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Mindy Thomas
Hey, Wowzer fams. Mindy here. And before we start the show, guess what? You can join me every Friday for two what's in a People who Wow Edition. In this Getting to Know youw game show, I'll be visited by some of the world's most fascinating people to get the wows and the what's of their lives. From cartoonist and graphic novelist Raina Telgemeier of the Smile series, to everyday extraordinary kids just like you. And that's not all. With this new season of two what's in a wow? There are now two ways to wow. What am I talking about? Well, first, you can listen to episodes right here in our wow. In the World podcast feed. Or, and this is a big oar. Yeah, you're right, Reg. That doesn't have the same ring to it. Okay, now where was I? Oh, yeah. As always, you can listen to new episodes in your favorite podcast player, or you can watch these episodes with your eyeballs on YouTube. I know. I should comb my hair or something. We are so excited for you to listen and watch our new season of two what's in a People who Wow Edition starting this Friday. So make sure you're subscribed to our podcast feed and our WowTube channel on YouTube so you don't miss out. That's two what's in a People who Wow Edition coming this Friday. And now a quick ad break and then we'll get on with the show. Hey, Grown ups. Mindy here. And do I have a wow for you. What if I told you that the best kids math program is actually inspired by comic books and it's about monsters? It's called Beast Academy. And the little monsters, like Grog, do the kind of math that gets kids curious enough to stop and think and figure things out for themselves. For example, Krog asked his Beast Academy math club, if our school has more than 366 kids in it, is it guaranteed that two of them will have exactly the same birthday? He proved that the answer is yes through problem solving. Wow, that's Beast Academy. Where kids build problem solving skills through interesting problems and puzzles. It's from the folks at Art of Problem Solving, the same people who train math champions, grown ups. Head to beastacademy.com and use code BEASTWOW for 10% off the online program. Oh, and tell Grog Mindy says hi.
Yoshi (Nintendo Ad Voice)
Who's that walking through the woods? Wyatt's Yoshi, here to explore a world of curious creatures with you. Discovered a creature you haven't seen before. Why don't you get Yoshi to see what it tastes like? Hmm, Soapy. No wonder this creature blows giant bubbles so big they can carry you. You jump from one bubble to another and reach new areas. There are plenty more surprises to discover, too. Bowser Jr. What are you doing out here? You can jump into adventure with Yoshi and The Mysterious Book. May 21st only on Nintendo Switch 2. Game Rated E for Everyone proceeded 3, 2, 1.
Static Man
Be mission. The buddies are an adventure of magnificent proport.
Dennis Dogs
I don't know what you've been told.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
We're in a golden age. So many discoveries that are jumping off the page.
Diana (Dog Owner)
You know, I don't mean to boast, but my brilliant little Boo Boo bear knows 150 words, okay? It's like I can't even mention the words yo, yo or muffin or phone in conversation without him running off and grabbing one of his toys of the same name. Oh, wow, that's astonishing. I know 150 words. I mean, come on. I mean, some would call it genius.
Mindy Thomas
Yeah, genius, right?
Diana (Dog Owner)
But enough about me and Boo Boo Bear. How many words does your little snooter boodle know?
Mindy Thomas
My who?
Diana (Dog Owner)
You know, your little blipper baby. The one you're here for, the one graduating from the program today. How many words do they know?
Mindy Thomas
How many what words? I don't know. Like, all of them.
Diana (Dog Owner)
Oh, my. All of them, you say? Well, we'll just have to see about that.
Guy Raz
Okay, Mindy, sorry to interrupt, but could I get your help with the little situation we're having over by the refreshments table?
Mindy Thomas
Oh, sure. Guy Raz. Sorry. Nice talking to you, Miss Lady.
Diana (Dog Owner)
Oh, it's Diana.
Guy Raz
Mindy, come on.
Mindy Thomas
So sorry. Gotta run.
Guy Raz
Oh, mom, what was that all about?
