Wow in the World: Episode Summary – "Two Whats?! And A Wow! - Making Sound Waves" (March 28, 2025)

Hosts: Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz
Podcast: Wow in the World
Episode Title: Two Whats?! And A Wow! - Making Sound Waves

1. Organizing Sounds by Pitch

[02:06] The episode kicks off with Mindy Thomas tidying up her home. She engages in a playful conversation with her co-host, Guy Raz, about organizing various items.

Mindy Thomas: "I'm organizing my sounds."

Intrigued, Guy Raz inquires further:

Guy Raz: "Your sounds?"

Mindy explains her unique project:

Mindy Thomas: "I noticed I had all kinds of sounds all over my house, so I decided to sort them all by pitch."

She showcases her collection by categorizing different sounds based on their pitch, demonstrating both high-pitched and low-pitched sounds with items like a bell from her roller skates and a foghorn.

Mindy Thomas: "First up, the bell on my roller skates."

Guy Raz: "So, by how high or how low they are?"

Mindy Thomas: "Exactly. That goes in my high-pitched sounds. Okay, now my foghorn. That one goes with the low-pitched sounds for sure."

This segment not only highlights the hosts' creative endeavors but also sets the stage for the episode's focus on sound.

2. Introducing the Game Show: Two Whats?! And A Wow!

[03:28] Transitioning seamlessly, Mindy and Guy introduce their interactive segment:

Mindy Thomas: "A little, it's two what's and a wow."

Guy Raz: "With your hosts, Mindy and Guy Raz. Two what's two, what's two what's two what's and a wow."

They build excitement for the upcoming scientific challenge centered around sound, engaging their young audience—referred to as "Wowzers."

3. The Sound Challenge

[04:06] Guy Raz explains the rules of the game:

Guy Raz: "The scientific game show that separates the wows from the what's. And the category for today is Sound. Mindy, why don't you refresh our contestants on how the game works?"

Mindy Thomas: "Wowzers, we are going to present you with three scientific statements about sound. But this is a big but. Only one of those statements will be a true wow. The other two, just a couple of made-up whats."

They present the challenge:

Guy Raz: "Which of the following statements about sound is the true scientific wow?
A. The first sound ever recorded was the song 'Mary Had a Little Lamb.'
B. Sound travels faster through solids than it does through air.
C. Only very high-pitched sounds can be heard in outer space."

Mindy prompts the audience to think carefully:

Mindy Thomas: "When you think you have the answer, say it in a high-pitched voice."

After a brief pause, they reveal the correct answer with the help of their contestant, Piper from Ohio.

Piper: "My wow in the world is that noise travels faster through solids than it does through air."

Guy Raz: "That is correct. Contestants. If you guessed the answer B, that sound travels faster through solids than through air. You found the wow. Congratulations, Wowzers!"

4. Deep Dive into the Correct Answer

[06:47] Mindy elaborates on why statement B is the correct wow:

Mindy Thomas: "Sound travels faster through solids and liquids than it does through most gases. And it can travel especially fast through steel, about 17 times faster than through air."

She further explains the misconceptions behind the other options:

• Statement A: While people once believed the first recorded sound was "Mary Had a Little Lamb" from 1877, scientists discovered an earlier recording in 1860 of "A la Claire de la Louise."

• Statement C: Contrary to the claim, sound cannot be heard in outer space because it requires particles to travel through, and space has too few particles for sound to propagate.

Mindy Thomas: "And if you chose C, for the most part, you actually can't hear any sounds in space."

5. Rewarding the Winner

[07:43] To celebrate Piper's correct answer, the hosts present a special prize:

Guy Raz: "All of our winning contestants today will be taking home their very own invisible megaphone."

Mindy Thomas: "That's right, Guy Raz. The invisible megaphone with three amazing invisible settings: Loud, louder, and loud."

A humorous exchange follows as they showcase the playful nature of the prize.

6. Interactive Science Challenge: Operation See What You Hear

[08:14] Mindy and Guy wrap up the episode with a hands-on activity for their young listeners:

Mindy Thomas: "Sounds are vibrations, and strong vibrations can make things move."

They introduce "Operation See What You Hear," encouraging kids to explore the concept of sound waves through a simple experiment:

• Materials Needed: Plastic wrap, mixing bowl, grains of rice, speaker.
• Steps: Stretch plastic wrap tightly over the bowl, place grains of rice on top, position a speaker next to the bowl, and play a favorite song. Observe how the rice moves with the sound vibrations.

Guy Raz: "Try turning the volume up or down and observe what makes the rice move more and why."

Participants are invited to document their experiments with photos or videos and share them via email:

Mindy Thomas: "Grown-ups can upload pictures and videos to us at us@tinkercast.com."

This segment fosters interactive learning, allowing children to visualize and understand the principles of sound waves.

7. Closing Remarks

While staying within educational content, Mindy and Guy provide information on how listeners can further engage with the podcast:

• Accessing Episodes: Available early and ad-free through Wondery+, Wondery Kids on Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music for Prime members.
• Participation: Encouragement to share personal "wows" and participate in future episodes by contacting the team.

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

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Mindy Thomas [02:33]: "Your sounds?"
• Mindy Thomas [04:20]: "Only one of those statements will be a true wow."
• Piper [06:15]: "Sound travels faster through solids than it does through air."
• Mindy Thomas [06:47]: "Sound travels faster through solids and liquids than it does through most gases."
• Mindy Thomas [08:14]: "Sounds are vibrations, and strong vibrations can make things move."

Conclusion

This episode of "Wow in the World" effectively combines fun, interactive elements with educational content about sound. Through organizing sounds by pitch, engaging in a scientific game show, and encouraging hands-on experiments, hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz create a dynamic learning environment that captivates both kids and their grown-ups. The inclusion of notable quotes and clear explanations ensures that listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of sound waves and their properties, all while maintaining an entertaining and engaging format.