WeWow on the Weekend (3/8/25)

Summary

Wow in the World: Episode Summary - "WeWow on the Weekend (3/8/25)"

Released on March 8, 2025 by Tinkercast | Wondery

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Introduction to "Wee Wow on the Weekend"

The episode kicks off with Dennis and his co-host, Reggie the giant pigeon, introducing "Wee Wow on the Weekend," a playful segment where they engage in humorous antics and share snippets from other Tinkercast podcasts. Dennis sets a lighthearted tone, emphasizing fun and camaraderie.

Dennis ([02:07]): "We wow on the weekend. Cause this is what we do on the weekend. Talking, laughing. Me and Reggie singing, laughing."

Main Adventure: Journey to the Asteroid Belt

Setting Off with the "Wow Machine"

Dennis and Reggie embark on an interstellar adventure using their time-traveling vehicle, the "Wow Machine," renamed and freshly painted by Mindy. Their mission is to explore the asteroid belt, located between Mars and Jupiter.

Guy Raz ([13:01]): "No time to waste."

Mindy ([15:32]): "Lucky for us, we have an almost fully functional wow machine that can zip us from here to there in no time at all."

Encounter with Various Asteroids

As they navigate the vast expanse of the asteroid belt, the hosts encounter different types of asteroids, each with unique characteristics.

1. M-Type Asteroids (Metallic)

   Guy Raz explains that M-type asteroids are composed primarily of nickel and iron, making them one of the rarer types.

   Guy Raz ([17:09]): "An M type asteroid. ... It's a mix of nickel and iron, to be precise."

2. C-Type Asteroids (Carbon)

   These asteroids are predominantly carbon-based and are nearly pitch black, comprising about 75% of the belt.

   Guy Raz ([18:08]): "They're carbon, Mindy. The C stands for carbon in C type asteroids."

   Mindy ([19:00]): "Luckily it's not completely pitch black. We would have run straight into it."

3. S-Type Asteroids (Silicaceous)

   Silicaceous asteroids contain magnesium silicates in addition to nickel and iron, accounting for approximately 17% of the asteroid belt.

   Guy Raz ([20:35]): "Kiss Silicaceous. They're similar to the metallic asteroids... they have lots of other types of metal in them, like magnesium silicates."

Discovery of Ceres, the Dwarf Planet

The team spots Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt, classified as a dwarf planet. Guy Raz highlights its unique composition, including a crusty layer of ice.

Guy Raz ([19:11]): "What we're looking at is Ceres, the 590 mile wide dwarf planet."

Mindy ([19:23]): "So what else is it made of?"

Guy Raz ([19:25]): "It's got a nice crusty layer of ice that covers its surface."

Understanding Orbits: Prograde and Retrograde

Mindy and Guy Raz delve into the dynamics of asteroid orbits, distinguishing between prograde (forward) and retrograde (backward) orbits. They elucidate how most celestial bodies orbit and spin in the same direction, maintaining a harmonious cosmic flow.

Mindy ([21:19]): "And in the world of astronomy... that's called a prograde orbit."

Guy Raz ([21:26]): "Meaning that they all move in the same direction."

Mindy ([21:33]): "Ooh la la. Well, look at you, you little cerebrumarca."

Guy Raz ([21:46]): "That's wild, Mindy. So what you're saying is if we keep following these asteroids in a clockwise direction around the sun, we should be completely safe?"

Encounter with the Retrograde Asteroid BZ509

The adventure takes a tense turn when Dennis alerts the team about an incoming asteroid. Initially believing it's a minor pebble, they soon realize it's BZ509, an intergalactic visitor traveling in a retrograde orbit—opposite to the usual direction.

Guy Raz ([23:26]): "Meteor Impact in 10, 9, 8..."

Mindy ([24:08]): "This is the intergalactic guest I was telling you about before."

Guy Raz ([23:50]): "BZ. Huh. Well, besides the fact that it's traveling in the wrong direction, it really doesn't seem all that alien."

Scientific Insight:

Guy Raz elaborates on the significance of BZ509's retrograde orbit, indicating its extraterrestrial origin. Collaborations between scientists Dr. Fatina Mooney and Dr. Helena Marais revealed that BZ509 has been in our solar system since its formation, suggesting it originated from another part of the universe.

Guy Raz ([25:03]): "They found that even when they rewound the simulation all the way back to the beginning of our solar system... BZ was still orbiting around the sun in the wrong direction."