Mindy Thomas
Guy Raz, how many words do you
Grandma G Force
know what this brisket tastes like? Dog food, madam.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
That is dog food.
Mindy Thomas
Oh, boy.
Grandma G Force
I know that. I would like two more, please.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Madam, please.
Jed Anderson
These refreshments are for the graduates after the ceremony.
Mindy Thomas
Okay, Grandma G Force, maybe just put down the dog treat and leave this poor gentleman alone.
Thomas Fingerling
Excuse me, sir.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Oh, no.
Thomas Fingerling
These foot baths are a little cold.
Diana (Dog Owner)
What?
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
No. Get your feet out of the water bowls.
Guy Raz
Thomas Fingerling, where are your shoes?
Thomas Fingerling
Oh, hey there, Mr. Azzy.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Okay, everyone, please take your seats. The ceremony is about to begin.
Mindy Thomas
Okay, come on, Grandma G Force, Thomas Fingerling, come on, time to sit down.
Grandma G Force
Well, I ain't going nowheres till I get two more of them little biscuit boys.
Guy Raz
Grandma G Force, you can have a treat after Dennis ceremony. Okay? Come sit down.
Mindy Thomas
You too, Thomas Fingerling come on, let's go.
Thomas Fingerling
No way, dude. I'm in the middle of my bath.
Mindy Thomas
Come here. Come on. No, Fingerling, no.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Let's go.
Grandma G Force
Lay me off.
Mindy Thomas
That's a background.
Grandma G Force
My G finger telling me what to do. Sit. I don't wanna do like that.
Mindy Thomas
Oh, hello again.
Diana (Dog Owner)
Having trouble with recall, huh? You know basic commands. Sit, stay, Roll over.
Grandma G Force
Oh, did somebody say roll over? Okay, grandma.
Diana (Dog Owner)
Cheekboys.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
No,
Diana (Dog Owner)
that's a good girl.
Grandma G Force
Now give me a treat.
Diana (Dog Owner)
Of course. But first, you must sit.
Mindy Thomas
Sit.
Dennis Dogs
Woof.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Double woof, woof.
Diana (Dog Owner)
A treat for you and a treat for you.
Grandma G Force
There you go. That's good.
Guy Raz
Come on everyone. I've got some seats saved for us in the.
Mindy Thomas
Is it just me guy Raz, or does something feel really weird about this place?
Guy Raz
Yeah, it's really strange. Mindy, what exactly did Dennis tell you about this ceremony?
Mindy Thomas
Well, he said he's been taking these self improvement classes.
Guy Raz
Yeah.
Mindy Thomas
And he said that they've been helping him to master things like discipline and following instructions and listening skills.
Dennis Dogs
Uh huh.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Welcome everyone. On behalf of the Institute for Better Listening, we are so happy to introduce you to our fine graduates of our six week Sit, Stay, Snoop Advanced Language learning program.
Guy Raz
Sit, Stay, Snoop. Mindy, what is this?
Mindy Thomas
I don't know.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Our listening and obedience program is based on new research from the University of Budapest. The friends that you're about to meet have developed vocabularies to hundreds of words in size.
Guy Raz
Mindy, did he say obedience program?
Mindy Thomas
Oh, boy.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Presenting our graduates, Banjo Noodles, Tater Tot iii. Boo Boo Bear and Dennis Dogs.
Dennis Dogs
Woof woof. I'm a good boy.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Yes, you are.
Thomas Fingerling
Treat.
Mindy Thomas
Yay.
Thomas Fingerling
That's one ugly looking dog.
Grandma G Force
Oh, snap.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Now, prior to the research from Budapest, we here at the Institute for Better Listening relied on direct instruction in order to teach dogs new words.
Guy Raz
Direct instruction?
Mindy Thomas
Yeah, I think he means like, you know, sit, stay. Holding up a toy and just saying the name of it over and over and over again until the dog starts to connect the name with the toy.
