WeWow on the Weekend (2/23/25)

Summary

Podcast Summary: Wow in the World – Episode: WeWow on the Weekend (02/23/25)

Introduction

In the February 23, 2025 episode of "Wow in the World," titled “WeWow on the Weekend,” hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz take listeners on an engaging adventure that seamlessly blends scientific exploration with imaginative storytelling. This episode features a special segment, “Wee Wow on the Weekend,” where characters embark on a mission to assemble a team of super-powered animals. The episode is rich with educational content, humor, and inspiring insights, making it both entertaining and informative for kids and their grown-ups.

Segment 1: Introducing the WeWow Team

The episode kicks off with Mindy Thomas announcing a new interactive feature available on the Samsung Galaxy Watch for kids. She shares exciting details about the "Two Whats in a Wow" game, encouraging listeners to engage with the app and the seasonal watch face. This segment sets an enthusiastic and interactive tone for the episode.

Mindy Thomas (00:00):

“You can guess the wows from the what's wherever you are.”

Wee Wow on the Weekend: Forming the Super Team

Guy Raz transitions into introducing “Wee Wow on the Weekend,” a fictional superhero podcast within the show. Hosted by Ultra Dennis and Ultra Reggie, the segment is filled with playful banter and creative character introductions. The team begins to recruit new members with unique (and sometimes humorous) superpowers.

Guy Raz (01:07):

“When there's trouble, there's no replacement for a hero in his mother's basement. It's Super Wee Wow on the Weekend.”

Introducing New Superheroes

The team welcomes Ultra Tommy and Ultra Baby Dennis, who introduce their supposed superpowers. While some powers are exaggerated for comedic effect, the segment cleverly blends humor with a touch of reality, setting up the narrative for the team’s adventures.

Ultra Tommy (03:26):

“Oh, I can crack my knuckles in time with a funky groove.”

Guy Raz (03:43):

“What? Tommy, that's just your normal thing.”

Segment 2: Inside Super Tinkercast Studios

Guy Raz introduces the “Inside Super Tinkercast Studios” segment, where they revisit an episode of “Wow in the World” titled “All Natural Superheroes, Part 2.” This meta-segment allows the hosts to delve deeper into scientific topics while maintaining the adventurous spirit of the show.

Mindy Thomas (05:39):

“What in the world?”

Reviewing “All Natural Superheroes, Part 2”

The hosts recap the previous episode where Mindy Thomas explores the incredible abilities of a mantis shrimp named Tyson. This recap serves as a springboard for a detailed discussion about the mantis shrimp’s extraordinary features, such as its unparalleled punching speed and complex vision.

Mindy Thomas (07:13):

“He's a mantis shrimp.”

Ultra Baby Dennis (08:07):

“This guy's packing a punch that's traveling at more than 50 miles per hour.”

Scientific Insights: Mantis Shrimp and Biomimicry

The episode transitions into an educational segment discussing the mantis shrimp's unique biology and its role in cutting-edge scientific research. The hosts explain how biomimicry inspired by the mantis shrimp’s vision system led to the development of a color polarization camera.

Mindy Thomas (11:17):

“The mantis shrimp does not have three types of photoreceptors like us humans. He has 12 types of photoreceptors.”

Guy Raz (12:36):

“This group of scientists were able to use these same sorts of materials that are found in your computer to copy what the mantis shrimp's eyes do and make a digital camera called a color polarization camera.”

Applications of Biomimicry in Technology

The discussion highlights how scientists are leveraging the mantis shrimp’s advanced vision to create technologies that can detect unhealthy cells by identifying differences in polarized light. This breakthrough has significant implications for medical diagnostics and patient care.

Ultra Baby Dennis (13:37):

“And the researchers are hoping to use this new camera to, among other things, detect unhealthy cells in our bodies.”

Mindy Thomas (14:07):

“That's so. Wow. I wonder if they'll let us borrow it for when Tyson's off on other missions.”