Mindy ([25:42]): "So this interstellar visitor has just been hanging out in our solar system for billions of years?"

Guy Raz ([26:05]): "It sure seems that way, Mindy."

Conclusion: Return to Earth and Pancake Party

Realizing the potential threat of BZ509, Dennis and Reggie’s adventure concludes as they decide to return to Earth. Upon their return, they find their home, the gingerbread mansion, miraculously cleaned and ready for a pancake party hosted by Maggie the Magpie. The episode wraps up with light-hearted banter and reflections on their cosmic journey.

Mindy ([27:16]): "Buckle up. Okay, here we go. Ah, mansion. Sweet gingerbread mansion."

Mindy ([28:09]): "I'd love to."

Dennis ([28:12]): "Wow, that was so cool... Silica ceous. That's good. I don't like asparagus."

Hosts' Reflections and Closing Remarks

Dennis humorously summarizes the adventure, highlighting the different asteroid types, albeit with a playful misstatement.

Dennis ([28:43]): "And what were the types again? Metal, carbon and asparagus. Right, right, right, right. Silica ceous."

The episode concludes with promotional messages encouraging listeners to engage with the podcast on various platforms, emphasizing early and ad-free access through Wondery services.

Mindy ([29:27]): "If you like wow in the world, you can listen early and ad free right now on Wondery."

Guy Raz ([29:43]): "Tell us about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey."

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Key Takeaways and Insights

• Asteroid Diversity: The asteroid belt hosts a variety of asteroids categorized mainly as M-type (metallic), C-type (carbonaceous), and S-type (silicaceous), each with distinct compositions and characteristics.

• Orbital Mechanics: Understanding prograde and retrograde orbits is crucial in astronomy, affecting how celestial bodies move within the solar system.

• Intergalactic Visitors: The presence of BZ509, an asteroid with a retrograde orbit, highlights the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of our solar system, suggesting potential interactions with interstellar objects.

• Humor and Education: Dennis and Reggie effectively blend humor with educational content, making complex scientific concepts accessible and entertaining for young audiences and their families.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Dennis ([02:07]): "We wow on the weekend. Cause this is what we do on the weekend."

• Guy Raz ([17:09]): "An M type asteroid. It's a mix of nickel and iron, to be precise."

• Mindy ([21:19]): "And in the world of astronomy... that's called a prograde orbit."

• Guy Raz ([25:03]): "They found that even when they rewound the simulation all the way back to the beginning of our solar system... BZ was still orbiting around the sun in the wrong direction."

• Dennis ([28:43]): "Metal, carbon and asparagus. Right, right, right, right. Silica ceous."

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This episode of "Wow in the World" masterfully combines storytelling with scientific exploration, engaging young listeners through vibrant characters and imaginative adventures while imparting valuable knowledge about our universe.

Transcript

[Mindy]

Hey, Wowzer fams. Mindy here. And before we start the show, I've got a question for you. Are you ready to make it wow? Okay, here's the deal. My buddy Carlie Q and I are hitting the road to make it wow with you in the DC area. That's right, we'll be making it wow in Bethesda, Maryland on Saturday, March 29th. Make it wow is a live Bonkerballs competition game show where real little kids are the star of the show. Two teams of wowzers will turn their wildest and weirdest ideas into jaw dropping inventions live on stage. Tickets are on sale now. Grown ups visit Tinkercast.com events to get your ticket today. That's Tinkercast.com events. We can't wait to make it wow with you this spring. But until then, let's get on with the show.

[Carlie Q]

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[Dennis]