Guy Raz
Ah, of course.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
But now we've learned that a few rare, intelligent dogs have a special skill, A skill that demonstrates the extent of their amazing language learning abilities. And that special skill is.
Mindy Thomas
Yes.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
The skill is.
Listener Callers
Yes.
Grandma G Force
Spit it out, boy.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Eavesdropping.
Mindy Thomas
Eavesdropping.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Otherwise known as snooping.
Dennis Dogs
That's right. Woof woof, woof.
Guy Raz
Okay, this is starting to make a little more sense now.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
The dogs you see before you are exceptional. They are what are known as label learners. They can learn to recognize words even when those words Are not spoken directly to the dog.
Mindy Thomas
Wow, Guy Raz. I didn't know dogs could snoop.
Guy Raz
Me neither. Is that why Dennis is here? To learn how to snoop like a dog?
Diana (Dog Owner)
Hello? Hi, it's me, Diana again.
Mindy Thomas
Hi, Diana.
Diana (Dog Owner)
Aren't you just so proud of your little pupper? Snup. Now, which one is yours?
Mindy Thomas
That one.
Dennis Dogs
Woof woof. I'm a dog.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Yes, you are. Treat.
Mindy Thomas
Hooray. Oh my.
Diana (Dog Owner)
What breed is he?
Guy Raz
A very rare breed of dog.
Dennis Dogs
Excuse me? Woof woof.
Diana (Dog Owner)
Yes, I see.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Now, as I was saying, the dogs here before you are a select, rare, genius level dog. They can learn and understand the names for hundreds of objects such as toys.
Dennis Dogs
That's right. Genius level. What?
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Dennis, sit.
Dennis Dogs
Oh, sorry. Sitting down, sir.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Good boy. Here at Sit, Stay, Snoop, we evaluate how intelligent our students are by their ability to learn new words through snooping.
Guy Raz
Wow. So some dogs can learn human words without being taught directly?
Mindy Thomas
I guess so. They can learn by eavesdropping or snooping in on human conversations. Oh, yes.
Diana (Dog Owner)
My dog, Boo Boo Bear is a gifted word learner. I have a bumper sticker on my car to prove it. I enrolled him in Sit, Stay, Snoop to determine if he is a label learner.
Guy Raz
Label learner?
Mindy Thomas
What's that?
Diana (Dog Owner)
Label learner is a description of a dog's ability. It means not only can that dog learn a command word like sit or stay, but they can also learn the names of specific objects like spaceship or dolphin.
Guy Raz
Interesting. Can any dog be trained to be a label learner?
Diana (Dog Owner)
Oh, heavens no. You see, a label learning dog is a very rare thing. For example, My Boo Boo is a highly sophisticated border collie. In fact, you didn't hear this from me, but some of his relatives were used in the actual experiment conducted for the study that this class is based on.
Mindy Thomas
Wait, his relatives?
Diana (Dog Owner)
Oh, yes. This experimental research from Budapest was conducted on a group of 10 dogs all deemed label learners. Now, most of the label learners were herding dogs. Breeds like border collies, like My Boo Boo Bear and Australian Shepherds, of course.
Guy Raz
Herding dogs, those types of dogs are known to pay especially close attention to humans.
Diana (Dog Owner)
Exactly. See, herding dogs are prized for their ability to pay close attention to what their owners say and do.
Dennis Dogs
Huh.
Mindy Thomas
So herding dogs are good snoopers?
Diana (Dog Owner)
Well, yes, I suppose you could say that herding dogs are natural born snoopers. However, one of the dogs in the study was actually a Labrador retriever.
Mindy Thomas
So label learning dogs can be found in other breeds too?
Diana (Dog Owner)
It would appear so.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Now, ladies and gentlemen, we would like to have our Graduates demonstrate for you how they learn, a process we call Sit. Stay. Snoop. Can I have two volunteers, please?
Mindy Thomas
Oh, oh, me. Pick me. I love to volunteer.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Wonderful. You there.
Dennis Dogs
Me?
