Podcast Summary: "Two Whats?! And A Wow! - My Oh Microbe"

Podcast: Wow in the World
Date: January 30, 2026
Hosts: Mindy Thomas & Guy Raz
Episode Theme: Bacteria—fascinating, funny, and sometimes a little gross!

Overview

This episode of "Two Whats?! And A Wow!" (a segment of the Wow in the World series) is an energetic science game show where Mindy and Guy Raz challenge listeners to distinguish scientific truth (the “wow”) from made-up facts (the “whats”). The focus this week is on bacteria, with a round-by-round question game filled with fun facts, laughter, and listener participation. The episode aims to deliver wow-worthy microbiological knowledge while keeping things silly, high-energy, and interactive for kids and families.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Game Show Format: "Two Whats and a Wow" (01:36)

• Structure: In each of three rounds, Mindy and Guy present three statements about bacteria—only one is the "wow" (true fact), the others are "whats" (invented).
• Participation: If listeners guess incorrectly, they must do silly challenges, keeping the atmosphere playful and engaging.

Round 1: Which Statement About Bacteria is True? (02:32)

Options:

• A: Viruses and bacteria are the same thing.
• B: Bacteria are excellent tap dancers.
• C: If you put them together, all the bacteria on Earth weigh more than all the people on Earth.

Winning Wow:

• C: All the bacteria on Earth weigh far more than all humans combined.
• Listener Reveal: Isabelle from Oregon shares the winning wow:

  "Bacteria weighs almost nothing. But together, all the bacteria in the world weighs more than all the people on Earth." — Isabelle (03:32)

• Scientific Explanation:
  • Bacteria are tiny and lightweight—only seen with microscopes—but there are so many, together they sum to about 70 gigatons, compared to the combined human weight of about 0.06 gigaton!

  “That’s about 1,166 times lighter than all that bacteria.” — Guy Raz (04:14)

Round 2: Unusual Places Bacteria Live (04:43)

Options:

• A: A beard has more bacteria than a dog’s fur.
• B: All bacteria can make you sick.
• C: Rhizobium bacteria are only found in chocolate chip cookies.

Winning Wow:

• A: A man’s beard has more bacteria in it than a dog's fur.
• Listener Reveal: Rosie from California confirms:

  "A man's beard has more bacteria in it than a dog's fur." — Rosie (05:37)

• Scientific Explanation:
  • The human body is covered in helpful microbes called the microbiome; most are harmless or beneficial.
  • A 2019 study found that beards contain significantly more bacteria than dog fur.

  “Your body bacteria are called your microbiome... some are even helpful.” — Mindy Thomas (05:58)

Round 3: Stinky Facts About Bacteria (06:44)

Options:

• A: There are no bacteria in Antarctica.
• B: The bacteria in your armpits is what makes them stinky.
• C: Bacteria in a duck’s body are called “quackeria.”

Winning Wow:

• B: It’s bacteria in your armpits—not sweat itself—that causes body odor.
• Listener Reveal: Morgan from Idaho shares the wow:

  "Armpit sweat is not actually stinky. It is the bacteria that is mixed with it." — Morgan (07:41)

• Scientific Explanation:
  • Bacteria (especially Staphylococcus hominis) eat chemicals in your sweat, turning them into smelly compounds (thioalcohols).

  “Another reason to not skip bath time, am I right?” — Mindy Thomas (08:29)

Bonkerballs Bonus Round: Dino Dinner! (11:42)

• Contextual Tie-In: Trivia referencing a previous episode about dinosaurs.

• Question: What was found inside a fossilized Gorgosaurus?

  • A: Painted toenails
  • B: A dinosaur dinner preserved in its belly (correct)
  • C: Pajamas

• Winning Wow:

  “75 million years ago during the late Cretaceous period, a young Gorgosaurus died and was recently found with an almost perfectly preserved meal in its belly.” — Guy Raz (12:31)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Bacteria’s Mass:

  "Winner, winner. Gigatons of germs for dinner." — Mindy Thomas (03:44)

• On Beards and Bacteria:

  "Winner, winner, beard germs for dinner." — Mindy Thomas (05:44)

• On Body Odor:

  "Winner, winner, stinky bits for dinner." — Mindy Thomas (07:49)

• On Science and Fun:

  "The scientific game show that separates the wows from the whats." — Guy Raz (01:41)

• On Microbial Reproduction:

  "Splitting yourself in half. Are you lonely? Do you wish there were more of you? Binary fission, AKA reproduction by splitting, is all the rage." — Mindy Thomas (08:54)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|--------------------------------------------| | 01:12 | Game Show Intro: "Two Whats and a Wow" | | 02:32 | Round 1: Bacteria's total mass question | | 03:32 | Winner revealed: Bacteria weigh more | | 04:43 | Round 2: Beards vs. Dog Fur | | 05:37 | Winner revealed: Beards have more bacteria | | 06:44 | Round 3: Armpit odor—bacteria’s role | | 07:41 | Winner revealed: Bacteria cause odor | | 11:42 | Bonkerballs Bonus Round: Dino Dinner | | 12:31 | Bonus wow revealed: Gorgosaurus’s meal |

Overall Tone and Listener Takeaway

With a playful and irreverent tone, Mindy and Guy Raz make learning about bacteria hilarious, surprising, and hands-on (sometimes grossly so). The show cleverly turns microbiology into an experience kids will want to share, combining child participation, silly sound effects, creative challenges, and real science.

Closing Message:
For teachers and parents, follow-up resources and activities are available at Tinkercast.com, and listener contributions are encouraged, making "Wow in the World" an ongoing, interactive science adventure.

End of summary.