Ahem. 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. Yeah, we wow on the weekend. Clap clap. We wow on the weekend. Cause this is what we do on the weekend. Hello and welcome to Wee Wow on the Weekend. I'm your host, Dennis and that's my co host, Reggie the giant pigeon. This is the show where we hang out and chit chat and listen to episodes of Tinkercast Podcasts. Hey Reggie, check out what I got. What do you mean? What is it? It's slime. Yeah. It's so gooey and cool and I can squish it and stretch it. What'd you say, Rezi? What's that? Oh, I got Some slime in my hair. Aw, thanks for looking out. I'll just grab it with my hands. Oops. Got a little more slime in my hair. No problem. I'll just. Oops. Now there's even. No, no, no, it's fine. It's fine. Maybe I can just pull it out. Ow. Oh, no. It won't come out. Reggie, what do I do? Okay, there's only one thing to do here. No, not shave it off, Reggie. No. The only thing to do is a brand new hairstyling segment. Yes, Reggie, it's called Dennis's Salon. Ahem. Have a seat in the chair. We're gonna style your hair at Dennis Salon. Meow. Meow, meow. Hello, and welcome to Dennis Salon. The first client I'll be styling is me. Dennis. Wait, hang on. I need a hairstylist Persona. Dennis, darling, what can I do for you? Oh, Dennis, it's terrible. My hair is cr. Covered in slime. Oh, don't worry, darling. I'll fix you right up. Oh, thank you, Dennis. Thank you. Okay, first things first. My shampoo Pigeon Reggie will give your hair a quick wash. Reggie, dear, please wash Dennis hair in the salon sink thingy. Ah, right. We don't have one of those salon sink thingies. Um, here, Ms. Dennis hair with this water bottle. Reggie, I said missed. Dennis hair. Missed it. That's better. Now, what were you thinking today? Dennis, I have a variety of slime styles to choose from. We could do spikes or unicorn horn. Oh, yes, thank you, Reggie. That's right. We could also make your hair stand straight up like you've just gotten off a roller coaster. Ooh, that one. That one. Roller coaster one. Great choice, darling. Reggie, comb, please. Now we'll just comb all your hair up to the sky. Tee hee. That tickles. And there you go. Don't you look fabulous.

[Guy Raz]

Wow.

[Dennis]

I love it. At least I think I love it. I don't have a mirror. Does it look good? Reggie, be honest. Okay, not that honest. Well, I think I did a great job. And that's Dennis's Salon. Okay, moving right along. Next is a segment I like to call Inside Tinkercast Studios. Inside Tinkercast Studios. This is the part where we listen to an episode of one of my favorite Tinkercast podcasts. And today we're listening to season two, episode 36 of WOW in the World called An Intergalactic Interloper. Oh, I don't know what an interloper is. Maybe it's like a gazelle. Right, right. I'm thinking of an anteloper. Ah, an interloper is someone who's somewhere they're not supposed to be. Like when I show up to Guy Raz's house uninvited, and then I stay late even when he tells me it's time for him to go to bed. And then I say, let's just stay up and have a sleepover and stay up all night and tell spooky stories until the sun rises. Okay, yeah, that sounds like I'm a cantaloup or whatever it is. Okay, here we go. And play.

[Mindy]

Wee. Wow. Will be right back.

[Guy Raz]

Grown ups.

[Mindy]

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

[Guy Raz]

Wow in the world. Hello? Hello? Is anyone home?

[Mindy]

Hey, Guy Raz. Up here.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, what are you doing? What are you doing up on the roof?

[Mindy]

Oh, I'm just trying to clean my gingerbread mansion.

[Guy Raz]

From the outside?

[Mindy]

Yep. Starting at the top and working my way to the bottom.

[Dennis]

Watch out, Mindy.

[Mindy]

I told you to watch out, Mindy.

[Guy Raz]

Is this lemon frosting?

[Mindy]

Yeah, cleaning out my drains.

[Guy Raz]

Well, why don't I give you a hand on the inside? Mindy, organizing messy spaces is one of my favorite things to.

[Mindy]

Wait, Guy Raz, don't open that. Do. I told you not to open that door.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, I know you said that your house.

[Mindy]

Gingerbread mansion.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, sorry. I know that you said your gingerbread mansion was a bit messy, but this is worse than that time you tried to 3D print a giant pancake. Pancake.

[Mindy]

Does this mean that's working?

[Guy Raz]

You can't get behind the sofa.

[Mindy]

Boy, there's pancake batter everywhere. Everywhere. You know, we never did get that pancake.

[Guy Raz]

Hmm. So, Mindy, why is your place such a mess now?

[Mindy]

Well, it's not my fault, Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

Uh huh. Sure it isn't your fault.

[Mindy]

I mean it. This isn't my garbage.

[Guy Raz]

Well, then whose is it?

[Mindy]

It's from Reggie's friend from out of town, Maggie.

[Guy Raz]

Maggie the Magpie?

[Mindy]

That's the one.

[Guy Raz]

What's she doing in. I thought it was nesting season.