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Um, no, next to you, the lady in the lumpy leotard.
Grandma G Force
Who's he talking to?
Thomas Fingerling
He's talking to you, G force.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
What?
Dennis Dogs
No fair.
Grandma G Force
Well, I'll have you know that this is a unitard and these lumps is pennies I fished out of the mall fountain.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Excellent. Please come to the stage and bring that gentleman next to you.
Thomas Fingerling
Who, me?
Dennis Dogs
Go up there.
Guy Raz
Thomas Fingerling.
Grandma G Force
Come on, Fingerling, we're volunte.
Thomas Fingerling
Okay, fine.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Now, to demonstrate how intelligent our graduates are. Ahem.
Dennis Dogs
I believe the word you are looking for is genius.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Dennis, no barking now.
Dennis Dogs
Oh, sorry. Yes, teacher.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
To demonstrate how genius our graduates are, we will teach them a new label right here, right now. Okay, grandma G force.
Mindy Thomas
What?
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Please select a dog toy from this basket.
Grandma G Force
Okay, I want this one.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
No, that is the basket itself. Please select a toy from the basket.
Grandma G Force
I want this one.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Ooh, good choice. The sugar donut plushie.
Dennis Dogs
Oh, let me stay, let me stay.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Dennis, sit.
Dennis Dogs
Sitting.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Stay.
Dennis Dogs
I'm staying.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Snoop.
Dennis Dogs
Yes, sir.
Grandma G Force
Now what?
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Now this toy, the sugar donut plushie, is unknown to our dogs. They have never seen it before and are going to learn the name of it.
Grandma G Force
Okay, I get it. Come here, doggies. Watch and learn. This thing here is called a disco bagel. You got that disco bagel?
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
No, no, no, grandma G force, we're not teaching the dogs directly.
Grandma G Force
What do you mean? What do you mean?
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
I mean these dogs are geniuses. We don't need to teach them by addressing them directly. These dogs can learn the name of that toy by eavesdropping on your human conversation about the toy.
Grandma G Force
So what, you just want me to talk to Fingerling about it?
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Exactly. You and Thomas fingerling are going to talk to each other about this sugar donut plushie toy. You're going to say the name of it to each other and these dogs will learn.
Grandma G Force
Okay, here we go. Hey, Fingerling, look at this disco bagel.
Thomas Fingerling
Oh, that's a very nice disco bagel you got there, GeForce.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Huh?
Dennis Dogs
Disco bagel. What an interesting name.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
You're doing great. Let the dogs see the disco bagel. But do not look at them. Do not address the dogs. Just talk to each other.
Grandma G Force
Well, this disco bagel is very round. It don't got no corners, see?
Thomas Fingerling
Uh huh. Disco bagel.
Grandma G Force
And this disco bagel is brown.
Thomas Fingerling
Yeah, brown disco bagel.
Grandma G Force
And there is a hole through the middle of this disco bagel. And I do not know what happened to it.
Thomas Fingerling
Interesting. A little hole in the disco bagel.
Grandma G Force
And this disco bagel is covered and sparkly sugar.
Thomas Fingerling
Disco bag of. I get it.
Dennis Dogs
I get it too.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Okay, that should do it. Now, in both the experiment and our class, after the dogs eavesdropped on the humans talking about the new toy, we put the new toy into a bunch of other toys that the dogs already know the names of. Grandma G force.
Mindy Thomas
What?
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Please place the sugar donut.
Grandma G Force
Disco bagel.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Right. Please place the disco bagel into this toy basket.
Grandma G Force
Okay. Here, basket. Here's a disco bagel. Hope you like it.
Dennis Dogs
Oh, toys. Bark, bark, bark, bark, BOB Give me, give me, give me, give me.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Quiet, please.
Dennis Dogs
Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Now, each dog will demonstrate its snooping ability. Banjo, come. Come, Banjo. Good, Banjo. Oh, good boy. Now, Banjo, go get the disco bagel. Good, Banjo. That is the disco bagel. Very good. Here, Ms. GeForce, put this disco bagel back into the toy bin, please.
