Two Whats?! And A Wow! - Hit The Big Time (5/23/25)

Summary

Wow in the World: "Two Whats?! And A Wow! - Hit The Big Time" (Released May 23, 2025)

Hosted by Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz, "Wow in the World" brings the latest in science, technology, and innovation to kids and their grown-ups. In the episode titled "Two Whats?! And A Wow! - Hit The Big Time," the hosts dive into an engaging and educational game show segment that challenges listeners to distinguish between fascinating scientific facts and playful fabrications.

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Planet Wow Geocaching Eco-Adventure

The episode kicks off with Mindy and Guy introducing an exciting summer initiative:

Mindy Thomas [00:08]:
"We've teamed up with our friends at Geocaching HQ, the Aspen Institute, and the Nature Conservancy to create Planet Wow, an epic geocaching eco-adventure that shares the wows of places on our Earth and encourages curious kids like you to become the next generation of climate crusaders."

Listeners are encouraged to embark on eco-adventures by finding Planet Wow geocaches, which include special trading cards. Those who participate can share their discoveries for a chance to be featured in future episodes.

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"Two Whats?! And A Wow!" Game Show

The heart of the episode is the interactive game show segment, "Two Whats?! And A Wow!" Here, Mindy and Guy Raz present scientific statements, and contestants must identify the true "wow" amidst two "whats"—facts and fictions.

Understanding the Game

Mindy Thomas [05:31]:
"Two what's and a wow."
Guy Raz [05:34]:
"Two what's and a wow. The scientific game show that separates the wows from the what."
Mindy Thomas [05:57]:
"In each of our three rounds today, Guy, Raz, and I will present you with three scientific statements about things that are larger than life. But only one of those statements will be a true wow. The other two, just a couple of Made up what?"

Correct answers earn points, while incorrect guesses lead to humorous physical challenges, adding a playful twist to learning.

---

Round One: Majestic Mars

Guy Raz [06:38]:
"Round one. Which of the following statements is a true scientific wow? Is it A, Titan is the largest moon in the solar system? Or is it B, there's a volcano on Mars that's bigger than Mount Everest? Or is it C, the largest kind of star is called a mega nebula."
Mindy Thomas [07:31]:
"And to do just that, it's Ricky from Colorado. Ricky from Colorado, tell us, what's the winning wow?"

Winner: Ricky correctly identifies Option B as the true wow, revealing:

Mindy Thomas [08:06]:
"Mount Everest is about 29,000ft at its highest point. But the Mars volcano called Olympus Mons is over 72,000ft tall."
Guy Raz [08:30]:
"It's also about 374 miles wide, nearly the size of the state of Arizona. It's not just the biggest volcano on Mars, it's the biggest in the whole solar system."

This segment highlights the awe-inspiring scale of Olympus Mons compared to Earth's tallest peak.

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Round Two: Snowy Giants

Guy Raz [08:57]:
"Round two. Which of the following statements is a true scientific wow? Is it A, the world's largest block of cheese weighed over 80,000 pounds. Or is it B, the world's largest snowman was 122ft and 1 inch tall? Or is it C, the world's largest chair is a 41-foot recliner in Utah."

Mindy Thomas [09:39]:
"My wow in the world is that the world's largest snowman was 122ft and 1 inch tall. That's so big. Winner, winner, snow for dinner."

Guy Raz [09:52]:
"If you guessed B, that the world's largest snowman was 122ft and 1 inch tall, well, congratulations. You found the winning wow."

Mindy Thomas [10:05]:
"The largest snow person in the world was a snow woman named Olympia. It took residents of Bethel, Maine, and its surrounding towns a whole month to build her."
Guy Raz [10:16]:
"Olympia was made with 13 million pounds of snow. She had spruce trees for arms, truck tires for buttons, and skis for eyelashes. When she was finished, she was only a few feet shorter than the Statue of Liberty."

This round showcases the remarkable effort and scale involved in creating the world's largest snowwoman.

---

Round Three: Prehistoric Turtles

Guy Raz [13:14]:
"Before the break, we left you with a dangling question for round three. And that question was which of the following statements is a True scientific wow. Is it A, woolly mammoths were larger than blue whales? Or is it B, the biggest dinosaur was the Magnapalia. Or is it C. Before humans existed, turtles were bigger than cars."

