WeWow on the Weekend (3/22/25)

Summary

Wow in the World: "WeWow on the Weekend" (March 22, 2025) – Detailed Summary

Hosts: Dennis and Reggie the Giant Pigeon

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1. Episode Introduction and Opening Magic Trick (00:00 - 04:29)

The episode kicks off with Dennis enthusiastically welcoming listeners to "We Wow on the Weekend." He introduces Reggie the Giant Pigeon, who is humorously dressed in a top hat, setting the stage for a whimsical and entertaining show. Dennis initiates a magic trick segment, inviting Reggie to perform.

• Notable Quote:
  • Dennis (01:12): “We wow on the weekend. Cause this is what we do on the weekend.”

During the trick, Reggie attempts to perform a magic act, hilariously culminating in the unexpected appearance of "Baby Dennis" from his hat. The segment emphasizes the playful chemistry between the hosts, blending humor with light-hearted antics.

2. Q&A Segment (04:29 - 08:36)

Dennis transitions into the Q&A portion of the show, where they address listener questions submitted via messages.

• Listener Interaction:

  • Sawyer's Haiku:

    • Mindy (05:08): “Reggie is so cool. Dennis is a big whiner. Together they rock.”
    • Dennis (05:21): “I think you meant to say winner. Dennis is a big winner.”

  • Grace's Question:

    • Reggie (05:55): “Why do guinea pigs sleep with their eyes open?”
    • Dennis (06:00): Responds with a humorous explanation about "sleep snooping," blending factual curiosity with comedic flair.

  • Evelyn's Inquiry:

    • Mindy (06:49): “Do you know what Mindy and Guy Raz do on the weekend?”
    • The hosts humorously navigate the question, leading to a playful exchange about their weekend activities.

3. Inside Tinkercast Studios: "The Song of the Singing Mouse" (08:36 - 29:26)

In this segment, Dennis and Mindy delve into a featured episode from "Wow in the World," specifically Season 3, Episode 14 titled "The Song of the Singing Mouse." This episode explores fascinating scientific discoveries related to musical communication in mice.

A. The Experiment and Scientific Discovery

• Research Focus: Dr. Michael Long and his team from New York University's School of Medicine study a unique species of mouse, scientifically named Scodinomis taquina, also known as America's Squeak Hearts. These mice display remarkable singing abilities, producing over 100 different musical notes.

• Key Insights:

  • The mice engage in musical conversations, or "singing duels," to communicate, similar to human verbal interactions.
  • Researchers aim to understand the neural mechanisms that facilitate such intricate communication in mice to draw parallels with human conversational abilities.

• Notable Quote:

  • Mindy (17:53): “These scientists discovered that these mice can sing over 100 different musical notes.”

B. The Concert and Demonstration

To illustrate their findings, the hosts simulate a live concert featuring the singing mice, complete with a rap battle between the band members. This creative demonstration highlights how the mice interact musically, adhering to unspoken rules akin to human conversations.

• Notable Quote:
  • Mindy (19:37): “Or at least one in particular, though, she could be any one of these mice for all we know.”

C. Experimental Manipulation of Neural Signals

Dr. Long's team conducted experiments by manipulating the mice's brain signals to observe changes in their singing behavior.

• Experiments Conducted:

  • Speeding Up Signals:

    • Resulted in the mice singing out of tune and losing coordination.
    • Mindy (26:34): “So using those same electronic sensors, Dr. Long and his team sped up the signals that the mice's brains were sending to their vocal muscles.”

  • Slowing Down Signals:

    • Led to longer pauses between notes but maintained the correct pitches.
    • Mindy (27:20): “They could still sing the right notes. There were just longer spaces in between, and it took them a lot longer to finish.”

  • Turning Off the Orofacial Motor Cortex (OMC):

    • The mice could sing solo but lost the ability to engage in musical conversations.
    • Mindy (28:37): “They became solo artists.”

• Notable Quote:

  • Guy Raz (29:04): “This must mean that the OMC part of the singing mouse's brain isn't what gives them the power to sing, but it is what gives them the power to sing in a back and forth way, just like we humans and bottlenose dolphins.”

D. Implications for Human Communication

The experiments suggest that the OMC region in mice is crucial for turn-taking in conversations, mirroring similar processes in human communication. Dr. Long's research aims to apply these insights to understand and potentially aid human communication disorders.