Grandma G Force
Why gotta I do everything around here about their basket?
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Noodles, come. Good Noodles. Okay, go get the disco bagel. Go on, Noodles. Go get it. Good Noodles. That is the disco bagel. So good.
Dennis Dogs
Wow.
Mindy Thomas
This is bonker balls Guy Raz. These dogs all seem to be able to understand and remember the name of the toy.
Guy Raz
Yeah.
Mindy Thomas
Do you think all the dogs here will be able to find the disco bagel?
Diana (Dog Owner)
I believe so. I heard that the scientists ran this experiment with their dogs several times over several days.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Tater Tot the third. Come. Oh, good, Tater Tot. Now go get the disco bagel.
Diana (Dog Owner)
And you didn't hear this from me, but they discovered that these intelligent dogs were able to grab the correct item 80% of the time.
Mindy Thomas
Just from snooping? Yes.
Diana (Dog Owner)
Can you believe it?
Guy Raz
That's incredible.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Oh, good job, Tater Tot. Iii. That is the disco bear. Good boy. Ooh, Boo Boo bear. Come.
Diana (Dog Owner)
Oh, that's my boo Boo bear.
Mindy Thomas
You can do it, Boo Boo bear. Mommy loves you.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Oh, good Boo Boo. Okay, now go get the disco bag. Oh, boo Boo bear.
Mindy Thomas
Yes, man. Ms. Diana treats her dog like it's a real human baby.
Guy Raz
You know, Mindy, dogs aren't the only ones that snoop on conversation in order to learn new words.
Mindy Thomas
Really? There are other animals that do this?
Guy Raz
Yes, humans. Specifically, human babies.
Mindy Thomas
Oh, yeah. Human babies learn words by hearing other humans talk to each other, too?
Guy Raz
Exactly.
Mindy Thomas
So what you're saying is that. That dogs are babies?
Guy Raz
What? No.
Mindy Thomas
So what you're saying is that babies are snoops?
Guy Raz
No, Mindy, that's not. Well, yes, I guess I am kind of saying that babies are snoops.
Mindy Thomas
I knew it.
Guy Raz
But by babies, I don't mean infants. Humans start snooping. I mean learning words through eavesdropping at around 2 years old. So toddlers.
Mindy Thomas
Snooping toddlers. Interesting. Do you think these label learning dogs are actually learning, like toddlers Guy Raz, I don.
Guy Raz
For sure it looks like it, and it's very impressive. But it's possible something else is going on.
Diana (Dog Owner)
You know, in 2004, there was another study involving a border collie like my Boo Boo bear. And this border collie named Rico could learn the names of new objects through the process of elimination.
Mindy Thomas
The process of elimination? You mean like crossing off the answers that are wrong so it's easier to find the right one?
Diana (Dog Owner)
You didn't hear that from me.
Guy Raz
Wow, that's really advanced.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Dennis, come.
Dennis Dogs
Woof, woof, woof. Bark, bark. Here I am.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Oh, that's a good boy, Dennis.
Mindy Thomas
It's Dennis. Turn. Let's see if he's a genius label learner, too.
Diana (Dog Owner)
He really is an ugly dog, isn't he?
Guy Raz
This is so strange.
Mindy Thomas
Guy Raz, be supportive. You got this, Dennis.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Okay, Dennis, go get the disco bagel.
Dennis Dogs
Woof, woof, woof. Can do. Here you go.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Oh, sorry, Dennis. This isn't the disco bagel. This is a normal bagel with cream cheese.
Dennis Dogs
Oh, whoops. Let me try again. Here we go. Woof, woof.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
No, Dennis. This is a disco ball.
Dennis Dogs
What? That's what I thought you. You said. I'll be right back.
Guy Raz
This is not good.
Mindy Thomas
Yeah, maybe Dennis isn't ready to graduate after all.