[Mindy]

Well, she came for Reggie's piano recital, and I said she could park her Keister Hirster while she's in town. Right, but between you and me, Guy Raz, she's a little messy. Uh, yeah. Hey, Maggie. Mags Magster. What? For me? Oh, that's so nice. It's a. A tin can. Thanks. Oh, there's more. Ooh, that's a lot of paper clips.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, man. You know, Mindy, guests overstaying their welcome isn't just a bird and a Person problem.

[Mindy]

It's not?

[Guy Raz]

No. The guest I'm talking about is an intergalactic visitor that's been hanging around our solar system for billions of years.

[Mindy]

Oh, man. So where exactly is this interstellar interloper?

[Guy Raz]

Right there.

[Mindy]

Ooh, in that cloud?

[Guy Raz]

No, not in the cloud. Beyond that. In space.

[Mindy]

Yeah, it's just kind of hard to see space with that one cloud in the way.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, our galactic guest, makes its home in a little part of our solar system called the asteroid belt.

[Mindy]

Fun fact. Grandma G Force actually won the asteroid belt when she took on the Masked Martian in a wrestling match in 1953.

[Guy Raz]

Uh, that's not. Anyway, the asteroid belt I'm talking about is made up of the bits of space rock that float around our sun and sit between Mars and Jupiter.

[Mindy]

Oh, that asteroid belt. Why didn't you just say so? I know all about that asteroid belt. I know that it's about two and a half times as far away from the sun as we here on Earth. And I know that it's made up of billions, maybe even trillions, of space rocks ranging from the size of a teeny tiny pebble to boulders the size of New York City.

[Guy Raz]

You know what, Mindy? I just had a crazy idea that.

[Mindy]

We should put pop rocks in a Pop Tart and then put that inside the top of a regular tart and have ourselves a Pop Rock Pop Tart Tart top.

[Guy Raz]

What? No, no, Mindy, I was just thinking we should go visit the asteroid belt.

[Mindy]

Guy Raz, that's a brilliant idea. Let me just pack my bikes.

[Guy Raz]

How's the time machine holding up?

[Mindy]

Oh, Guy Raz, you're not even gonna recognize this thing. I just gave it a fresh coat of paint and I renamed it the wow Machine. Come on. It's in the garage. All right, I don't hear you walking, Guy Razz. Okay, here we are. Open the garage door. Hmm. Hmm.

[Guy Raz]

Uh, Mindy, you might have to open the door the old fashioned way.

[Mindy]

And what's the point of owning a gingerbread mansion if you can't even kick in your own garage door?

[Guy Raz]

Mindy?

[Mindy]

Fine.

[Guy Raz]

Whoa.

[Mindy]

You like it.

[Guy Raz]

Do I?

[Mindy]

Your favorite color, right?

[Guy Raz]

Yeah. I can't believe it. You painted the whole wow Machine bright red just for me.

[Dennis]

That's.

[Guy Raz]

That's so thoughtful of you.

[Mindy]

Oh, well.

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Mindy]

I also painted it red because red is the fastest color.

[Guy Raz]

Well, technically speaking, Mindy, red light does travel faster on the visible light spectrum than most other. Wait, Mindy, where'd you go?

[Mindy]

Oh, I'm up here, Guy Raz. But the doors on the roof. Come on, get inside. We got asteroids to dodge.

[Guy Raz]

All right, let me just get up here and.

[Mindy]

Here, I'll pull you.

[Guy Raz]

Here we go.

[Mindy]

Ah, wow machine. Sweet wow machine.

[Guy Raz]

Well, let's not waste any time. Indy, just put in the coordinates for the asteroid belt.

[Mindy]

Can do, Captain. Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

Arg. Set a course for ye olde outer solar system. First mate.

[Mindy]

Mindy, um, what are you doing?

[Guy Raz]

Oh, sorry, I just thought we were doing.

[Mindy]

Nah, I'm just kidding, Guy Raz, I'm pulling your pig leg.

[Guy Raz]

Ha. Okay, well, let's get to it. No time to waste.

[Mindy]

Okay. Outer solar system, asteroid belt.

[Guy Raz]

Just checking. Mindy, you're not gonna put us right in the middle of it, are you? Because I don't want to be ducking and diving big chunks of space rock in this thing.

[Mindy]

No, Guy Raz, of course I'm going to drop us in the middle of it.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, I really don't think that's a great.

[Dennis]

Warning. Incoming asteroid.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, I told you not to put us right in the middle of the asteroid belt.

[Mindy]

Yeah, well, you also told me not to use your toothbrush on my eyebrows.

