

Huh?

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Grandma G Force]

Bones. Like these.

[Dennis]

Wow.

[Guy Raz]

Wow.

[Mindy]

Grandpa G Force. Are those dinosaur bones?

[Grandma G Force]

Nah, I don't like shovels. These are just normal bones.

[Mindy]

Oh.

[Grandma G Force]

Now let's See? What do we got here? Ham bone, Wish bone, Bone Spur Cuddle bone, Chicken bone, Dog bone, Bone Broth Bone Thugs in harmony. Outside bones.

[Mindy]

Outside bones.

[Grandma G Force]

Yeah, teeth.

[Guy Raz]

Ew. Technically teeth are not bones.

[Grandma G Force]

Whatever.

[Mindy]

Wow, this is a pretty bonkerballs collection you've got here, Grandma GeForce. Look at all these bones.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Yeah, you got any human bones?

[Grandma G Force]

No.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Oh, well, here, I'll get you one of mine. Come here, bones. There we go.

[Mindy]

Thomas Fingerling, your bones belong inside your body.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Alright, what do we got here? A hip bone. Ooh, that's a good one. Here you go. G Force.

[Grandma G Force]

Get that hip bone away from me, Fingerling.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Rude.

[Grandma G Force]

I don't want your fossils.

[Thomas Fingerling]

What? Who you calling a fossil?

[Guy Raz]

Oh, wait, fossils.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Ah, Mr. Razzie, not you too.

[Guy Raz]

No, no, no, no. Thomas Fingerling, I'm not trying to insult you. You're just reminding me of a new discovery I read about. Journal Quarternary.

[Grandma G Force]

Scientific Nothing.

[Mindy]

Wait, hold the bones, Guy Raz. Did you just say a new scientific discovery?

[Guy Raz]

Yes, and this is a pretty amazing discovery.

[Grandma G Force]

No.

[Guy Raz]

And it involves a very old collection that began in a cave in northern Spain between 40 to 50, 50,000 years ago.

[Grandma G Force]

Is that old?

[Mindy]

Are you talking about an ancient collection, Guy Raz?

[Thomas Fingerling]

Yeah, 50,000 years ago. Back from when G Force was a teenager.

[Grandma G Force]

Get out of here, Fingerling. I'm a teenager now.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, well, Grandma GeForce wasn't alive when this collection began. In fact, this happened so long ago that Homo sapiens, or modern humans like us, hadn't even appeared in this part of Spain yet.

[Dennis]

Well, if humans weren't around yet, who did all the collecting? Guy?

[Mindy]

Yeah. Okay everyone, let me just check my deep time calendar here and see what was happening on this day in northern Spain 40 to 50,000 years ago. Okay, so that would have been the Paleolithic era.

[Guy Raz]

That's right, the Paleolithic era. When our ancient human ancestors, the Neanderthals, were still in existence.

[Mindy]

Ah, Neanderthals. Some of the earliest humans on the planet. I know all about them. They were using stone tools, creating cave paintings, even making music in some cases.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Fancy.

[Guy Raz]

And from what researchers from from the University of Burgos in Spain have just discovered, it's pretty clear that these ancient Neanderthals may have also been collecting. What?

[Thomas Fingerling]

World Wide Web.

[Dennis]

Ooh, Collection club. Collection club.

[Grandma G Force]

Yeah, I remember. Those were the good old days.

[Mindy]

So Guy Raz, you're telling us that our ancient human relatives, the Neanderthals, held their own collection clubs just like us?

[Guy Raz]

Yes. Or at least the evidence strongly suggests it.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Wow. Ancient Clubs?

[Grandma G Force]

Yeah, like this ancient club I got here.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Oh, gee, force, quit clubbing me.

[Grandma G Force]

It was a love tap.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Well, I didn't love it.

[Guy Raz]

Anyway, as I was saying, when these researchers went into the deep, dark Prado Vargas Cave in northern Spain, they made a few observations.

[Mindy]

Observations like what, Guy Raz?

[Guy Raz]

Well, for one, they found evidence that Neanderthals had once set up camp inside this cave.

[Dennis]

Wow. They went camping in a cold, dark cave?

[Mindy]

No, Dennis, Setting up camp means that they lived in this cold, dark cave.