Segment 3: Expanding the Super Team with Tardigrades

The narrative resumes with the WeWow team seeking to add more members. They discover tardigrades—microscopic water bears known for their extreme resilience—as potential superheroes for their team. This segment provides an in-depth look at tardigrades, emphasizing their remarkable survival capabilities.

Mindy Thomas (17:25):

“And despite their tiny size and adorable name, these guys can actually survive basically anywhere.”

Ultra Baby Dennis (18:14):

“These little tardigrades have been found in some of the most extreme environments on Earth... even in Antarctica.”

Remarkable Resilience of Tardigrades

The hosts elaborate on how tardigrades can withstand extreme temperatures, radiation, dehydration, and even the vacuum of space. This discussion not only educates listeners about tardigrades but also highlights the importance of studying such resilient organisms.

Mindy Thomas (18:42):

“So you're saying that on top of all that, these little guys... are also tiny astronauts?”

Ultra Baby Dennis (19:43):

“Back in 2007, scientists strapped thousands of these tiny microscopic creatures onto a satellite, and then they blasted them off into space.”

Biomimicry and Human Ingenuity

Continuing the theme of biomimicry, the hosts discuss how studying tardigrades can inspire innovations in various fields, such as medicine and space exploration. This reinforces the podcast’s commitment to making science accessible and exciting for young audiences.

Mindy Thomas (20:43):

“Okay, right, so this Team Mindy is really coming together now.”

Segment 4: Flamingos and the Final Team Member

In the final part of the episode, the team encounters flamingos with unique abilities. The discussion centers on how flamingos can thrive in harsh environments and their physiological adaptations, such as specialized nasal glands for filtering salt water.

Mindy Thomas (23:02):

“See, the thing about these flamingos is that they often live in places like this where the only water even available to them is pretty much near boiling.”

Ultra Baby Dennis (25:10):

“Why didn't you tell me sooner? Mindy, do these flamingos drink this salt water?”

Human Intelligence: The Ultimate Superpower

Concluding their adventure, the hosts celebrate human intelligence as their ultimate superpower, acknowledging that while humans may not possess the physical resilience of tardigrades or the speed of mantis shrimp, the brain's complexity sets humans apart.

Mindy Thomas (26:14):

“And that organ is. Drumroll please. Our brain. The human brain is one of the most complex organs in the entire animal kingdom.”

Ultra Baby Dennis (27:14):

“Well Mindy, looks like we have our team.”

Conclusion: Assembling the Team of Animal Revengers

The episode wraps up with the formation of the "Team Mindy," a superhero squad composed of various resilient and extraordinary animals, each contributing unique abilities to the team. This creative amalgamation underscores the podcast's theme of fostering hope, agency, and wonder through science and storytelling.

Mindy Thomas (27:30):

“Well Guy Raz, it's time to get this team together and get ready to save the world.”

Final Thoughts and Call to Action

Before concluding, the hosts remind listeners to engage with their platforms and support their content through subscriptions and feedback. They provide information on how to become part of the "World Organization of Wowzers" and encourage continued exploration of science and innovation.

Mindy Thomas (29:06):

“Grownups if you like wow in the World, you can listen early and ad free right now on Wondery.”

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Mindy Thomas (00:00):

  “You can guess the wows from the what's wherever you are.”

• Guy Raz (01:07):

  “When there's trouble, there's no replacement for a hero in his mother's basement.”

• Ultra Baby Dennis (08:07):

  “This guy's packing a punch that's traveling at more than 50 miles per hour.”

• Mindy Thomas (11:17):

  “The mantis shrimp does not have three types of photoreceptors like us humans. He has 12 types of photoreceptors.”

• Ultra Baby Dennis (13:37):

  “And the researchers are hoping to use this new camera to, among other things, detect unhealthy cells in our bodies.”

• Mindy Thomas (17:25):

  “And despite their tiny size and adorable name, these guys can actually survive basically anywhere.”

• Mindy Thomas (26:14):

  “And that organ is. Drumroll please. Our brain.”