Dennis Dogs
Here. This one is definitely the one.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Oh, sorry, Dennis. This is a donut with pink frosting and multicolored sprinkles.
Dennis Dogs
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, Dennis.
Mindy Thomas
Oh, boy.
Guy Raz
This one?
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
No, that's a pineapple. This one? No, that's a pretty little princess.
Dennis Dogs
This one?
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
No, that's a basketball Wearing sun yellow grown ups.
Jed Anderson
Jett Anderson here from Tinkercast. I got a question for you. How does your household manage to keep track of everything? I mean, really. I want to know because after a day of producing another episode of wow in the World and keeping track of all the crazy characters, the voices, I then have to keep track of all the crazy characters at home. That is why I can't wait to get a Skylight calendar. It's an all in one digital smart calendar that syncs with Google Calendar, Outlook and more. And it gives you and your kids the perfect customized view of everyone's events. Chores and to dos so that nothing slips through the cracks. Families are better when they're working together. Right now, Skylight is offering our listeners $30 off their 15 inch calendars by going to myskylight.com wowintheworld go to myskylight.com wowIntheworld for $30 off your 15 inch calendar. That's my s k y l I g h t dot com wowintheworld this one?
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
No, that's a squirrel with a floofy tail.
Mindy Thomas
Wow in the world. We'll be right back. Grown ups. This message is for you. That's it. Back to the show.
Dennis Dogs
What in the world?
Mindy Thomas
Hi, thanks for calling wow in the World. After the beep, get ready to record.
Listener Callers
Hi, this is Oliver from Rhode Island. My wow in the world is that on Uranus or Neptune, it probably rains diamonds. Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz. My name's Mila and I live in Southerton, Pennsylvania. My wow in the world is that raspberries are a member of the Rose family. They're not part of the Berry family. Say hi to Reggie, Dennis. Ahoy there, Grandma G Force and Thomas Fingerling for me.
Thomas Fingerling
Sup?
Guy Raz
Bye.
Static Man
Hey, wow in the world. My name is Davis and I'm from Auburn, Washington. My wow is that. Did you know that shark skin actually sort of feels like sandpaper? Super weird because they live underwater. Please say hi to Grandma G Force.
Dennis Dogs
Booy.
Static Man
Reggie. Dennis. Hi there, baby. Baby Static Man. I am Static man and Bucky and Thomas Fingerling.
Institute for Better Listening Announcer
Ooh, cool, dude.
Static Man
Bye.
Listener Callers
Hi, I'm Emily and I'm from the USA in San Jose. And my wow in the world is that humans have the same amount of neck bones that giraffes do. Say hi to Reggie for me. My name is Ethan and I'm from the Dalles, Oregon. And my wow is that girls could understand sign language. Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz. I'm Layla. And I'm Elliot and we're from Boston and all around the world for you. Is that. Did you know that otters have pockets in their armpits to throw rocks in to crack their food up in? They also hold their hands when they're sleeping to not drift away. Say hi to Dennis. Hi, Reggie and baby Dennis, of course.
Dennis Dogs
Yay.
Listener Callers
See you later. Bye.
Diana (Dog Owner)
End of messages.
Guy Raz
Before we get into the credits for today's episode, we want to give some special shout outs and say a huge thank you to some of the wowzers whose families are powering the wow this year.
Mindy Thomas
We broke the names up into two batches and here is our first batch of names. We are so grateful for your support.