Mindy Thomas [13:47]:
"My wow in the world is that before humans existed, turtles were bigger than cars. Winner, winner, turtlenecks for dinner."

Guy Raz [13:56]:
"If you guessed C, that before humans existed, turtles were bigger than cars, well, congratulations. You found the winning wow."

Mindy Thomas [14:08]:
"Many scientists think that turtles first evolved in the Triassic period, about 230 million years ago. And back then, many species were ginormous. The largest species of prehistoric sea turtle that we know of was about 15ft long."
Guy Raz [14:27]:
"Turtles aren't the only animals with giant ancestors. There are extinct species of 10-foot-long sloths, birds with a 23-foot-long wingspan, and even 43-foot-long snakes."

This final round delves into the fascinating world of prehistoric fauna, emphasizing the impressive sizes of ancient turtles and other creatures.

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Bonuses and Challenges

Throughout the game show, incorrect answers lead to amusing physical challenges, such as:

Mindy Thomas [08:39]:
"Stop, drop and climb an invisible space volcano."

Mindy Thomas [10:42]:
"Stop, drop, and roll yourself into a giant snowball."

These light-hearted penalties keep the atmosphere fun and engaging for young listeners.

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Prizes and Interactive Challenges

Mindy Thomas [15:19]:
"Today's winning wowzers will all receive their very own invisible yelly climby spray car."

Additionally, the hosts introduce a creative scientific challenge:

Mindy Thomas [15:43]:
"But before we go, we have a little scientific challenge for you. We call it Operation Make It Big. For this challenge, we want you to pick something small and think about what it would be like if it was 20 times bigger. How would it be different? How would the world be different? Then draw a picture of yourself standing next to your giant snail, your giant crayon, or your giant bag of extra spicy chips."

Listeners are encouraged to share their creations by sending photos or videos to be featured in future episodes.

---

Conclusion

"Two Whats?! And A Wow! - Hit The Big Time" successfully blends education with entertainment, challenging young minds to discern scientific truths while celebrating the wonders of our world and beyond. By incorporating interactive elements and creative challenges, Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz ensure that learning remains a captivating adventure for all listeners.

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Notable Quotes:

• Mindy Thomas [00:29]:
  "Planet Wow is an epic geocaching eco-adventure that shares the wows of places on our Earth and encourages curious kids like you to become the next generation of climate crusaders."

• Guy Raz [08:30]:
  "It's not just the biggest volcano on Mars, it's the biggest in the whole solar system."

• Mindy Thomas [10:05]:
  "Olympia was made with 13 million pounds of snow. She had spruce trees for arms, truck tires for buttons, and skis for eyelashes."

• Mindy Thomas [15:43]:
  "Operation Make It Big... pick something small and think about what it would be like if it was 20 times bigger."

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Join the Adventure:

To become part of the "Wowzer" community, participate in the Planet Wow geocaching adventure, engage with the "Two Whats?! And A Wow!" game show, and take on the "Operation Make It Big" challenge. Share your experiences and creations to inspire others and potentially be featured in upcoming episodes.

For more information and to access printable trading cards, visit Tinkercast.com Planetwow.

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Produced by Tinkercast and distributed by Wondery, "Wow in the World" continues to ignite curiosity and wonder in young minds worldwide.

Transcript

[Mindy Thomas]

Hey Wowzer fams Mindy and Guy Raz here. And before we start the show, it's almost summertime and you know what that means.

[Guy Raz]

It's almost time for my annual summer rewatch of the 26 hour long docuseries on the history of whales.

[Mindy Thomas]

Uh, sure, Guy Raz, but I was actually thinking about summer road trips.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, that's right, Wowzers. If your family has some summer road trips coming up, take a pit stop to find some wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

We've teamed up with our friends at Geocaching hq, the Aspen Institute and the Nature Conservancy to create Planet wow, an epic geocaching eco adventure that shares the wows of places on our Earth and encourages curious kids like you to become the next generation of climate crusaders.

[Guy Raz]

We've sent out Planet Wow trading cards to members of our World Organization of Wowzers to plant in a geocache near.

[Mindy Thomas]

Them and you can check see if one of those cards are in a geocache near [e-mail] planetwow there you can also find the location of our official Planet Wow geocaches.