Conclusion

The “WeWow on the Weekend” episode of "Wow in the World" masterfully combines fun storytelling with educational content, fostering a sense of curiosity and admiration for the natural world. By introducing a team of super-powered animals and delving into scientific phenomena like the mantis shrimp’s vision and the indomitable tardigrades, the hosts inspire young listeners to explore and appreciate the wonders of science and nature.

Transcript

[Mindy Thomas]

Hey, Wowzer fams. Mindy here. And before we start the show, did you know that you can now play two whats in a wow on your wrist? That's right, Reg two what's in a wow is now available on the Samsung Galaxy Watch for kids. Here's the scoop. When you download the two what's in a While app on Google Play, a new daily 2 what's in a while game will be pushed to the app at a different time every day, excluding school hours, of course. So now you can guess the wows from the what's wherever you are. Plus, don't forget to add the free wow in the World seasonal watch face. So Guy, Raz, Reggie and I can all hang out with you on your watch. That's two Whats in a wow now available to download on your wear OS watch for free on Google Play. You can learn [e-mail] watch that's tinkercast.com watch. Bam Ba Ba ba bam ba ba.

[Guy Raz]

When there's trouble, there's no replacement for a hero in his mother's basement. It's Super Wee Wow on the weekend. He's got superpowers and he's a great musician. With his sidekick Reggie the giant pigeon. It's super Wee Wow on the weeknd. Da da da da da da da da da da da da. Look out. Din din it Reggie. Din it Dinner. The dinner day with the sidekick Reggie and the giant pigeon. It's super We Wow on the Weekend. What's that podcast Super Wee Wow on the Weekend. Hello and welcome to super wewow on the Weekend. I'm your host, Ultra Dennis. And that's my co host, Ultra Reggie. And this is our two part action packed show where we do cool superhero stuff and listen to an amazing episode of wow in the World. Reggie. Yeah. Huh? We do cool superhero stuff. Well, stuff like choosing superhero names and hanging out in our secret hideout. And also we recruited new members for our superhero team.

[Ultra Tommy]

Hey, feller. Can we come down now?

[Guy Raz]

No, I need to do an intro.

[Ultra Tommy]

Oh, okay.

[Guy Raz]

Ah ah ba da da bam. When the world is weird and the world is gross. There's a superhero team that Dennis Ch. They're super strong and ultra cool and they have cool haircuts and they.

[Ultra Tommy]

We're just gonna come down.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, fine. Careful, Tommy.

[Ultra Tommy]

I am careful.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, devoted listeners, welcome the newest members of our super Ultra team, Ultra Tommy and Ultra Baby Dennis. Yay.

[Ultra Tommy]

I thought you said there'd be snacks.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, here's a box of raisins.

[Ultra Tommy]

Swee.

[Mindy Thomas]

Bonk Bonk.

[Guy Raz]

Um, Big Dennis. That's Ultra Big Dennis. Um, Ultra Big Dennis, what's your superpower? Great question. Ultra Baby Dennis, let's talk about our superpowers. Ultra Tommy, you go first.

[Ultra Tommy]

Oh, I can crack my knuckles in time with a funky groove.

[Guy Raz]

What? Tommy, that's just your normal thing.

[Ultra Tommy]

I also know karate.

[Guy Raz]

Wow, really?

[Ultra Tommy]

No.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, Alter Reggie, how about you? Whatcha got? Ooh, your super sense of direction. Also just your normal thing. But you do know karate. Unlike some superheroes I regret recruiting.

[Ultra Tommy]

You got any more of them raisins?

[Guy Raz]

No. Ultra Baby Dennis, what's your superpower? Ultra Baby Dennis shoots lasers from his eyes. What? No you don't. And zap. Okay, we'll put Ultra Baby Dennis down for laser vision.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Yay.

[Ultra Tommy]

What's your superpower, feller?

[Guy Raz]

Oh, my superpower. I have lots of them. Like what? Well, I'm super good at singing, and I'm super fashionable, and I'm a super cool dude. Aw, that's just regular Big Dennis stuff.