Guy Raz
Owen and Aubrey from California Saman and Ryan from California Oralene and Esther from New York Ella from Singapore Lacey elementary from North Carolina Teddy, Silas and Emmett
Mindy Thomas
from Arizona Jason from Texas Eli and Nolan from Texas Luke and Noel from
Guy Raz
North Carolina Elan from California Emmett and Adler from Kansas John, Katie, Ethan and Amelia from Pennsylvania Nesla and Yaqub from Kuwait Evelyn, Ramona and Tabitha from Nevada
Mindy Thomas
John R from Wisconsin Emory and Isla from California Caroline from Massachusetts Ian and Declan from Washington Elena and Lucia from
Guy Raz
Maryland Parker from Texas Albert and Lulu from Brighton, England Hayden, Hazel and Allie from Pennsylvania Magnus from the District of Columbia William and Allie from Virginia Brendan,
Mindy Thomas
Jessica, David and Michael from Ohio Bailey, Macy and Hank from South Carolina James from Washington Peter, Teddy and Leo from Minnesota Paul from Rhode Island Nuri from
Guy Raz
Washington Violet and Will from California Audrey and Ethan from Virginia Alex H from Tennessee James and Madison from Utah and Happy Birthday.
Mindy Thomas
Happy Birthday to Otis from Minnesota.
Guy Raz
From the bottom of our hearts and
Mindy Thomas
the tops of our brains, thank you. Thanks for listening to this episode of wow in the World. If you're a kid with a big wow to share with us, call our WOW. Hotline at 1-888-7-WOW wow for a chance to be featured at the end of the show.
Guy Raz
And while you're at it, head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Leave us five stars and tell us what wows you about our show by leaving a review or send us a comment on Spotify. You just might hear your reviewsie read by Dennis on WeWOW on the weekend,
Mindy Thomas
visit us@tinkercast.com and become a member of the World Organization of Wowzers. With that you'll get year round mailings in your mailbox, weekly activities, birthday cards
Guy Raz
and more on Tinkercast.com, you can also shop our WOW shop, get tickets for upcoming live events, find our books, toys and science kits and learn all about the other amazing podcasts from Tinkercast.
Mindy Thomas
Once again, that's Tinkercast.com wow in the
Guy Raz
world is written by Mindy Thomas and Tom Van Kalkin with contributions from Me, Guy Raz.
Mindy Thomas
Original sound design and music editing is done by Tyler Thole with help from our senior Production Director Jed Anderson and audio Producer Henry Moskal. 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. Steph Sosa keeps our heads on straight as our Executive Producer and Meredith Halperin 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
our team including Kristin Yang, Thuy Mac, Ali Paksima, Linda Rothenberg and Anna Zagorski and all of the other tinkerers at Tinkercast hq.
Yoshi (Nintendo Ad Voice)
Grown Ups.
Mindy Thomas
You can follow wow in the World on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter owintheworld and our email address is hello in tinkercast.com thanks for listening.
Guy Raz
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Mindy Thomas
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Guy Raz
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Mindy Thomas
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Podcast: Wow in the World
Hosts: Mindy Thomas & Guy Raz
Date: May 11, 2026
Episode Theme: The astonishing language-learning abilities of dogs, especially how some dogs can learn the names of objects simply by overhearing humans, rather than through direct instruction.
In this playful and science-packed episode, Mindy and Guy Raz attend a very special dog graduation ceremony at the Institute for Better Listening. Alongside a cast of quirky characters, they explore the fascinating new research out of Budapest showing that some rare, highly intelligent dogs—so-called "label learners"—can learn the names of objects simply by overhearing humans talk.
The show dives deeply into how dogs (and even human toddlers!) acquire language, the surprising cognitive feats of certain dogs, and the real science behind “learning by snooping.”
Diana (Dog Owner):
Institute for Better Listening Announcer:
Institute for Better Listening Announcer:
Diana (Dog Owner):
Guy Raz:
Guy Raz:
Mindy Thomas:
Dennis Dogs:
This episode is a playful, science-rich, and comedy-laden exploration of how some dogs are capable of learning words in much the same way as young children: by actively listening to the world around them. The Budapest studies reveal that labels and language can be picked up by some “genius level” pups without direct teaching, showing just how cognitively sophisticated our canine companions can be.
Curious young listeners and their families are left with a “Wow!”—wondering if their own dog might be a secret snooper, and marveling at the surprising ways animals (and humans!) learn language.
For more science fun, listen to Wow in the World every Monday!