• Future Directions:

  • Identifying the human equivalent of the OMC to enhance conversational abilities.
  • Developing therapies for individuals with communication challenges, such as those on the autism spectrum or recovering from strokes.

• Notable Quote:

  • Mindy (30:05): “They're hoping that they can take what they learn from these experiments and come up with new ways to help people whose brains don't let them have these quick back and forth conversations.”

4. Musical Interlude and Performance by Bottlenose Dolphins (23:24 - 28:35)

Adding to the show's entertainment value, Reggie introduces a surprise performance by a group humorously named "Bottlenose Dolphins." The segment features playful interactions and songs that complement the scientific narrative, illustrating the diversity of communication in the animal kingdom.

• Notable Quote:
  • Mindy (24:17): “So back to these brain experiments, Guy Raz.”

5. Conclusion and Future Applications (29:26 - 31:08)

As the episode nears its end, the hosts reflect on the remarkable parallels between mouse and human communication. They discuss the potential applications of Dr. Long's research in improving human conversational skills and assisting those with communication difficulties.

• Notable Quote:
  • Guy Raz (30:37): “So, like some people with autism whose brains work differently. Or maybe people who have had strokes where parts of their brain stop working altogether.”

6. Closing Remarks and Teasers for Future Episodes (31:08 - 33:21)

Dennis and Mindy wrap up the episode with humorous banter and hints at future content, maintaining the show's engaging and light-hearted tone. They encourage listeners to participate by submitting questions and provide information on accessing additional content through Wondery+ and other platforms.

• Notable Quote:
  • Dennis (33:05): “Grown ups. If you like wow in the world, you can listen early and ad free right now on Wonder.”

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Key Takeaways:

• Scientific Exploration: The episode provides an engaging exploration of how studying animal communication can offer insights into human conversational mechanisms.

• Entertainment and Education Blend: Through humor, music, and storytelling, Dennis and Reggie effectively blend entertainment with educational content, making complex scientific concepts accessible to a younger audience and their families.

• Future Implications: Dr. Long's research on the orofacial motor cortex in mice holds promising potential for developing therapies to enhance human communication abilities, particularly for those with communication disorders.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Dennis (01:12): “We wow on the weekend. Cause this is what we do on the weekend.”

• Mindy (05:08): “Reggie is so cool. Dennis is a big whiner. Together they rock.”

• Dennis (06:00): “Why do guinea pigs sleep with their eyes open? Great question. Well, I'm not sure, but I know why I sleep with my eyes open.”

• Mindy (17:53): “These scientists discovered that these mice can sing over 100 different musical notes.”

• Guy Raz (29:04): “This must mean that the OMC part of the singing mouse's brain isn't what gives them the power to sing, but it is what gives them the power to sing in a back and forth way, just like we humans and bottlenose dolphins.”

• Mindy (30:05): “They're hoping that they can take what they learn from these experiments and come up with new ways to help people whose brains don't let them have these quick back and forth conversations.”

• Guy Raz (30:37): “So, like some people with autism whose brains work differently. Or maybe people who have had strokes where parts of their brain stop working altogether.”

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"WeWow on the Weekend" continues to blend wonder, science, and humor, fostering curiosity and a love for learning in its listeners. This episode stands out by seamlessly integrating scientific research with entertaining storytelling, making complex topics both understandable and enjoyable.

Transcript

[Mindy]

Hey, Wowzer fams. Mindy here. And before we start the show, we know that March is known for madness, but why not mystery and mischief too? We've pulled some of our favorite mystery episodes from wow in the world. Plus a special bite sized episode with some real mysteries from real kids now playing on the who Win Wow. Podcast feed. And what's a little mystery without a little bit of mischief? Well, we've sent out a pigeon dropping to all of our world organization of wowzer members with ideas for how you can add a little mischief and spread a little wow to the people in your life. So, members of the wow, be sure to check your mailboxes and if you're not a member yet. Well, we've also got some fun ideas for how you can add a little mystery and mischief to your month too. Visit tinkercast.com mystery for mysterious episodes, mischievous activities and more. Wow. That's it. And now back to the show.