[Ultra Tommy]

Yeah.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, hush, Mr. Beatbox Knuckleman. Good point, Reggie. It's time for our next segment, Inside Super Tinkercast Studios. Ahem. Inside Super Tinkercast Studios. This is the part where we revisit an episode of one of my favorite Tinkercast shows. And today we're listening to the thrilling conclusion of yesterday's episode, wow in the world. Season 2, episode 17, called All Natural Superheroes, Part 2. Ultra Baby Dennis wants popcorn.

[Ultra Tommy]

Ooda lolly.

[Guy Raz]

No. We're gonna play the episode Popcorn Zap. Wow Baby Dennis.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hee hee.

[Guy Raz]

Fine. Tommy, you go get some popcorn. I'm gonna start the episode.

[Ultra Tommy]

Okey doke.

[Guy Raz]

Hooray. Okay, here we go. And play.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wee Wow will be right back. Grown ups, this message is for you. That's it. Now back to the show.

[Guy Raz]

What in the world? Last week on wow in the World, Mindy fell asleep during a movie.

[Mindy Thomas]

I was just watching it with my eyes closed.

[Guy Raz]

Guy Raz was putting together a team of animals with extraordinary abilities.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

I was putting together a team of animals with extraordinary abilities.

[Mindy Thomas]

Is that a snake?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

It's a pit viper.

[Mindy Thomas]

What makes this animal so super?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Something known as heat vision.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wow. That is a serious superpower.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy asked the snake to join the team of animal revengers.

[Mindy Thomas]

She's in.

[Guy Raz]

Then Mindy thought of someone who would be perfect for the team.

[Mindy Thomas]

I think I know a guy who might be perfect for the team.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Who's that? Mindy.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, you'll see.

[Guy Raz]

Using Reggie, they flew to a mysterious location.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

I don't like the look of this Place. Mindy, where are we?

[Mindy Thomas]

Stay cool as we open this door and walk down that hall. Okay.

[Ultra Tommy]

And now for the conclusion of wow in the world.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, here we go. Hello?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Yes, what do you want?

[Mindy Thomas]

Uh, yes, hello, sir. We're here to see one of the prisoners.

[Guy Raz]

Well, which one?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, his name is Tyson. He's a mantis shrimp.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

You can't.

[Guy Raz]

You can come right on in.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, Guy Raz, the doors are opening. Now just stay calm and follow me.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Okay, Mindy, what are we doing here?

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, so we're here to meet one of the fastest and deadliest creatures in the animal kingdom. In fact, he had to be transferred here after he smashed through his last.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Oh, man, this guy must have some right hook.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, you have no idea. Guy Raz, the mantis shrimp has one of the fastest and most powerful punches in all of nature.

[Guy Raz]

Wow.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Check this out, Mindy. It says in his record here that he can deliver a punch with the same force as the speed of a cheetah.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, see what I mean? This guy's packing a punch that's traveling at more than 50 miles per hour. In fact, it moves so fast when it's in the ocean that the water in front of it literally boils.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

What?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yep. Tyson's fist here moves through the water so quickly that it creates this little bubble, which, when it collapses, creates a bright flash of light and can heat the water up to as much as 8,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

8,000 degrees Fahrenheit. That's almost as hot as the surface of the sun.

[Mindy Thomas]

I know it is.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

So Tyson's superpower seems to be some sort of a furious fire punch.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, that's one of his powers.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

And look at his mugshot. Good grief.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, they usually only print out those mugshot pictures of the prisoners faces in black and white, but for Tyson, they made an exception.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

I can see why. I mean, he's beautiful. Look at that shell. There must be be every color in the rainbow there.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, pull yourself together, Guy Raz, because we're here. This is his jail cell. Hello, Tyson.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Wow, Mr. Tyson, can I just say you're looking fabulous. I mean. I mean, just look at all those collars. Sorry, I'm totally rambling now. I've just heard so many things. I just get rocks.