[Guy Raz]

And if there aren't any trading cards nearby your route, print yours at home and plant them in a geocache along the ride. We have printable cards available on our website Tinkercast.com Planetwow we can't wait to.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hear what you find on your eco adventures this summer. Leave us a video or audio message about places in your world that wow you for a chance to be featured on an upcoming episode of wow in the World. That's it. And now let's get back to the show.

[Reggie]

Hey grownups. Want to give your kids the best possible advantage in their education no matter where they are in their learning journey? IXL can help. IXL is an online learning program that fits seamlessly into a homeschool curriculum. It offers interactive practice in math, English, language arts, science and social studies. At Tinkercast, we know that kids learn at their own pace and follow their own interests. So we like that IXL allows kids to study at any learning level and adapts to their specific needs. And we appreciate that with ixl, kids have agency to choose the activities and educational games that they like 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.

[Guy Raz]

It is estimated that over 4 million people have been abducted by alien lifeforms. But only one of them asked for.

[Mindy Thomas]

This is Elio of Earth. If any aliens are listening, come and get me.

[Guy Raz]

From Disney and Pixar.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yes, it's really happening.

[Guy Raz]

He'll go where no one has gone before.

[Mindy Thomas]

Welcome to the community. This is the most beautiful place I've ever seen.

[Guy Raz]

This is the bathroom. Disney and Pixar's Elio. Rated PG. Parental guidance. Suggested only in theaters June 20th. And that's my new system for organizing my socks.

[Mindy Thomas]

Uh huh.

[Guy Raz]

And for my ties. Whoa.

[Mindy Thomas]

What are all these people doing here?

[Dennis]

Okay, clouds, stand over here. And vines, you stand over there, please.

[Mindy Thomas]

Jugglers.

[Guy Raz]

Is that a fire breather?

[Dennis]

Mindy and Guy are here.

[Mindy Thomas]

Dennis, what is going on?

[Dennis]

Well, in honor of today's theme, I decided to put on the biggest show in the world. So I've hired 117 acts.

[Guy Raz]

117? How long is this show gonna.

[Dennis]

Um, I'd say 40, maybe 50 hours.

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Dennis]

So make sure to use the bathroom before we start. It's gonna be a long two days.

[Mindy Thomas]

I guess I better grab something from the snack table before we get going.

[Dennis]

Good idea. This show will be a marathon of thrills. An exhibition of entertainment.

[Mindy Thomas]

Dennis.

[Dennis]

Yes, Mindy?

[Mindy Thomas]

The snack table is empty.

[Dennis]

What? Who ate all the fruit cups? Reggie, get over here. The food's all gone. How did we possibly eat through four single serve fruit cups and an entire box of donut holes? How was I supposed to know that the acrobats would be so greedy? Okay, go into my office, Reggie. There's a half eaten protein bar on my desk. Bring that out here. And as for the rest of you.

[Guy Raz]

Ahem, ahem.

[Dennis]

You there, rasp the berries. And you, butter the cups. And Reggie, free the Lancers. We're on in three, two, one.

[Reggie]

And now for everyone's favorite game show.

[Guy Raz]

It's two what's and a Whoa. With your hosts, Mindy and Guy Rats.

[Mindy Thomas]

Two what?

[Guy Raz]

Two what?

[Mindy Thomas]

Two what's two what?

[Guy Raz]

Two what and a wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hello and welcome to two what's and a wow.

[Guy Raz]

Two what's and a wow. The scientific game show that separates the wows from the what. And the category or theme for today is. Big things. Mindy, why don't you refresh our contestants on how the game works.

[Mindy Thomas]

You know it. Wowzers. In each of our three rounds today, Guy, Raz, and I will present you with three scientific statements about things that are larger than life. But. And this is a big but. Only one of those statements will be a true wow. The other two, just a couple of Made up what?

[Guy Raz]

Now? In each round, if you guess correctly, congratulations, you win a point.

[Mindy Thomas]

But if you guess incorrectly, you must stop, drop and do a ridonkulous physical challenge.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, everyone ready to start the game?

[Mindy Thomas]

Great. Then let's get to it.

[Guy Raz]

Round one. Which of the following statements is a true scientific wow? Is it A, Titan is the largest moon in the solar system?

[Mindy Thomas]

Or is it B, there's a volcano on Mars that's bigger than Mount Everest?