[Dennis]

We wow on the weekend. We wow on the weekend. We wow on the weekend. Cause this is what we do on the weekend. Talking, laughing, me and Reggie singing, laughing. And then we. Oh wait, no, I said laughing twice. Whatever. We wow on the weekend. On the weekend. Cause this is what we do on the weekend. Hello and welcome to We Wow on the Weekend. I'm your host, Dennis, and that's my co host, Reggie the giant pigeon, who's wearing a top hat for some reason. This is the show where we hang out, chitchat, answer questions from our fans and listen to Tinkercast podcasts. Okay, so Reggie, what is with the top hat? You're a magician today. Yay. And you're gonna do a magic trick right here in the show. I love magic. What are you waiting for? The floor is yours. Oh, right. I have to introduce you. Everyone, please welcome to the stage. Psst. Ajay. What's your magician? All right. Please welcome to the stage Reggie the Stupenda Pigeon. Yeah. Ooh. You have a magic wand. Come on. Okay, listeners, Reggie the Stupenda Pigeon has taken off his hat and is tapping the brim with his magic wand. He's saying the magic words. He's reaching into his hat. I think he's pulling something out. Is it a rabbit? Is it a normal sized pigeon? It looks like. Ta da. It's Baby Dennis. Baby Dennis? Hehe, Babe. Peyton. Dennis, were you just hiding in Reggie's hat the whole time? Baby Dennis would never reveal Big Reggie's magic secrets. Okay, well, Reggie, that certainly was stupendous. But it's time to make Baby Dennis Disappear so we can get on with the show. Baby Dennis will never disappear. Baby Dennis is eternal. Sorry, Baby Dennis, we gotta get you back in your box. Now, let me just open it up and the box is full of jobs. Ta da, Red J. Your bird friends are destroying mother's porcelain squirrel figurines. Stop. Come on, birdies. No. Fake. Fake Dennis, that is not helping. Yes, Reggie, Please tell them to get back in the box, if you don't mind. All right, since the box is full of pigeons, baby Dennis, you get back in the hat. Okay. Whee. Bye, baby Dennis.

[Mindy]

Bye.

[Dennis]

Bye. Okay, let's move on to the Q, Q and A segment.

[Mindy]

Ahem.

[Dennis]

The Q and A segment. Alright, let's just get the old answering machine pulled up here. Okay, Here we go. Hi, you've reached Dennis from WEW on the Weeknd. That's me. Do you have a question? Well, I do too. Lots of them. And who's gonna answer all my questions? You? Probably not. But I guess I can answer yours. Leave me a message.

[Reggie]

Hi, Dennis and Reggie.

[Mindy]

My name is Sawyer.

[Dennis]

Hi, Sawyer.

[Mindy]

I have a haiku for you. Do you want to hear it?

[Dennis]

You have a haiku? Yeah, I want to hear it.

[Mindy]

Reggie is so cool. Dennis is a big whiner. Together they rock.

[Dennis]

What? That is soak. Oh. Whoa. Bad. I think you meant to say winner. Dennis is a big winner. Yeah, no, I think that's what Sawyer meant. Oh, Reggie, I want to make up a haiku too. Haikus are cool. They have a certain number of syllables, but I forget how many they are. And also I kind of forget what a haiku is. The end. Thank you. Thank you. Next question.

[Guy Raz]

Hello, my name is Grace.

[Dennis]

Hi, Grace. What's your question?

[Reggie]

Why do guinea pigs sleep with their eyes open?

[Dennis]

Why do guinea pigs sleep with their eyes open? Great question. Well, I'm not sure, but I know why I sleep with my eyes open. Yes, Reggie, of course. I sleep with my eyes open for sleep snooping. Sleep snooping, Reggie. It's like sleepwalking, but it's for snooping instead of exercise. Yeah, with sleep snooping, I could get twice the amount of snooping done. Pluuuuu. I can also be on the lookout for anyone trying to snoop on my dreams. No, Reggie, you stay out of my dreams. We hang out enough. Okay, fine. We can hang out in dreamland. But just this once, Reggie. No, not right now. Wake up. Next question.

[Mindy]

Hi, Dennis. It's Evelyn from Tennessee.

[Dennis]

Hi, Evelyn.

[Mindy]

Do you know what Mindy and Guy Raz do on the weekend?