[Guy Raz]

You.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

You have a very attractive shell, sir. Sorry.

[Mindy Thomas]

I mean, what he's trying to say, Tyson, is we need your help.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Are you sure we want his help?

[Mindy Thomas]

Tyson, we want to invite you to join our team of superhero revengers. Let me just tell you, your eyes and Your fists would be a most welcome and important addition to the squad.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Wait a minute. His eyes?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, yeah, I didn't tell you. So, as well as having the fastest fists in the ocean, mantis shrimp also have some of the best eyes on the planet.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Wow. This guy really is the whole package, isn't he?

[Mindy Thomas]

So, in terms of vision, what we're able to see depends a lot on how many photoreceptors we have in our eyes.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Photoreceptors?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah. So photoreceptors are cells in our eyes that convert the light that enters them into electronic signals that our brain can understand.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Got it.

[Mindy Thomas]

And as humans, we have three types of receptors, each detecting a different wavelength of light. So red, green, or blue. And these receptors then make up all of the colors that we see in the world.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Kind of like when you get up really close to a TV and you can see that it's just made up of these little red and green and blue dots called pixels.

[Mindy Thomas]

Exact oritos.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Okay, so what makes Tyson's eyes so special?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, the mantis shrimp does not have three types of photoreceptors like us humans. He has 12 types of photoreceptors, which means that he can see all kinds of things like ultraviolet light and polarized light.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

That's right. It says right here in his file that Tyson and his incredible eyes have been the subject of a recent scientific study.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, that doesn't surprise me. He's a very popular shrimp.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Yeah. So this study says that researchers have been using a process called biomimicry.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, yeah, we've talked about biomimicry before. It's when you take something that animals do in the wild and try to reverse engineer it to help out us humans.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Right. And researchers have been using biomimicry to try and take how Tyson sees and then turn it into a type of camera.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wow. So how would they do that? Well, marine biologists, which are the type of scientists that study ocean life.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Right. Marine biologists at the University of Queensland in Australia worked with a group of engineers at the University of Illinois to remake the mantis shrimp's vision system out of silicon materials.

[Mindy Thomas]

Silicon materials? You mean like the stuff my computer's made out of?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Yeah, like your computer's chips.

[Mindy Thomas]

My computer has chips. How do I get them out of there?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Well, just to be clear, I'm not talking about nacho chips, Mindy.

[Mindy Thomas]

Right, I knew that.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Anyway, this group of scientists were able to use these same sorts of materials that are found in your computer to. To copy what the mantis shrimp's eyes do and make a digital camera called a color polarization camera.

[Mindy Thomas]

A color polarization camera.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

It's a type of camera that can detect polarized light.

[Mindy Thomas]

And polarized light is a type of light that we humans can't see, but mantis shrimp can.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Correctamundo. And the researchers are hoping to use this new camera to, among other things, detect unhealthy cells in our bodies, which give off a different kind of polarized light than healthy cells.

[Mindy Thomas]

And cells being the building blocks of all human life, right?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Exactly.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, so with this new camera, you could just point it at a patient, boot it up, and detect where the unhealthy cells might be growing.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Yes. In fact, the end goal, Mindy, is to put this kind of technology into smartphones. And that way, people could go home and check themselves, and if suspicious, they could go to the doctor.

[Mindy Thomas]

That's so. Wow. I wonder if they'll let us borrow it for when Tyson's off on other missions. Well, that is assuming you want to join our team of revengers, Tyson.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Ha. Yes. You won't regret it, Tyson.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, buddy, we gotta run, but please make sure you let us know when your time is up here so we can come back and get you, okay?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Yeah, Tyson. We'll be in touch to work out the details.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, Guy Raz. Now let's see what superpowers we have so far. We're looking at heat vision immortality, and now, the sharpest eyes in the seven seas. Okay, so who else do we need on this team of revengers?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Well, how about the toughest animal on the planet?

[Mindy Thomas]

I love it. Okay, let me guess. Is it an armadillo?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Uh, nope.