[Guy Raz]

Or is it C, the largest kind of star is called a mega nebula.

[Mindy Thomas]

When you think you have the correct answer, yell I'm a gas giant. Hey, Reg, cue the thinking music, please.

[Guy Raz]

And time is up. Let's now reveal the winning wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

And to do just that, it's Ricky from Colorado. Ricky from Colorado, tell us, what's the winning wow? Hi, Mindy. Hi, Guy. Raz, did you know that there is a volcano on Mars that's bigger than Mount Everest? Isn't that cool? Winner, winner, hot lava for dinner.

[Guy Raz]

Thank you, Ricky. Contestants, if you guessed the answer B, that there's a volcano on Mars that's bigger than Mount Everest, well, congratulations. You found the winning wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

Mount Everest is about 29,000ft at its highest point. But Mars volcano called Olympus mons is over 72,000ft tall.

[Guy Raz]

It's also about 374 miles wide, nearly the size of the state of Arizona. It's not just the biggest volcano on Mars, it's the biggest in the whole solar system.

[Mindy Thomas]

Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop, drop and climb an invisible space volcano.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, round two. Which of the following statements is a true scientific wow? Is it A, the world's largest block of cheese weighed over 80,000 pounds.

[Mindy Thomas]

Or is it B, the world's largest snowman was 122ft and 1 inch tall?

[Guy Raz]

Or is it C, the world's largest. The largest chair is a 41 foot recliner in Utah.

[Mindy Thomas]

When you think you have the correct answer, shout. I'm a big deal. Hey, Reg, some thinking music in here, please.

[Guy Raz]

And time is up. And joining us by phone, it's Divya from Maryland. Divya, please reveal the winning wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

My wow in the world is that the world's largest snowman was 122ft and 1 inch tall. That's so big. Winner, winner, snow for dinner.

[Guy Raz]

That's right, Divya. Wowzers. If you guessed B that the world largest snowman was 122ft and 1 inch tall, well, congratulations. You found the winning wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

The largest snow person in the world was a snow woman named Olympia. It took residents of Bethel, Maine and its surrounding towns a whole month to build her.

[Guy Raz]

Olympia was made with 13 million pounds of snow. She had spruce trees for arms, truck tires for buttons, and skis for eyelashes. When she was finished, she was only a few feet shorter than the Statue of Liberty.

[Mindy Thomas]

Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop, drop, and roll yourself into a giant snowball.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, round three. Which of the following statements is a true scientific wow? Is it A, woolly mammoths were larger than blue whales?

[Mindy Thomas]

Or is it B, the biggest dinosaur was the Magnapalia?

[Guy Raz]

Or is it C? Before humans existed, turtles were bigger than cars.

[Mindy Thomas]

Before we reveal the winning wow, let's take a moment to thank our sponsors. Today's show is brought to you by Reggie the giant. Reggie is strong enough for humans to ride on his back and tall enough to reach the good cookies on the top shelf. Reggie is without a doubt the largest and most handsome pigeon on earth. Reggie, I've been meaning to ask, how did you get so big? Oh, that makes total sense.

[Guy Raz]

Well, thanks for that detailed explanation of giant pigeon anatomy, Reggie. Now let's take a quick break and hear some other important messages for Grownups.

[Mindy Thomas]

Two once in a while. We'll be right back. Grown Ups, this message is for you. Hey grown ups, it's Mindy and Guy Raz from WOW in the World. And guess what?

[Guy Raz]

What's the good news, Mindy?

[Mindy Thomas]

Once Upon a Beat is back with brand new episodes.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, I love that podcast.

[Mindy Thomas]

We here at Tinkercast have partnered with our friends at Wondery to bring your family new episodes of Once Upon A Beat.

[Guy Raz]

Once Upon a Beat remixes fairy tales and fables as old as time, giving them a fresh spin with some rhythm and rhyme.

[Mindy Thomas]

This podcast is hosted by the amazing DJ Fuch and features original hip hop songs from Grammy award winning artist secret agent 23 skidoo.

[Guy Raz]

Once upon a Beat is where hip hop and and fairy tales meet and you can listen to new episodes right now.

[Mindy Thomas]

Follow Once Upon a Beat on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to Once Upon a Beat early and ad free right now by joining Wondery in the Wondery app in Apple Podcasts. That's it. Now back to the show.