[Guy Raz]

Tell me you. You didn't do that.

[Dennis]

Impact in 10, 9.

[Guy Raz]

Take evasive maneuvers. 5, 3, 2, 1.

[Dennis]

Wait.

[Guy Raz]

What just happened? Where's the asteroid?

[Mindy]

That was it, Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

But Mindy, that was just a pebble and. Hold on, let me just open up the blinds.

[Mindy]

Here, let me help you just. No, pull the other string. No, wrong string.

[Guy Raz]

I can't see a single other asteroid anywhere. Are you sure we're in the right place?

[Mindy]

Well, it says right here on the dashboard asteroid belt.

[Guy Raz]

But.

[Mindy]

But there aren't any crazy asteroids to dip and dive under.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, like in the movies.

[Mindy]

Well, things out here are a lot different in reality, Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

What do you mean?

[Mindy]

So the asteroid belt is a really, really big. And even though there are trillions of these little space rocks floating around the sun, the area in which they float is so big that all of the rocks are pretty spaced out.

[Guy Raz]

Huh. So, like, if I had a million ants and I just spread them out across something like the state of Texas.

[Mindy]

There might be a million of them.

[Guy Raz]

But they'd all be spread out really far apart from each other.

[Mindy]

Exact oritos. Lucky for us, we have an almost fully functional wow machine that can zip us from here to there in no time at all.

[Guy Raz]

So we can visit different areas of the asteroid belt?

[Mindy]

You know it.

[Guy Raz]

Well, if I just take a peek through the telescope. Periscope here. Let's See? Oh, I think I see one just off in the distance.

[Mindy]

Setting course. 3, 2, 1.

[Guy Raz]

Ooh, that was quick.

[Mindy]

Whoa, Guy Raz, take a look at this. Whoa.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, I think I know this asteroid.

[Mindy]

You do?

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, it's called 216 Cleopatra. And the reason I know it is because it's kind of famous because of its unusual shape.

[Mindy]

Yeah, it kinda looks a little like a dog biscuit.

[Guy Raz]

Biscuit?

[Mindy]

Weird.

[Guy Raz]

Well, Mindy, a lot of these asteroids don't actually have enough gravity to crush themselves into nice round balls.

[Mindy]

Like Earth.

[Guy Raz]

Exactly. So instead they clump together in these weird shapes.

[Mindy]

Cool.

[Guy Raz]

And Mindy, this dog bone shaped rock right here is also the perfect example of an M type asteroid.

[Mindy]

What?

[Guy Raz]

An M type asteroid. You see, asteroids are broken up into three categories or three groups. This one is one of the rarer types of asteroids.

[Mindy]

M type asteroids, huh? So what does the M stand for?

[Guy Raz]

Metallic.

[Mindy]

Metallic? As in made out of metal?

[Guy Raz]

Exactly. It's a mix of nickel and iron, to be precise.

[Mindy]

Cool. So what other types of asteroids are there?

[Guy Raz]

Well, why don't we go try and find some?

[Mindy]

Ah, I like the way your noodles, Zoodles. Guy Raz, you ready?

[Guy Raz]

I'm ready.

[Mindy]

In three, two, one.

[Guy Raz]

Huh.

[Mindy]

The radar says that there should be a, whoa. 600 mile wide asteroid right next to us. But I don't see anything, do you?

[Guy Raz]

No. Are you sure the radar isn't acting up again?

[Mindy]

No, that's impossible. I broke it with a hammer last week.

[Guy Raz]

You what?

[Mindy]

Well, you know, it all started when I was.

[Guy Raz]

Wait, wait a minute, Mindy. There.

[Dennis]

There.

[Mindy]

What? Where?

[Guy Raz]

Right there. Mindy.

[Mindy]

I don't see anything.

[Guy Raz]

It's very faint, but if you look very closely, you might be able to make out the outline of this C type asteroid.

[Mindy]

C type asteroid? Guy Raz, I still don't. I think I see it. Oh man, that thing is pitch. You wouldn't even know it was there.

[Guy Raz]

That's because it's carbon, Mindy. The C stands for carbon in C type asteroids.

[Mindy]

Huh? Carbon asteroids?

[Guy Raz]

Yep. They're almost pitch black. And they make up almost 75% or three out of every four asteroids in the belt.

[Mindy]

Whoa. And it's 600 miles wide. This thing must be one of the biggest asteroids around.