[Mindy Thomas]

An armadillo with a football helmet?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Nope.

[Mindy Thomas]

An armadillo with a football helmet, an abs of steel, and a stone cold heart.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

What? No, no, Mindy, the toughest animal on the planet is actually under our feet right now.

[Mindy Thomas]

Guy Raz, there is nothing under my feet except for this tiny droplet of water I'm standing on.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Here, come here. Kneel down. Look.

[Mindy Thomas]

Uh, what Now?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Now look a little bit more closely, Mindy. Living inside this tiny little water droplet is the most hardened creature on this planet.

[Mindy Thomas]

You're telling me that there is something living in this tiny water droplet? I'll believe it when I see it. Guy Raz, hand me my shrink wand.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Oh, no, not the shrink wand.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, yes, yes, the shrink wand. Now, I know it's around here somewhere in my adventure toolbox. Just trying to find it in here. Ah, so many cats. Oh, here we Are okay, you ready, Guy Raz?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Oh, Mindy, I'm.

[Mindy Thomas]

Shrink wand, activate. Well, at least I'm glad to see I made it in one piece this time. Okay, it only happened once, and I was able to glue you back together again. I just wish we didn't have these annoying, whiny voices every time we shrink down. Oh, well, I can fix that. Just open your mouth, stick out your tongue and say, now I'll do it to myself.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Testing, testing. One, two, three. Hey, Mindy, you unshrunk my vocal cords.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, don't get too excited, Guy Raz. The rest of you is still the size of a tiny pinhead. Anywho, what are we looking for here?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Well, we're looking for. Oh, look, there they are, Mindy, in that water droplet. That's the water bear.

[Mindy Thomas]

The water bear? What? Oh, my googly eyed cat. Look at that. There's a bunch of them. They're so cute. They're like big, big blubbery little piglets with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 legs.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

They're also known as tardigrades, Mindy.

[Mindy Thomas]

And oh, they're so cute and small. I can't stand it. I mean, Guy Raz, I know we've shrunk down a lot, but these little guys, man, they still look tiny to me.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

I know, right? In fact, you could fit about 20 of them on the head of a pin. But despite their pudgy outward appearance, Mindy, and despite their tiny size and adorable name, these guys can actually survive basically anywhere.

[Mindy Thomas]

Really?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Yeah. These little tardigrades have been found in some of the most extreme environments on Earth. From all the way high up in the Himalaya Mountains, to hot springs in Japan, to the bottom of the ocean. Even in Antarctica.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wow, you're tough little guys, aren't you?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

And that's not even the half of it, Mindy. Not only can these animals withstand temperatures as low as -328 degrees Fahrenheit, but they're able to go without food or water for decades at a time.

[Mindy Thomas]

What did you say decades? As in 20, 30, 40 years?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

And they're also the only species we know of that can survive the complete vacuum of space.

[Mindy Thomas]

Uh, pause. So you're saying that on top of all that, these little guys, these little water bears, these little tardigrades, are also tiny astronauts?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Well, yeah, I guess you can call them that. Back in 2007, scientists strapped thousands of these tiny microscopic creatures onto to a satellite, and then they blasted them off into space. And Mindy, when they came Back. The scientists found that not only did many of these tardigrades survive, but some of the females also had perfectly healthy babies.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hold the phone, Guy Raz. I need a second to process this. Space baby water bears?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Yeah, and it turns out there's almost nothing on Earth that can destroy these guys. I mean, they are tough.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, boy. So do you think we could get them to join our team of superhero revengers?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Well, only one way to find out. Let me just stick my head in this droplet and have a word with them.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wait, what?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

There it Mindy. I mean, tardigrades have been around for 500 million years. I don't know why I didn't ask them sooner.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yes, welcome to the team, little water bears. All right, come on, guys. We gotta get out of here. Oh, but first, Guy Raz, we gotta grow up, if you know what I mean. Shrink wand, activate. Feels so good to be back to my normal size.

