Wow in the World: "Practice Makes Permanent"

Episode Date: January 12, 2026
Hosts: Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz

Episode Overview

In this lively, imaginative episode, Mindy, Guy Raz, and their crew tackle an important question: does practice really make perfect—or just permanent? Through wild antics, laugh-out-loud moments, and a deep dive into neuroscience, the team explores how practicing a skill doesn’t just improve performance but literally changes the brain, making our habits—good or bad—stick for the long term.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Organ Lesson Goes (Hilariously) Awry

• [02:23-06:05] The adventure begins in Mindy's gingerbread mansion, where Mindy struggles to play her “baseball stadium organ,” resulting in a cacophony so intense it shatters glass and lures in the whole neighborhood.
  • Mindy blames her lack of progress on tricky keys—turns out she left ham inside the organ!
  • Professor Cadenza, her exasperated organ teacher, reminds:

    “Practice makes permanent. And if you continue to practice incorrectly, you will only remember how to play incorrectly.” — Professor Cadenza [04:29]

  • The gang jokes about Mindy's seemingly never-ending journey to competence.

Why Isn't Learning Easy? (Scientific Explanation Incoming!)

• [06:41-07:54] Guy Raz points out that if learning new things were easy, everyone would be an expert, but science shows why that isn’t the case.
• He teases that there’s a "scientific argument for why practice is important," piquing everyone’s interest—especially Mindy's.

  “Scientific argument. Okay, now you got my attention, Guy Raz.” — Mindy [07:46]

The Brain Science of Practice

• [07:54-10:25] Guy Raz shares a recent scientific study published in Nature by UCLA and Rockefeller University researchers:

  • Mice were trained to recognize and recall odors in a certain order.
  • Researchers observed the mice’s brains, watching up to 73,000 neurons at once with a powerful microscope.
  • At first, the neural activity was chaotic—“their brain's neurons were going bonkerballs.” — Mindy [11:26]
  • With practice, neurons organized and firing patterns became orderly.

• [12:04-13:16]

  “As the mice continued to practice and get better at remembering their smells in the correct order, their neurons stopped going bonkerballs and began to organize themselves.” — Guy Raz [12:20]

“Practice Makes Permanent” — Not Just Perfect!

• [13:16-14:06] The crucial lesson: practice doesn’t automatically make perfect, but it does reinforce whatever is being practiced, correct or incorrect.

  “Practice makes permanent.” — Guy Raz [12:39 & 15:57]

• Explains why it’s important to practice the right way so you don’t accidentally perfect mistakes!

Why Study Mice? The Human Connection

• [13:19-13:44] Mice brains are a great model for human brains.
  • “They're like teeny, tiny human brains that you can fit in your pocket.” — Professor Cadenza [13:40]
  • This parallel implies that human brains also reorganize themselves through repeated practice, enabling us to form lasting memories and skills.

The Big (and Noisy!) Finale: Practice in Action

• [14:13-16:05] Inspired by the science, Mindy decides to practice her organ with fresh determination.
  • As she keeps at it, her playing actually improves, delighting the gang (and their ears).
  • The repeated refrain, “Anything for science!” rallies everyone to support Mindy’s effort.
  • “All that practice is making permanent memories in my brains.” — Mindy [15:41]

Memorable Quotes & Comedic Highlights

• On teaching struggles:
  “Why is this so hard?” — Mindy [05:37]
  “You must have a head full of ham if you think you can teach Mindy how to play that thing.” — Grandma G Force [05:39]
• On practice:
  “But I’m too lazy to practice, Guy Raz.” — Mindy [07:09]
  “Because if it was easy, then everyone would be playing the baseball stadium organ.” — Guy Raz [07:31]
• On science:
  “With Practice, our neurons or brain cells can change and get better at doing tasks like remembering things.” — Mindy [13:55]
• On perseverance:
  “Just keep practicing, Mindy. And remember, practice makes permanent.” — Guy Raz [15:57]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:23-06:05]: Mindy’s organ lesson fiasco
• [06:41-07:54]: Why skills are hard to master
• [07:54-10:25]: Scientific study of mice practicing scents
• [12:04-13:16]: Neurons organize through practice
• [13:19-13:44]: The mice-human brain comparison
• [14:13-16:05]: Mindy’s breakthrough and the power of practice

Episode Tone

True to "Wow in the World" style, the episode is energetic, silly, and packed with playful banter, sound effects, and memorable gags. The hosts keep things light while delivering meaningful science insights, making complex concepts accessible for families and kids.

Conclusion

This episode is a fun, science-packed reminder that whether you’re learning the organ or training your brain to remember smells, practice doesn’t automatically make you perfect—it makes whatever you’re doing permanent. So, practice the right way, and stick with it. Or as the Wowzers would say, "Anything for science!"