[Guy Raz]

Not one of Mindy. This is the largest asteroid in the belt. What we're looking at is Ceres, the 590 mile wide dwarf planet.

[Mindy]

Luckily it's not completely pitch black. We would have run straight into it.

[Guy Raz]

You're right, Mindy. But Ceres, although being a C type asteroid isn't completely made of carbon.

[Mindy]

Huh. So what else is it made of?

[Guy Raz]

Well, it's got a nice crusty layer of ice that covers its surface.

[Mindy]

Okay, but Kairoz, according to our space rock track bingo card, it looks like we still got one category of asteroid to check off.

[Dennis]

Right.

[Mindy]

Wait, I'm shaking it up. Okay, it's lucky 11. Leg is 11. Anybody? Anybody?

[Guy Raz]

Mindy?

[Mindy]

Fine. Hold on tight, guy. Raz. Three, two, one. Oh. Whoa. That is one bright space rock. Let me just put on my shades here. Much better and cooler.

[Guy Raz]

Where are my prescription sunglasses?

[Mindy]

I don't know. Did you check the cup holder?

[Guy Raz]

The cup holder? Why would they be in the. They were in the cup holder.

[Mindy]

Told ya.

[Guy Raz]

Wow, Mindy, you were right. That is one bright S type asteroid.

[Mindy]

And let me guess, the S stands for stylish? Cause that thing's got.

[Guy Raz]

Well, actually, it stands for silicaceous.

[Mindy]

Uh, silly. What?

[Guy Raz]

Kiss Silicaceous. They're sort of similar to the metallic asteroids we saw before, but instead of just being made out of nickel and iron, these hunks of rock also have lots of other types of metal in them, like magnesium silicates.

[Mindy]

Cool. And are there more of these in the asteroid belt?

[Guy Raz]

Yep. These bright asteroids make up about 17% of the asteroid belt.

[Mindy]

So then that must make them the second most common type of asteroid.

[Guy Raz]

Exactly, Mindy.

[Mindy]

And as far as I can tell, all of these asteroids seem to be traveling in the same direction around the sun.

[Guy Raz]

I think you're right, Mindy. They all seem to be heading in a counterclockwise direction.

[Mindy]

And in the world of astronomy, which is the study of all things space, that's called a prograde orbit.

[Guy Raz]

Huh? A prograde orbit. I'm pretty sure that means moving forwards in Latin, Mindy.

[Mindy]

Ooh la la. Well, look at you, you little cerebrumarca.

[Guy Raz]

Uh, what?

[Mindy]

It's Latin for brainbox.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, right.

[Mindy]

Almost all the planets, moons, and yes, even asteroids have prograde orbits.

[Guy Raz]

Meaning that they all move in the same direction.

[Mindy]

Yep. And not only that, but. But most of these planets and moons also have prograde spins, meaning that not only do they all circle the sun in the same direction, but they all spin in the same direction, too?

[Guy Raz]

That's wild, Mindy. So what you're saying is if we keep following these asteroids in a clockwise direction around the sun, we should be completely safe? We'll be going with the flow of traffic.

[Mindy]

Yeah, well, that is unless we come across an asteroid with a warning. Incoming asteroid, retrograde orbit.

[Guy Raz]

Retrograde orbit. And if retrograde means Going backwards. In Latin, does that mean.

[Mindy]

Yep. There's a giant asteroid headed in the opposite direction around the sun. And Warning.

[Dennis]

Warning.

[Mindy]

It's headed straight for us.

[Guy Raz]

Ah. Mindy, we gotta do something. We gotta do something.

[Mindy]

Okay, Guy Raz, I'm gonna need you to take those ants out of your pants because we are going to be just fine. All I need to do is reverse the thrusters.

[Guy Raz]

Impact in 10, 9.

[Mindy]

Can we unplug this annoying thing? 6.

[Dennis]

5.

[Mindy]

Now just sit back, relax, and enjoy ourselves as we watch this retrograde asteroid float on by.

[Guy Raz]

Wait a minute, Mindy.

[Mindy]

What?

[Guy Raz]

This is the reason why I brought you out here in the first place.

[Mindy]

Uh, to shut down this artificially intelligent computer that's keeping the wow. Machine's life support systems going.

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Mindy]

Nothing. No.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, this is the intergalactic guest I was telling you about before.

[Mindy]

Wait, wait, this is the visitor from another solar system?

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, 2015 BZ509, or BZ for short.