[Dennis]

Ah.

[Guy Raz]

Ew. The researchers also found pieces of tools the Neanderthals had made out of stone, as well as evidence that they had butchered deer in the cave.

[Grandma G Force]

Well, big whoop. I butchered a rotisserie chicken in my bed.

[Mindy]

What?

[Guy Raz]

Why?

[Grandma G Force]

Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answers to, Guraz.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, right.

[Mindy]

Anywho, did they observe anything else, Guy Raz? Any more evidence of Neanderthal life in this cave?

[Guy Raz]

They did, Mindy. And this is the fascinating new discovery. They also discovered what appear to be a collection of 15 marine fossils.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Wow, that's like fossils collecting fossils.

[Grandma G Force]

Well, no fair. They had first dibs. I want them bones.

[Mindy]

What kinds of marine fossils did the Neanderthals collect, Guy Raz?

[Guy Raz]

Oh, well, we're talking extinct sea snails, ancient clams, prehistoric sea urchins. All believed to have been collected from the rocks around the cave.

[Dennis]

Oh, wow. Wait, how do we know these seashells were fossils? What if they were just the leftovers from a Neanderthal fishing trip?

[Mindy]

Yeah, just how prehistoric were these marine fossils, Guy Raz?

[Guy Raz]

Well, when the researchers examined the shells and urchins, they found that they dated back as far as 66 to 145 million years ago, all the way back to the late Cretaceous period. Whoa.

[Mindy]

That's like the last period in the age of the dinosaurs.

[Dennis]

Wow.

[Mindy]

Wait a minute. How do we know that these fossils were part of a Neanderthal collection?

[Guy Raz]

Uh, what do you mean, Mindy?

[Mindy]

I mean, how do we know that it wasn't just our human ancestors making tools with the things that they found?

[Thomas Fingerling]

Yeah, yeah. How do we know they weren't using marine fossils to make clam hammers and sea snail screwdrivers?

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, well, one of the 15 fossils found in the group showed signs that it could have been used as a hammer. But the others appeared to be grouped, just like our collections here today.

[Mindy]

Just like our collections here at Collection Club.

[Guy Raz]

Yep.

[Mindy]

Wow. But, Guy Raz, so much of a Neanderthal's life was just about surviving. You Know, finding basic food and shelter. I mean, it was so hard just to stay alive back then. Did they really have time for collections?

[Dennis]

Yeah, collecting stuff is for soft and squishy modern humans like us.

[Guy Raz]

Well, that's what's so remarkable about this discovery. All of the evidence found in this cave suggests that these early human relatives of ours were collecting fossils just for fun.

[Dennis]

Wow.

[Guy Raz]

And furthermore, they also found evidence that they were likely collected by kids.

[Dennis]

What?

[Thomas Fingerling]

Oh, that's cool, dude.

[Mindy]

Wait a minute. So you're suggesting that Neanderthals or Neanderthal kids were collecting things just because they thought that they were interesting?

[Dennis]

Just because they thought they were cool?

[Guy Raz]

Yes, exactly. Just like we might look for interesting seashells or rocks or fossils today.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Bones. Here you go. G Force.

[Guy Raz]

No, exactly. We might show our collections off or give them away as gifts. And this evidence suggests that Neanderthals were doing the same thing over 40,000 years ago, way before modern humans arrived on the scene.

[Dennis]

That's so cool.

[Mindy]

Wow. How bonkerballs is it to think that our ancient Neanderthal relatives were out collecting the same prehistoric fossils that we're still searching for and finding today?

[Grandma G Force]

Yeah, and getting the first dibs on all the good ones. Yeah, I guess what I wouldn't give to being Neanderthal bone collector right about now, I'd be rich.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Well, you certainly look like one, G Force.

[Grandma G Force]

Well, thank you, Fingerling. I appreciate you saying that.

[Mindy]

Well, well. Fascinating new scientific discovery, Guy Raz. And that is a perfect segue into our share and stare for today's Collection Club meeting. So, who's up next? Me. Okay, I'll go. This here is my collection of found fuzzy things.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, let's see here.

[Mindy]

I've got dryer lint, dust bunnies, a mossy rock belly button, lint, Mindy hairball mold from a fuzzy Fuzzy Pete fungus on a log.