[Dennis]

Huh? Do I Know what Mindy and Guy do on the weekends? Well, I don't think they do anything on the weekends. If I leave them, I'm pretty sure they just sit around and wait for me to show up again, right? Reggie. What? They do stuff on the weekends without me. Like what? Like go to the grocery store. I want to go to the grocery store. And then maybe go through the car wash. I want to go through the car wash. And then they come home and put all the groceries away and maybe clean the bathrooms. Okay, I don't want to do that. But wait, Reggie, do you think this means Guy and Mindy are doing something right now without me? I have to call Mindy. Dialing. Dialing. Dialing, Dialing.

[Mindy]

Hi, you've reached Mindy. I'm out doing super fun things on the weekend and I'm currently unavailable.

[Dennis]

Oh, no.

[Mindy]

I might be out riding a donkey or racing a roller coaster or sitting in a very large bird's nest or visiting Mars.

[Dennis]

Oh, no, no, no. They're having even more fun than we thought. Okay, Reggie, we have to finish doing the show and go find Mindy and Guy Raz and make sure they aren't having. Thanks for your calls, everyone. If you've got a question for me, call and leave me a message. The number is 1-888-7-WOW. Wow. I just might answer your question on Wee Wow on the weekend. Okay, that takes care of that. Next up is a little segment I like to call Inside Tinkercast Studios.

[Mindy]

Ahem.

[Dennis]

Inside Tinkercast Studios. This is the part where we revisit an episode of one of my favorite Tinkercast shows. And today we're listening to wow. In the World, Season 3, Episode 14 called the Song of the Singing Mouse. Oh, you really like this one, huh? It has your favorite band in. Has your favorite mouse band in it. Oh. Your favorite Central American mouse band. Wow. So specific, right? That's a good genre. Okay, here we go. And play.

[Mindy]

Wee wow will be right back.

[Dennis]

Grown ups.

[Mindy]

This message is for you. That's it. Now back to the show.

[Dennis]

What in the world? Meal's here.

[Mindy]

Meal's here. I'll get it, Reg. Ren. Ren. Ren. Ren. Ren. Run.

[Dennis]

Run, run.

[Mindy]

Oh, looks like I overshot the door. Backtrack, moonwalk, Backtrack, moonwalk.

[Dennis]

Ma'am, please stop moonwalking away from me in shame.

[Mindy]

Good afternoon, mail carrier. And how are we doing on this fine day?

[Dennis]

Last week, there was a trapdoor under your doormat. Two weeks ago, a giant pigeon ordered 14 tons of gourmet bird seed to be Delivered by mail. Reggie, three weeks ago, you mailed yourself an ice cream cone which ended up melting all over my delivery bag.

[Mindy]

Sorry. Next time I'll spring for same day shipping on the ice cream. So what do you have for me today?

[Dennis]

Okay, well, let's see. Looks like a new edition of Gingerbread architecture magazine.

[Mindy]

Ooh la la.

[Dennis]

Several invitations to a croquet and multi level marketing party from your neighbor Dennis. You can keep those and this huge box.

[Mindy]

What's inside it?

[Dennis]

I don't know.

[Mindy]

Well, then could you shake it?

[Dennis]

No.

[Mindy]

Yeah, just shake the box and I'll guess what's inside.

[Dennis]

Fine. Shake, shake, shake.

[Mindy]

Is it a shirt? No, it's gotta be cat litter. Oh, no, it's one of those plant your own herb gardens. Maybe it's a ham.

[Dennis]

Stop, Stop.

[Mindy]

Guy Raz.

[Dennis]

Of course it's a human being. Okay, have a good day, ma'am. I will be going on a long vacation.

[Guy Raz]

Surprise.

[Mindy]

Guy Raz, what were you doing in that box? Did I do this to you?

[Guy Raz]

No, you did not do this to me, Mindy.

[Mindy]

Yeah, you want to say that a little louder for the people in the back?

[Guy Raz]

Ahem. Mindy had nothing to do with this. I mailed myself myself.

[Dennis]

Hi, Guy. Could you keep it down, please?

[Mindy]

But, Guy Raz, you live next door. I mean, if you wanted to come to my house, all you'd have to do is call Reggie to fly you over. Or take the wow machine or borrow my motor pickle. Or snag. Dennis. Rollerblades.

[Guy Raz]

Hey, no, the truth is, Mindy, I've been trying to make an effort to be more, I don't know, spontaneous. To think outside the box a little.