[Guy Raz]

Mandy, you unshrink my voice right now.

[Mindy Thomas]

Aw, but it's so cute this way. Okay, okay, fine. Open your mouth. There you go, little buddy. You should be all back to normal.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Okay, right, so this Team Mindy is really coming together now. One more. I think we're going to have our whole team.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, I've got this next one, Guy Raz. But first, we're going to have to hit up Reggie one more time.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Man, we're really clocking up the sky miles today.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, we are. I'm saving up my points for this tiny swimming pool for cats that doubles as a human litter box.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Oh, yeah, I think I saw that in the sky store catalog.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, now let me just give Reggie a ring here. Hey, hey, Reg. Yeah, it's us again. Yeah, I know. Yeah, I promise you this is the last time. What? Surcharge? Okay, that's not fair. Okay, okay, see you soon. He's on his way.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Okay. Whoa.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hey, Reg, that was quick. All right, come on, Guy Raz, hop on.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

All right, hopping on.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, Reg, last stop, the Andes. Here we go. Nailed it.

[Guy Raz]

Yes.

[Mindy Thomas]

Nice landing. Once again, Reg, you are on fire today.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Okay, here we are. Who are we here to see, by the way?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, they're right over there. Guy Raz.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Flamingos. Oh, no, Mindy, not again. I am not doing it again. You are not making me wear a flamingo suit, Guy Raz.

[Mindy Thomas]

Don't be redonkulous. As dashing as you looked in that flamingo suit, we are here on much more important business.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Right, Right. Oh, yes, of course. So what natural superpowers do do flamingos Have. I mean, do they have super strength or can they control the weather? Can they make a really good omelet? I think that's my superpower.

[Mindy Thomas]

All great pitches, Guy Raz, but no.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

No to which one?

[Mindy Thomas]

No to all of them. See, the thing about these flamingos is that they often live in places like this where the only water even available to them is pretty much near boiling.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Oh yeah. I can feel the hot steam rising from that water all the way over there.

[Mindy Thomas]

Walk with me, Guy Raz. Okay, so not only are these fancy flamingos able to stand around in this scalding hot water all day, but when they do, they're somehow able to stay totally chill.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

What?

[Mindy Thomas]

And it gets even crazier because sometimes they'll even dunk their whole entire bodies in it to wash off.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

EE. I always keep my baths to exactly 32.5 degrees Celsius. It's the optimal temperature for scrubbing.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, so that's why you keep that digital thermometer on the second shelf of your bathroom medicine cabinet.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Wait, wait. Why would you know what I keep in my medicine cabinet?

[Mindy Thomas]

Why would you know what you keep in your medicine medicine cabinet?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Uh, yeah. Well, anyway, do you think these guys would mind if I use some of their water to make some hot tea? I mean, all this traveling is making me thirsty.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, I don't think they'd mind. It's just that great.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Excuse me. Sorry, just trying to get by here.

[Mindy Thomas]

Uh, Guy Raz? Oh, no.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

There we go. Orange peko and hippo hibiscus. My favorite.

[Mindy Thomas]

Guy Raz, you're making your tea with the flamingo water.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

What happened? Ugh.

[Mindy Thomas]

That's what I was trying to warn you about. Not only is this flamingo water super hot, but it's also salt water and probably a toilet for the flamingos. Yuck.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Why didn't you tell me sooner? Mindy, do these flamingos drink this salt water? I mean, there aren't many animals on the planet that can handle salt water. You know what I mean?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, flamingos actually have a special gland in their nose that lets them filter the salt out of the water that they're drinking.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Wow, that's incredible. I mean, I'm not sure how drinking boiling salt water would help when fighting evil, but hey, you know, every team needs a wild card, right?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Alright, flamingos, Are you guys in?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, Flamingos. We could use some pinky power on our team of animal revengers. Can we get you to join us or. Yes.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

I'll take that as A yes, yes. You know Mindy, meeting all these incredible animals, it really just rubs in the fact that us humans are, well, were kind of unextraordinary. You know what I mean?