[Dennis]

Ew.

[Thomas Fingerling]

I don't like that.

[Grandma G Force]

I call dibs on the log fungus.

[Mindy]

Clumps of cat fur from my sleigh cats, woolly aphids, coconut husks, Guy Raz's pink bunny slippers.

[Dennis]

Hey. Hey, wait.

[G]

Wow in the World. We'll be right back, grown ups. This message is.

[Grandma G Force]

That's it.

[G]

Back to the show.

[Dennis]

Wow in the World.

[Mindy]

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

[G]

Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz. My name is Ellie and I'm seven. And my wow in the world is that Bab has fingers. Isn't that amazing? Say hi to Baby Dennis.

[Dennis]

Baby Dennis, Ears are burning.

[G]

Um, Thomas Fingerling and Reggie for me.

[Mindy]

Wow.

[G]

Bye. Hello, Mindy and Guy Raz. I am ike Isaacson, an 8 year old from Gainesville, Florida. My wow in the world is that male velvet ants are the only velvet ants that have wings and females don't. Bye. Hi, my name Guy Raz. My name is Abigail and I live in New York. My wow in the world is that studies from the University of California show that kids who read out loud to dogs can improve their fluency. But 20 to 30% isn't that bonkerball? Say hi to Reggie, Thomas Fingerling. Grandma Jean Horse. Hi, Al, Dennis and Reggie. I can speak pigeon. Bye. Hey, I'm Addy. I'm Miles. And I'm Grayson. And we live in Alabama. My wow in my world is that the ostrich is the first largest bird in the world. Isn't that crazy? Imagine how big they are. My name is Charlie. I'm seven years old. I live in Indianapolis. My relative here is that China was the first country to make paper. Hi, Dennis.

[Dennis]

Ahoy there.

[G]

Hi, Reggie. Hi, Vanity.

[Grandma G Force]

Oh, snap.

[G]

My name is Maggie. I'm from Elmhurst, Illinois. My wow is that bananas are radioactive. Hi, I live in Hawaii and my name is Scott. Did you know a lizard can drop its tail if a predator tries to eat it?

[Grandma G Force]

5.

[G]

Hello, my name is Lucas. I live in Wichita, Kansas, usa. And my wow in the world is the for the naughty sequence. The Fibonacci sequence is a sequence of numbers added by the sum of the two numbers added before that. Also, guys, I love your show so much. I've been listening to it since I was a little kid on my Alexa. I'm actually listening to it right now. Okay, bye guys.

[Mindy]

End of messages. Grown ups. If you like wow in the World, you can listen early and ad free right now on Wondry.

[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]

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]

Original sound design and music editing is done by our supervising producer, Jed Anderson. You can also hear Jed Anderson in the voices of Dennis, Thomas, Fingerling, Reggie and many of the other silly characters that you hear on our show. And Lizzie Froehlich can also be heard as some of the silly characters 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]

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

[Guy Raz]

Kit Ballinger, Rebecca Caban, Dr. Natasha Crandall, Kenny Curtis, Kristin Yang, Thuy Mac, Erica Medina, Henry Moskal, Jody Nussbaum, Ali Paxima, Linda Rothenberg, Steph Sosa, Joanna Weber, Anna Sigorski, Tyler Thole and all of the other tinkerers at Tinkercast HQ.

[Mindy]

And to keep the wow rolling after you finish this episode, visit [e-mail] There you can become a member of the World Organization of Wowzers to get year round mailings and weekly activities. Shop our wow Shop, get tickets for upcoming events, find our best selling books and learn about some of the other amazing podcasts from Tinkercast Grown Ups.

[Guy Raz]

You can follow wow in the World on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @wowintheworld. And our email address is is helloinkercast.com.

[Mindy]

And if you're a kid with a big wow to share with us, call us at 1-888-7-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. We're here every Monday or you can check out two what's and a wow every Friday right here in the wow in the World podcast feed.

[Mindy]

And don't forget we WOW on the weekend with Dennis Saturday and Sunday.

[Dennis]

Keep on wowing.

[Grandma G Force]

Wow in the World was made by.

[Mindy]

Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.