[Mindy]

Oh, so you literally climbed into a box and mailed yourself to my house next door?

[Guy Raz]

Well, yeah, but for good reason, Mindy. You see, I've got a surprise for you.

[Mindy]

A surprise? Is it in the box?

[Guy Raz]

No.

[Mindy]

So many packs. Peanuts. You think I can eat these?

[Guy Raz]

No, no, Mindy, don't. Don't eat them. The surprise is not in the box. It's inside of me.

[Dennis]

Oh.

[Mindy]

So are you gonna barf it up?

[Guy Raz]

Barf it? What?

[Mindy]

I mean, you just said it was Mindy.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy. I got three tickets to the America's Squeak Hearts Hide and Squeak concert tour. Happy? When is your birthday?

[Dennis]

Mindy's birthday is marchtember. I'm umpteenth. Wait, that can't be real. There aren't umpteenth days in March. Tember.

[Mindy]

Guy Raz, you know that America's Squeak Hearts is my favorite band of the Week?

[Guy Raz]

Yeah. Yeah, I was just thinking. You were so kind to indulge me that time. I wanted to go listen to my favorite elevator music band, that office building elevator downtown.

[Mindy]

And yeah, Guy Raz, I pretty much just complained the entire time.

[Guy Raz]

Well, that's what friends are for.

[Mindy]

Wow. So when is the concert?

[Guy Raz]

Looking at my watch.

[Dennis]

Huh?

[Reggie]

What?

[Guy Raz]

That's weird.

[Mindy]

What's weird?

[Guy Raz]

All of the numbers on my watch are out of order.

[Mindy]

Oh, that's because I scrambled them all up for you.

[Guy Raz]

You what?

[Mindy]

So, a while ago, I got mad about daylight savings time and I took it out on your watch. But, hey, I got you that hour back, Mindy. You're welcome, Reggie.

[Guy Raz]

Reggie, we've got a surprise for you. Wait for it. Wait for it.

[Mindy]

Wait for Reggie. The three of us are going to see America's Squeak hearts live and in concert on their Hide and Squeak tour. And it's a surprise. I just spoiled it.

[Dennis]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Guy Raz]

Slow down there, Reggie. I'm not exactly picking up what you're saying. Mostly because I don't speak pigeon, but also because you're talking faster than Mindy.

[Mindy]

I got this. Say what, Reg?

[Reggie]

Yeah.

[Mindy]

Uh huh. Oh, wow. Really? Ooh. Ah la.

[Dennis]

What's he.

[Guy Raz]

What's he saying, Mindy?

[Mindy]

He's saying that America's squeakarts are at the center of a brand new scientific breakthrough.

[Guy Raz]

A scientific breakthrough.

[Mindy]

And their performance is basically going to take us a whole reenactment of the experiments that led to the breakthrough. What in the. Wow. This is gonna be even better than I thought.

[Guy Raz]

They're gonna do an experiment on stage? What are they, a singing duo of lab rats?

[Mindy]

Actually, they're lab mice, Guy Raz. But not your typical lab mice.

[Guy Raz]

Wait, did you say America's squeak hearts are mice?

[Mindy]

Well, yeah, they're my favorite band. What'd you think they were gonna be? Sing. Come on, Guy Raz, saddle up on Reggie's back. You'll see for yourself once we get there.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, but I'm not sure this is what I signed up for. Singing mice? What are they gonna come up with next? A band of singing chipmunks? A musical starring cats?

[Mindy]

Okay, Reg, prepare for takeoff. Cause here we. I think our surprise landing is scaring all the mice away. Come back here, you little mice.

[Dennis]

Come back.

[Mindy]

And I think all the mice are scaring Guy Raz away. Guy Raz, stop. They're not gonna bite you. They're here for the concert, just like us.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, right, the concert. We're here to see Mindy's favorite band, America's Squeak hearts live in concert. They're just like any other band, only they're laugh mic tickets, please. And I have nothing to be freaked out about. We're all mammals.

[Mindy]

Um, guy Raz, tickets.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, right. Three tiny tickets.

[Dennis]

Thank you.

[Guy Raz]

I should have known by the size of these microscopic tickets that this concert would be performed by mice.

[Dennis]

Here's your program. It explains the scientific breakthrough connected to the band. And on the back, there's a coupon for America's squeakarts merch booth.