[Mindy]

BZ. Huh. Well, besides the fact that it's traveling the wrong way down a one way street, it really doesn't seem all that alien.

[Guy Raz]

Well, Mindy, the fact that it's traveling in the wrong direction is actually the reason why scientists think that this piece of space rock might not be from this part of the universe.

[Mindy]

Not from this part of the universe? Well, what do you mean?

[Guy Raz]

Well, scientists have known about the existence of BZ since 2014, and they've been tracking it as it makes its way around the sun.

[Mindy]

Making its way around the sun in a retrograde orbit.

[Guy Raz]

Exactly. And originally the scientists thought that BZ might have been knocked by something in the past to send it spinning back in the wrong direction.

[Mindy]

Like a batter hitting a baseball.

[Guy Raz]

Exactly. But it wasn't until Dr. Fatina Mooney from the observatory in the Cote du Jour in France.

[Mindy]

Ooh la La.

[Guy Raz]

And Dr. Helena Marais from the Universidad Estadual in Brazil joined forces, put on their detective hats, and decided to get to the bottom of BZ's origin story once and for all.

[Mindy]

And so what did they find?

[Guy Raz]

Well, Mindy, these scientists developed a new method of observing the asteroid's current trajectory.

[Mindy]

Trajectory meaning the direction in which the asteroid is going?

[Guy Raz]

Exactly. So they were able to study the path that this asteroid was on, and by using that information, they were able to predict where the asteroid had been in the past.

[Mindy]

You mean like hitting rewind on an old DVD player?

[Guy Raz]

Pretty much. They put all of this information into a computer and they hit rewind to see what part of the solar system this asteroid came from and why it was traveling in the wrong direction.

[Mindy]

And?

[Guy Raz]

And they found that even when they rewound the simulation all the way back to the beginning of our solar system.

[Mindy]

Like 4.5 billion years ago, they found.

[Guy Raz]

That even back then, BZ was still orbiting around the sun in the wrong direction.

[Mindy]

Well, what about everything else?

[Guy Raz]

Everything else, like the planets, the moons, the asteroids we know and love were circling around the sun in the other direction around the same time. And it was a giant cloud of dust and gas that would later form our solar system as we know it today.

[Mindy]

Which means?

[Guy Raz]

Which means that this asteroid couldn't have been created from the same dust and gases that the rest of our solar system was formed from. So.

[Mindy]

So it's not from this solar system.

[Guy Raz]

Winner, Winner. Asteroid slinger.

[Mindy]

Wow. So this interstellar visitor has just been hanging out in our solar system for billions of years?

[Guy Raz]

It sure seems that way, Mindy. And it doesn't look like it's gonna be changing its ways anytime soon.

[Dennis]

Whew.

[Mindy]

Wow. Will really puts that whole bird that won't fly the coop situation that I've got going on into perspective. Well, speaking of which, we should probably head back to Earth. I left pancakes on the counter at home, and I had them smothered in syrup. And they're about to get to that critical point of absorption where they're just gonna turn into a big, mushy, gross mess.

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Mindy]

Buckle up. Okay, here we go. Ah, mansion. Sweet gingerbread mansion. What in the.

[Guy Raz]

What is it, Mindy? Whoa.

[Mindy]

It's completely cleaned up.

[Guy Raz]

This place is spotless.

[Mindy]

Maggie, did you do this? Aw, you felt bad about the mess. That's so nice. And you made us a fresh batch of pancakes. Pretzel pancakes, my favorite. Oh, Mac. You can stay as long as you want, missy.

[Guy Raz]

Uh, what?

[Mindy]

Hey, guy. Raz. Want to join Maggie and me for a little mid afternoon pancake party?

[Guy Raz]

I'd love to.

[Dennis]

Wow, that was so cool. I didn't know that there were different types of asteroids, did you? And what were the types again? Metal, carbon and asparagus. Right, right, right, right. Silica ceous. That's good. I don't like asparagus. Well, we better wrap this up. The slime in my hair is hardening and it's starting to make my head itch. 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 1-8887-WOW Wow. I just might answer your question on We Wow on the Weeknd. Okay, should we do the goodbye song? Alright, let's do it. That's the end of the show. I need to go and wash the slime out of my hair and then go back to the store for more slime because I can't seem to learn my lesson. But I'll do another show tomorrow. Tomorrow. But for now, that's the end of the show. Bye.

[Mindy]

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]

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