[Guy Raz]

Welcome back to two what's and a wow. Two what's and a wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

The scientific game show that separates the Wows from the what's Now.

[Guy Raz]

Before the break, we left you with a dangling question for round three.

[Mindy Thomas]

And that question was which of the following statements is a True scientific wow. Is it A, woolly mammoths were larger than blue whales?

[Guy Raz]

Or is it. Is it B, the biggest dinosaur was the magnapalia.

[Mindy Thomas]

Or is it C. Before humans existed, turtles were bigger than cars.

[Guy Raz]

And joining us by phone to reveal the answer, it's Izzy from Washington. Izzy, what's the winning wow?

[Mindy Thomas]

My wow in the world is that before humans existed, turtles were bigger than cars. Winner, winner, Turtlenecks for dinner.

[Guy Raz]

Thank you, Izzy. Cont guess the answer C. That before humans existed, turtles were bigger than cars. Well, congratulations. You found the winning wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

Many scientists think that turtles first evolved in the Triassic period, about 230 million years ago. And back then, many species were ginormous. The largest species of prehistoric sea turtle that we know of was about 15ft long.

[Guy Raz]

Turtles aren't the only animals with giant ancestors. There are extinct species of 10 foot long sloths, birds with a 23 foot long wingspan, and even 43 foot long snakes.

[Mindy Thomas]

Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop, drop, and do the can can without using your leg. That sound can mean only one thing. It's time for today's bunker balls bonus round. And the question for this round is. Do I have lettuce in my teeth?

[Guy Raz]

What? No. But you seem to have toothpaste on your clothes and face and hair.

[Mindy Thomas]

But my teeth are clean, right?

[Guy Raz]

Uh, yeah. All clear there. Anyway, congratulations to all of our winning wowzers. Mindy, what's today's prize?

[Mindy Thomas]

Guy Raz. Today's winning wowzers will all receive their very own invisible yelly climby spray car.

[Guy Raz]

A yelly climby spray car?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, it's this big red vehicle that's super loud. It has a ladder for climbing and a hose for spraying.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, a fire truck.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, it's not on fire, guys.

[Guy Raz]

Never mind. Well, that's all the time we have for today.

[Mindy Thomas]

But before we go, we have a little scientific challenge for you. We call it Operation make it Big.

[Guy Raz]

For this challenge, we want you to pick something small and think about what it would be like if it was 20 times bigger. How would it be different? How would the world be different?

[Mindy Thomas]

Then draw a picture of yourself standing next to your giant snail, your giant crayon, or your giant bag of extra spicy chips.

[Guy Raz]

And don't forget to take a photo or a video. Grown ups, you can upload pictures and videos to [e-mail] share and be sure.

[Mindy Thomas]

To come back on Monday for a brand new episode of wow in the World and again on Friday for a new episode of 2 what's and a wow.

[Guy Raz]

Until then, keep on wowing 2 what 2x 2x 2 what 2x and wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

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].

[Guy Raz]

Survey 2 what's in a wow is executive produced by Meredith Halpern, Ranzer, Mindy Thomas and me, Guy Raz.

[Mindy Thomas]

Our writers are Ruth Morrison and Anna Zagorski.

[Guy Raz]

Sound production and design is by Marian Lozano with help from Jett Anderson and Tyler Thole.

[Mindy Thomas]

Special thanks to Steph Sosa, Henry Moskal, Rebecca Caban, Sana, Ella Mohammed and all of the other Tinkerers at Tinkercast hq.

[Guy Raz]

Our theme song was written and composed by the Pop Ups. For more on their three time Grammy nominated all ages music, find them at.

[Mindy Thomas]

Thepopups.Com to keep the wows rolling, visit us at tinkercast.com where you can become an official member of the world organization of wowzers. Find our two what's in a wow? Think and Tinker Playbook and learn about all of our other amazing podcasts from Tinkercast Grown Ups.

[Guy Raz]

You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @2whats and a wow and our email address is helloinkercast.com finally, if.

[Mindy Thomas]

You'Re a kid with a big wow to share, it could be used on an upcoming episode of to what in a wow. Call us at 1-888-7-WOW wow.

[Guy Raz]

Thanks again for listening and playing along. Meet us back here on Monday for Wow in the World.

[Mindy Thomas]

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