[Mindy]

Merch booth. Rent, rent, rent, rent, rent.

[Dennis]

Run.

[Mindy]

Hi. Um, hello. We'll take three matching sets of mouse ears.

[Dennis]

Okay.

[Mindy]

Three matching America squeak hearts hide in squeak toy T shirts. Three matching sets of mousetrap clip on.

[Guy Raz]

Earrings, and Mindy, Reggie doesn't have earlobes.

[Mindy]

Okay, make that too, Mindy. And three big wheels of cheese, please.

[Dennis]

Here you go.

[Mindy]

Thank you.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, Mindy, they're about to start. Come on. So, Mindy, Reggie was saying something earlier about this being a concert that reenacts a scientific breakthrough.

[Mindy]

Oh, yeah, it's pretty amazing. So it all starts off with this neuroscientist.

[Guy Raz]

And a neuroscientist is a scientist who studies the nervous system, or the way our brains and spinal cords and nerve cells work together in our bodies.

[Mindy]

Yeah. And so this neuroscientist named Michael Long and his team of researchers from New York University's School of Medicine noticed something very unusual about a particular species of mouse that lives in the tropical cloud forests of Central America.

[Guy Raz]

A species of mouse called the Americas squeak hearts. What?

[Mindy]

No, that's just their band name, the mice. Pigeons in the band have a completely different name. And that name is Scodinomis taquina.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy. Mindy. I told you, I don't speak pigeon.

[Mindy]

That's not pigeon talk, Guy Raz. That's their name. They also have a nickname which is much easier to say. Allston's singing mouse.

[Guy Raz]

Aha. And let me guess. That unusual observation made by Dr. Long and his team was that these mice could sing.

[Mindy]

Yes, but there's more.

[Guy Raz]

Go on.

[Mindy]

These scientists discovered that these mice can sing over 100 different musical notes and.

[Dennis]

Woo hoo. Love you.

[Reggie]

Thank you. Thank you. Gracias. We are America's suicas. At torment Today are many Central America squeakers. But it's confusing. This one goes out to all the ladies.

[Guy Raz]

Come on.

[Mindy]

No, really. What you're about to see are the two lead singers of the band engage in a little rap battle to win the hearts of the lady mice in the audience. Or at least one in particular, though, she could be any one of these mice for all we know.

[Guy Raz]

A rap battle? You mean like a singing duel to win the affection of a mate?

[Mindy]

Well, yeah, basically. And while they're, there are other mice that will sing for love or whatever you call it in the rodent world. Most of the time, human ears can't hear them. But these singing mice, well, they come in loud and clear.

[Guy Raz]

What just happened?

[Mindy]

Isn't this bonkerballs? That back and forth, call and response, vocal turn taking. It was like a fast paced musical conversation.

[Guy Raz]

You know, Mindy, now that I think about it, I guess that is pretty amazing.

[Reggie]

Thank you. Thank you. Gracias.

[Guy Raz]

All the different vocal muscles and parts of their little mouse brains that had to work together to create that snappy back and forth sing off. I mean, that's just not something you see very often in the animal kingdom. Well, unless you count us humans.

[Mindy]

Well, that's just the thing, Guy Raz. See, Dr. Long and his team noticed this in the wild cloud forests of Costa Rica and decided to invite these singing mice back to their lab at nyu.

[Guy Raz]

And just like that, they.

[Mindy]

Well, they did promise them some pretty cush digs, you know, like workout equipment in their cages, organic meal worms, dried cat food three times a day, fresh fruit, a lucrative record deal, a national tour.

[Guy Raz]

It took all of that to get these mice to visit their lab at NYU.

[Mindy]

Yeah, I mean, Dr. Long has actually been quoted as saying that they're kind of divas, especially when you compare them to their lab mite.

[Guy Raz]

So, Mindy, once Dr. Long and his team got the singing mice settled into their plush laboratory apartments, what did they do?

[Mindy]

Well, they began rehearsal.

[Guy Raz]

And by rehearsal, you mean?

[Mindy]

I mean they let the singing mice sing their brains out while researchers studied their brains over a few different experiments.

[Guy Raz]

So let me just make sure I've got this straight. The researchers knew that these mice could sing, but they wanted to know what was happening in their brains that allowed them to sing duets or musical conversations?