[Mindy Thomas]

Guy Raz, you wash those words out of your mouth right now because I will not have any of that self defeating anti humanist talk here.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

But it's kind of true, Mindy. I mean, we can't see ultraviolet light or survive extreme temperatures, or even drink salt water no matter how much delicious tea you.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, I guess when you look at it that way, the average human might look kind of weak. But don't be fooled, Guy Raz. Human beings are remarkable creatures.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Oh really?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, really. In fact, there's one organ in the human body that sets us apart from every other animal on the planet. And that organ is. Drumroll please. Our brain.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Our brain.

[Mindy Thomas]

Of course, Kairoz. The human brain is one of the most complex organs in the entire animal kingdom. And it's the reason that we humans are kind of the smartest animals on the planet. So you know what this means, right?

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

What?

[Mindy Thomas]

We can be the last member of the Animal Revengers.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Wait a minute. You're right.

[Mindy Thomas]

And our superpower is super intelligence.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

Well Mindy, looks like we have our team.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah. Got heat vision, immortality, super punchability, indestructibility. The wild card.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

And of course, super intelligence.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well Guy Raz, it's time to get this team together and get ready to save the world.

[Guy Raz]

That was so cool, Ultra Big Dennis. I know.

[Ultra Tommy]

So what now?

[Guy Raz]

What do you mean? Yeah, what does Ultra Tommy mean?

[Ultra Tommy]

Well, Mr. Razzie and Mandy formed the Revengers and went out to save the world.

[Guy Raz]

Right.

[Ultra Tommy]

And we formed the Ultra Team.

[Guy Raz]

Uh huh.

[Ultra Tommy]

So are we gonna go save the world or what?

[Guy Raz]

Oh yeah, let's go do that. Ultra Baby Dennis wants to save the world. Okay, let's wrap up the show and then we'll go save the world or whatever. Thanks to all you listeners out there for tuning in to Wee Wow on the weekend. If you have a question for me, call and leave me a message at 1-8887-WOW-WOW. That's 1-8887-WOW-WOW. I just might answer your question on Wee Wow on the weekend. Okay, let's go. All right, what should we do first?

[Ultra Tommy]

Let's go fishing.

[Guy Raz]

No, Tommy, we need to do something like rescue a cat out of a tree or sweep all the sidewalks in the neighborhood or. Oh I know, let's have a bake sale. Ultra Baby Dennis wants to fight crime with lasers. Ultra baby Dennis the that's too dangerous for having a bake sale or some other thing that.

[Mindy Thomas]

Grownups if you like wow in the World, you can listen early and ad free right now on Wondery.

[Ultra Baby Dennis]

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]

Thanks for joining us for this edition of Wee Wow on the Weeknd. Our show is written by Ruth Morrison and Jed Anderson. The role of Baby Dennis is played by Jed Anderson. Ah, well then who plays the role of Big Dennis? Never you mind. Tee hee. Original sound design and production is done by Henry Moskal with contributions from Jed Anderson and Tyler Thol. Original music for Wewow is composed and performed by Tyler Thole. Special thanks to Jessica Bode, Rebecca Caban, Dr. Natasha Crandall, Kenny Curtis, Lizzie Froehlich, Kristin Yang, Meredith Halpin, Ranzer Tweemack, Erica Medina, Henry Muskill, Jody Nussbaum, Ali Paksima, Guy Raz, Linda Rothenberg, Steph Sosa, Mindy Thomas, Joanna Weber, Anna Zagorski, and all of the other tinkerers at Tinkercast HQ. Be sure to visit tinkercast.com where you can become an official member of the World Organization of wowzers. Learn about upcoming events, shop our wow Shop, find our best selling books and learn about all the other amazing podcasts from Tinkercast. Thanks again for hanging out in the basement this weekend. Be sure to check out episodes of wow in the World every Monday and remember who Wows I wow. No, Baby Dennis. We wow. All right. We wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

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