[Mindy]

Well, basically, yeah. So humans have the unique ability to take turns while talking in a conversation. You know, so immediately starting a new sentence when the person you're talking to ends theirs. And in fact, that pause between when one person starts talking and the next person picks up is only about a fraction of a second.

[Guy Raz]

And I guess that means that our vocal muscles and our brains have to work together extremely quickly and send signals back and forth to make that happen at such a fast speed.

[Mindy]

Right, but why? And how? And what part of our brains controls this complicated operation?

[Guy Raz]

And that must Be where the experiments with the singing mice divas come in.

[Mindy]

But, well, they prefer to be called America's squeak hearts. But yeah, see, these researchers were hoping that by studying the pretty simple brains of these mice, they might better understand how back and forth conversation works in our much more complicated human brains.

[Guy Raz]

So what was the first experiment?

[Mindy]

Oh, hang on. I'll tell you in a sec.

[Dennis]

Gracias.

[Reggie]

Okay, we'd like to welcome special guest up to the stage. Let's give it up for the bottlenose dolphins.

[Guy Raz]

What a band name?

[Dennis]

What?

[Mindy]

That's just their name.

[Dennis]

Woo.

[Mindy]

Bottlenose dolphins? Yes.

[Guy Raz]

Wait, are they flapping onto the stage? Shouldn't they be in the water? Hey, shouldn't those dolphins be in the water?

[Mindy]

See, bottlenose dolphins are one of the only other mammals besides humans and singing mice that sing in that vocal turn taking style. Ah, watch this.

[Dennis]

Wow.

[Guy Raz]

Maybe they sound a little better underwater.

[Mindy]

So back to these brain experiments, Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

Oh yeah, where were we?

[Mindy]

The first thing they did was take the two mice and put them in separate cages where they could hear each other but not see each other. And then the researchers just sat back and listened.

[Guy Raz]

And what did they hear?

[Mindy]

Well, they heard the mice having a musical conversation.

[Dennis]

Huh.

[Mindy]

In fact, they learned that they sing differently together than they do when they're alone or solo.

[Guy Raz]

That's interesting.

[Mindy]

But what's really interesting is that they learned that these mice have certain unspoken rules to their musical back and forth. Just like we humans do when we're having a conversation.

[Guy Raz]

Rules, huh? Well, I did notice when the mice were on stage having their singing duel that they seemed to be very polite with each other. I mean, they never sang over each other. And they seemed to pay attention to when the other mouse was finished before.

[Mindy]

Picking up the next verse and then also interrupted.

[Guy Raz]

Ahem. Not like some humans do.

[Mindy]

Anyhoo, once these researchers figured out the way these mice communicate through song, they wanted to figure out what part of their brains were responsible for telling them when to sing and when to wait their turn.

[Guy Raz]

And how did they do that?

[Mindy]

Okay, so they used these tiny electric sensors or tools to help them read the signals that the mice's brains were sending to their their vocal muscles.

[Guy Raz]

And by seeing what part of the brain was lit up or active while they were singing, they could determine what part of the brain was responsible for telling the mice when to sing.

[Mindy]

Exact oritos, Guy Raz. And they discovered that it was the part of the brain known as the orofacial motor cortex, or the OMC for short.

[Reggie]

All Right, let's hear it again for the bottlenose dolphins. All right, all right. For this next song, we are going to speed things up a bit. Rapidon.

[Dennis]

Huh?

[Reggie]

Here we go.

[Dennis]

Vanimos. Whoa.

[Guy Raz]

What is happening? They're singing so fast that they're all out of tune.

[Dennis]

Oh, wow.

[Mindy]

This is just like in the experiment. Huh? So using those same electronic sensors, Dr. Long and his team sped up the signals that the mice's brains were sending to their vocal muscles. And before they knew it, the mice were going all bonker balls and singing all the wrong notes and completely out of tune.

[Guy Raz]

And I'm guessing that if they sped up the signals, then they also experimented with slowing them down.

[Mindy]

You know it.

[Reggie]

Thank you, thank you.

[Dennis]

Gracias.

[Reggie]

And now let's slow things down. Lentil seat.

[Guy Raz]

Are they singing in slow motion?

[Dennis]

Ugh.

[Mindy]

Almost seems that way. See, after experimenting with what would happen if they sped up those brain signals, they decided to experiment with slowing them down.

[Guy Raz]

And what happened?

[Mindy]

Well, it turns out that these mice could still sing the right notes. There were just longer spaces in between, and it took them a lot longer to finish.

[Guy Raz]

Amazing.

[Reggie]

Thank you, thank you. And thank you all for coming to the show. We've got one more song. Oh, yes, I know, I know. The band is going to sit this one out. It's called who Turned Out Delights?

[Dennis]

Woohoo.

[Guy Raz]

Shh.

[Mindy]

Oh, this must be the last part of the experiment.

[Guy Raz]

They turned out the lights.

[Mindy]

Well, metaphorically speaking. Yeah, kinda. See, after speeding up and then slowing down that OMC section of the mice's brains, they decided to turn that OMC section off completely. They just turned out the lights.

[Guy Raz]

They shut off the mice brains.

[Mindy]

No, no, no, no, no. Not the whole brain. Just that one little tiny part. The omc. And only temporarily.

[Guy Raz]

And what did they find?

[Mindy]

Well, they found that the mice could still sing. Yeah, but only to themselves. In other words, they could no longer sing back and forth to each other. No more musical conversation.

[Guy Raz]

They became solo artists.

[Mindy]

Only temporarily. Before the mice even knew it, they turned that OMC part of their brains back on. And that was the end of the experiment.

[Guy Raz]

Incredible, Mindy. This must mean that the OMC part of the singing mouse's brain isn't what gives them the power to sing, but it is what gives them the power to sing in a back and forth way, just like we humans and bottlenose dolphins.

[Mindy]

Winner, winner, mousetrap dinner.

[Dennis]

Thank you.

[Reggie]

Gracias. You have been an amazing audience. Our new album is called Hide and Squeak. Please check it out. Peace, love and Being nice to one another.

[Dennis]

Buenas noches.

[Guy Raz]

Wow, what an amazing concert.

[Mindy]

Yeah, thanks for surprising Reggie and me with the tickets, Sky Raz. That was our first time seeing them perform live since the experiment.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, and about those experiments. You know, Mindy, I'm wondering if these researchers are planning to take what they've learned and use this new information to help solve other problems with human communication.

[Mindy]

Well, it just so happens that they are. See, now that we understand how the OMC part of the singing mouse's brain controls its ability to have singing conversations with other singing mice, Dr. Long and his team are planning future studies to see if they can find the human version of the OMC in our brains.

[Guy Raz]

With the thought that it might hold clues as to how we humans are able to have such quick back and forth conversations.

[Mindy]

Right, but not only that, they're hoping that they can take what they learn from these experiments and come up with new ways to help people whose brains don't let them have these quick back and forth conversations.

[Guy Raz]

So, like some people with autism whose brains work differently. Or maybe people who have had strokes where parts of their brain stop working altogether.

[Mindy]

Or people like me who sing all the wrong notes at all the wrong times and can't stop interrupting.

[Guy Raz]

I think that might be something worth experimenting on your own, Mindy.

[Mindy]

Speaking of experimenting, is that Reggie backstage trying to communicate with a bottlenose dolphin?

[Guy Raz]

And I thought a mouse rap battle was gonna be the weirdest thing I saw today.

[Mindy]

What in the. Wow.

[Dennis]

Wow, that was so cool. I can't believe we can learn all this stuff about our own brains from little mousies. Like, the way we communicate is so. It's just like, really, you know, like, what's the word? Communicationy. Yeah, communicationy. Uh oh. Big Dennis needs to work on his conversation skills. Yay, baby Dennis. Tee hee. Oh, baby Dennis. What are we gonna do with you? Do more magic tricks. Oh, that's actually a great idea. We could do more magic tricks. Hooray. But first, we need to wrap up the show. 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 1-888-7-WOW-WOW. That's 1-888-7-WWOW. I just might answer your question on Wee Wow on the weekend. Okay. Should we do the goodbye song? Great. Here we go. That's the end of the show. I need to go and magically saw baby Dennis in half and then put him back together. What? But I'll do another show tomorrow, but for now, that's the end of the show. Ee e bye.

[Mindy]

Grown ups. If you like wow in the world, you can listen early and ad free right now on Wonder.

[Guy Raz]

Join Wondery plus in the Wondery app or on Wondery Kids plus on Apple Podcasts prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.

[Mindy]

And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey.