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Mindy Thomas
Hey, Wowzer fams. Mindy and Guy Raz here. And before we start the show, summer break is almost here.
Guy Raz
And if you're looking for an adventure that the whole family will love, we've teamed up with our friends at Atlas Obscura to create trips designed for families to explore the wows of our world.
Mindy Thomas
That's right, the first wow in the World Family tour starts at the end of June. And there's still a few more spots left. So why not join your fellow Wowzer fams on an exploration exploration of the ancient Mayan temples and the pyramids of Tulum in Mexico.
Guy Raz
Or if you're looking for some wows this winter, your family can discover the pyramids of Giza and ride camels in Egypt in December.
Mindy Thomas
All of our wow in the World Family tours come with an adventure toolkit, T shirts, a journal, and postcards. And the best part, grownups. The planning is already taken care of.
Guy Raz
Aw, but I love planning, Mindy. Spending hours online searching for the best location, the best deals, the best.
Mindy Thomas
I know you do, Guy Raz. But a lot of busy grown ups don't really have that kind of time these days. So our friends at Atlas Obscura have planned experiences that will wow your family each day of your trip. And we've put together some audio surprises and daily missions for you too, grown ups.
Guy Raz
If you want to learn more about the wow in the World family tours, visit Tinkercast.com trips that's Tinkercast.com trips that's it. Now back to the show.
Dennis
Hey, grownups want to give your kids the best possible advantage in their education no matter where they are in their learning journey, IXL can help. IXL is an online learning program that fits seamlessly into a homeschool curriculum. It offers interactive practice in math, English, language arts, science, and social studies. At Tinkercast, we know that kids learn at their own pace pace and follow their own interests. So we like that IXL allows kids to study at any learning level and adapts to their specific needs. And we appreciate that with ixl, kids have agency to choose the activities and educational games that they like make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and WOW in the world. Listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixl.com wow visit ixl.com wow to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price.
Reggie
Ahem. Wee wow on the weekend. Wee wow on the weekend. Wee 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. Quack, quack. We wow 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. This is the show where we talk and laugh and do stuff and answer questions from our fans and. And listen to tinkercast podcasts. And today we're gonna. What's that, Reggie? It's a special day. Today. Really? Well, what day is it? Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me. Mother's Day. The day we celebrate mothers and grandmothers and guardians and other special grownups in our lives. Well, this is terrible. Thank odds, Reggie. I forgot to do something special for my mother. She's prob upstairs wondering why, oh, why I haven't made her breakfast or given her a gift or even remembered what day it is. I gotta figure something out quick. Ooh, that's a great idea, Reggie. I'll make mother a card. And so you know what that means. That's right. It means our first segment is Crafternoom. Ahem. Pancakes are for eating and rivers are for rafting, and Broadway is for my. My one man show. But afternoons after crafting, Crafternoon. Today on Crafternoon, we're making Mother's Day cards. I've got a big box of art supplies here in case I ever run into an art mergency like the one I'm having right now. Let's see, we've got paper and markers and scissors and glitter and all kinds of stuff. Do you want to make a card for Mama the giant pigeon, Reggie? Let's do it. Here we go. So, Reggie, what's your favorite thing to do with your mom? What? We play basketball together. Oh. Bird skitball. How do you play that? And then you have to get the ball in the other team's hoop. Oh, Coop. You get the ball on the other team's coop. Got it? Got it. Well, my favorite thing to do with my mother is when we have our mother Dennis spa days. Yeah, we do a 19 step skincare routine and put cucumber slices on our eyes. Oh, I don't know why we put cucumber slices on our eyes. It's just a spa thing. Yes, Reggie, it has to be cucumber slices. No, not lemon slices. Never lemon slices. Or jalapeno. That would be bad. Yeah. How's Your card coming along. Wow, you made a pop up card of Mama and Reggie Pigeon. That's so cool. And mine's going well too. See, I wrote I love you, Mother in macaroni. What do you mean? Why is it dripping? It's macaroni. Well, I didn't have dry macaroni, so I typed some leftover cooked macaroni and cheese I had sitting on my desk. Well, whatever. Now if Mother's hungry after she reads the card, she can have a snack. Exactly. It's the perfect card. Great job, Dennis. Okay, let's move on. Next up is a little segment I like to call Inside Tinkercast Studios. Ahem. 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 9, Episode 5 called Yay for Octomoms. Oh, hey, we're in this one, Reggie, remember? Yeah, this is the one where we had a fun beach day and then got to go on an undersea adventure. An undersea adventure. Magic beneath the waves. Yeah. Okay, here we go. And play.
Mindy Thomas
Wee.
Reggie
Wow.
Mindy Thomas
We'll be right back, Grown ups. This message is for you. That's it. Now back to the show.
Reggie
What in the world?
Guy Raz
Ah, what a lovely day for a beach trip.
Reggie
The sun.
Guy Raz
The sun is out, my 70 SPF sunscreen is on and Mindy is nowhere to be seen. Where is she? We set to meet here at 10 o' clock.
Reggie
Okay. Reggie, hand me that bucket and shovel, please. No, Reggie, not that bucket and shovel. The other one. The one that looks like a goldfish. No, the other one that looks like a goldfish. Okay. All right, G Force, you're served.
Mindy Thomas
You sure you're ready for this, old man? Oh, yeah, dude. I was born ready. Well, watch out, Fingerling. Cause here comes the smack attack. I told you to watch out.
Guy Raz
Well, I'm sure Mindy will show up soon. In the meantime, I think it's about time I got started on my book. A History of Elbow Patches and their Uses. I don't know if there's such a thing as the perfect beach read, but I think this one comes pretty close. Let's see here. Chapter one. Elbow Patches and the Pharaohs.
Reggie
Wow.
Guy Raz
What in the. Mindy.
Reggie
Oh, cool. The wow machine just appeared in midair. My sandcastle. Fine. Our sandcastle. Whatever.
Guy Raz
I'm soaked out my boo.
Mindy Thomas
I made it.
Guy Raz
Mindy.
Reggie
Guy? Razzie.
Guy Raz
Mindy, what are you doing in the wow machine? You completely soaked my book.
Mindy Thomas
Ooh. Sorry, Guy. Raz, I'm still trying to get the hang of those water landings.
Guy Raz
Ah, I can see that.
Mindy Thomas
But now that I'm here, we can get going.
Guy Raz
Get going? Get going where?
Mindy Thomas
To the nursery. Guy Raz, why'd you think I asked you to meet me at the beach?
Guy Raz
I thought we were having a nice, relaxing day on the beach.
Mindy Thomas
You mean just sitting around in the sun doing nothing?
Reggie
Yeah, I was building a sandcastle. Reggie, you are not lead architect.
Mindy Thomas
Yeah, like I said, sitting around doing nothing.
Guy Raz
Well, why did you bring us all to the beach then, Mindy?
Mindy Thomas
Oh, I brought you to the beach for science.
Guy Raz
For science?
Mindy Thomas
What?
Guy Raz
I'm not getting it. Mindy.
Mindy Thomas
You don't have to get it, Guy Raz. All you have to do is trust me completely and get into the wow. Machine.
Guy Raz
But.
Mindy Thomas
Now, come on, Guy Raz. Anything for science.
Guy Raz
Anything for science.
Reggie
Yay.
Mindy Thomas
Who else is it?
Reggie
Oh, me. I wanna come.
Mindy Thomas
Okay, Reggie and Dennis are in. Come on, get in the wow Machine.
Reggie
Hooray. Wow Machine. Wow Machine. Wow Machine.
Mindy Thomas
Thomas Fingerling. Grandma G Force. You wanna come? Well, I gotta stay back and teach Fingerling a lesson in volleyball. What?
Reggie
You couldn't teach me a lesson if you. Chuck.
Mindy Thomas
I'm sorry, you were saying?
Reggie
What? Fingerling? Nothing.
Mindy Thomas
Okay, well, try not to get too violent while we're away. Don't hurt each other or anything. No promises. All right, come on, Guy Raz, hop on in.
Guy Raz
All.
Mindy Thomas
Okay, Everybody got their seatbelts on?
Reggie
Yep. Yes.
Mindy Thomas
Great. Then let me just switch the wow. Machine into submarine mode here.
Reggie
Wow. Oh, no.
Guy Raz
Mindy, there's a massive leak in the side of the wow machine.
Mindy Thomas
Don't worry, Guy Raz. Let me just get out my gum here. Chewing, chewing, chewing, chewing.
Guy Raz
Mindy.
Reggie
Oh, wow.
Mindy Thomas
There, that should hold it.
Guy Raz
Should hold it.
Mindy Thomas
Now, where was I? Oh, yeah. Everyone hold on to your butts. We're going down.
Reggie
Ooh.
Guy Raz
So, Mindy, can you remind me again about where we're heading?
Mindy Thomas
We are heading to the nursery, Guy Razor.
Guy Raz
Oh, right.
Reggie
A nursery. You mean, like, for babies?
Mindy Thomas
Yep, but not the kind of babies you're thinking of, Dennis.
Reggie
Oh, really? What kind of babies am I thinking of?
Mindy Thomas
Uh, baby Dennis Babies. Small, pudgy, two arms, two legs.
Reggie
Those are the babies I was thinking of.
Mindy Thomas
Yeah, well, these babies in the nursery that we're going to have eight arms suckers and live at the bottom of the ocean.
Reggie
What?
Mindy Thomas
Because the babies in this nursery are octopus babies.
Guy Raz
Octopus babies?
Mindy Thomas
Yeah, it's known as a brooding ground, and it's where mama octopuses go to give birth.
Guy Raz
Really?
Mindy Thomas
Yeah. And there are baby octopuses as far as the eye can see. Scientists estimate that there could be as many as 20,000 octopuses down there.
Reggie
20,000?
Mindy Thomas
Uh huh.
Reggie
Oh wow.
Guy Raz
But, but what makes this spot on the ocean floor such a hot spot for octomoms?
Mindy Thomas
Well, Guy Raz, it all has to do with the temperature.
Guy Raz
The temperature?
Mindy Thomas
Yeah, and we should be getting to just the right depth. Now for me to show you what I mean, let me just roll down the window here.
Guy Raz
Huh, Wait.
Reggie
Uh. Oh, I'm getting all wet. Mindy, you're wetting the ocean. Close that window. Hi.
Mindy Thomas
Just hold on one second. Just gotta crack the thermometer off the outside of the row machine here and.
Guy Raz
Well, hurry up, we're all getting soaked there.
Reggie
Got it.
Mindy Thomas
Little wet in here. We just drain the cockpit real quick and.
Reggie
Cool.
Mindy Thomas
Great. Now where was I?
Guy Raz
You were telling us about the water temperature.
Mindy Thomas
Oh, right, yeah. So if we take a look at this here thermometer, we can see that the water is. Can anyone tell me the temperature of the water?
Reggie
Uh, I don't know. I only know how to read Canadian temperatures.
Mindy Thomas
What?
Reggie
Canadian temperatures? You know, Celsius.
Mindy Thomas
Oh, got it.
Reggie
Um, can you read the thermometer, Guy Raz?
Guy Raz
All right, let's see here.
Mindy Thomas
Huh.
Guy Raz
52 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 11 degrees.
Reggie
Celsius in Canadian temperatures.
Mindy Thomas
That's right, Dennis.
Reggie
Hehe.
Guy Raz
I don't understand, Mindy. What's the significance of this water being 52 degrees Fahrenheit?
Mindy Thomas
Well, if we just rewind this thermometer here.
Guy Raz
What in the.
Mindy Thomas
We can see that the temperature is dropping.
Guy Raz
Oh yeah, look at that. The temperature now reads 35 degrees, which.
Reggie
Is 1.5 degrees Canadian.
Mindy Thomas
Exact Oritos. The surrounding water is much colder, but down here it's pretty nice and warm.
Guy Raz
I don't understand, Mindy. I would have thought that the lower down you go, the further away you get from the sun, the colder it would get.
Mindy Thomas
Well, normally that would be the case, Guy Raz. But this place, this is special. You see, this part of the ocean floor is heated by underwater volcanoes.
Guy Raz
And that hot magma from the volcano running underneath here heats the surrounding water on the seafloor.
Mindy Thomas
You're picking up what I'm putting down, Guy Raz.
Guy Raz
And presumably these octomoms like warmer waters for giving birth.
Mindy Thomas
You tell me. The octo nursery should be right over this ridge.
Reggie
Whoa.
Guy Raz
Yeah, Mindy, there's thousands of them.
Reggie
They look like fleshy little soccer balls with long arms and suckers.
Guy Raz
I have never seen so many octopuses before.
Mindy Thomas
I Think this might be the most octopuses anyone has ever seen?
Guy Raz
What do you mean?
Mindy Thomas
Well, when scientists first discovered this brooding ground back in 2018, it was the largest group of octopuses ever recorded.
Guy Raz
Wow. So why are so many of them here?
Mindy Thomas
Well, because the warm water helps to shorten the octopus gestation time.
Reggie
Guess station time. I don't know what time it is at the station.
Mindy Thomas
Oh, boy.
Reggie
Fine, I'll guess five o' clock.
Guy Raz
No, no, no, not guess station time, Dennis. Gestation time. It means the amount of time that it takes for the octopus baby to hatch out of its egg.
Mindy Thomas
Exactly. And these scientists found that these higher water temperatures were able to cut down the octopus gestation time by as much as four times.
Reggie
Whoa.
Guy Raz
That's so much faster.
Reggie
No wonder all these octomoms come here.
Guy Raz
And so I'm guessing that a shorter gestation time means that their eggs have a higher chance of hatching and being healthy, too.
Mindy Thomas
Exactly. But do you know why?
Guy Raz
No, why?
Mindy Thomas
Well, it's because of a strange behavior that the octomoms do when they're waiting for their eggs to hatch.
Guy Raz
Well, what is it? What's the behavior, Mindy?
Reggie
Oh, is it reading?
Guy Raz
Reading?
Reggie
Yeah, like reading a book.
Mindy Thomas
How is reading a strange behavior, Dennis?
Reggie
Well, have you ever seen an octopus mom read before?
Guy Raz
Hmm, I guess I haven't.
Reggie
That's right.
Mindy Thomas
Nope, it's not reading. The strange behavior is starving.
Guy Raz
Starving?
Mindy Thomas
Yeah. For the entire time that these octopuses are waiting for their eggs to hatch, they won't eat anything. They just sit around and watch over their eggs, protecting them from predators.
Guy Raz
I know that moms are always sacrificing, but. But that's wild. No food for the entire time their eggs are gestating.
Mindy Thomas
Yeah, which is usually around four years, but it can be up to eight years.
Guy Raz
Eight years with no food?
Reggie
What? I can't go eight minutes without food? Speaking of which, get this here. And.
Mindy Thomas
Dennis, is that a sandwich?
Reggie
No, it's a hoagie. Oh, okay.
Guy Raz
How can these octopuses go eight years without food?
Mindy Thomas
Well, they can't.
Guy Raz
What do you mean?
Mindy Thomas
Well, most of these octomoms don't make it through this breeding process. They make the ultimate sacrifice for their babies.
Reggie
They die.
Mindy Thomas
Yeah. And they use their bodies to protect their eggs from predators.
Guy Raz
That's pretty gruesome, Mindy.
Mindy Thomas
I know, right?
Guy Raz
And so, I mean, guessing, the shorter they're able to make their gestation period, the longer they're able to stay alive to protect their eggs.
Mindy Thomas
You got it.
Reggie
Huh.
Guy Raz
Now it makes sense why there are so many octopuses Here. Warm water means less time for your eggs to hatch. And less time for your eggs to hatch means more chances for your octo babies to survive.
Mindy Thomas
Exactly.
Reggie
Oh. Oh. Everyone look over there.
Mindy Thomas
What is it, Dennis? That octo egg is octo hatching.
Guy Raz
Where?
Reggie
Just there. Oh, wow.
Guy Raz
Mindy, see if you can get a bit closer.
Mindy Thomas
You got it, Captain. Turning, turning, turning, turning.
Reggie
Oh.
Guy Raz
Oh. Just there.
Mindy Thomas
Mindy, easy, easy. And stop activating octopus translator.
Guy Raz
Octopus translator.
Reggie
Look, it's happening. It's happening. Oh, sorry, sorry. Sorry for octopus. Wow, that was so cool. What a great episode. Starring me, right, Reggie? Oh, why do I only know Canadian temperatures? Well, because when I was a young dentist, I once went on a Snoop Scout camping trip and I got lost. Right? And then I ended up spending five cold months in Saskatoon, wandering the wilderness, reading temperatures in Celsius. Ah. Well, I eventually got directions home from a friendly moose. In fact, it was a mommy moose with her little mooselings. Yeah, just like all those octomoms taking care of all their baby octopom. Reggie, that reminds me, we should do something special for Mother's Day. Oh, right. We already did. Um, well, we need to wrap up the show so I can go give mother her card. 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 Weeknd. Okay, let's go. Mother's gonna be so excited. And we need to hurry up because my card is starting to smell. Oh, Mother.
Mindy Thomas
Grown ups. If you like wow in the world, you can listen early and ad free right now on Wondry plus, join Wondery.
Guy Raz
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 survey@wondery.com survey.
Reggie
Thanks for joining us for this edition of Wewow. Our show is written by Ruth Morrison and Jed Anderson. The role of baby Dennis is played by Jed Anderson. Well, then, who plays the role of Big Dennis? Never you mind. Tee hee. Original sound design and production is done by Tyler Thole, with contributions from Jed Anderson and Henry Moskal. Original music for Wewow is composed and performed by Tyler Thole. Special thanks to Jessica Bode, Rebecca Caban, Dr. Natasha Crandall, Kenny Curtis, Kristin Yang, Meredith Halpern, Ranzer Twee Mac, Jody Nussbaum, Ali Paxsima, Guy Raz, Linda Rothenberg, Steph Sosa, Mindy Thomas, 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 podcast from Tinkercast. Thanks again for thinking, tinkering, experimenting and exploring with me this week. Be sure to check out episodes of wow in The World on Mondays 2 what's in a wow on Fridays and We wow on the weekend with Dennis on the weekends. And remember who Wows. I wow. Oh baby Dennis. We Wow All Rise Wee wow.
Mindy Thomas
Wow in the World was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.
Wow in the World – Episode Summary: "WeWow on the Weekend" (May 11, 2025)
Release Date: May 11, 2025
Hosts: Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz
Podcast: Wow in the World by Tinkercast | Wondery
The episode kicks off with hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz gearing up for summer adventures, promoting family-oriented trips in collaboration with Atlas Obscura. While this segment provides exciting opportunities for listeners, the main content delves into fascinating scientific topics and engaging weekend activities.
Segment Hosts: Dennis and Reggie the Giant Pigeon
Dennis and his co-host, Reggie, bring a playful and heartwarming touch to the episode by celebrating Mother's Day. They share humorous anecdotes and embark on a creative journey to craft Mother's Day cards.
Crafting Mother's Day Cards ([02:47] – [07:31]):
Dennis realizes he forgot to prepare a special gesture for his mother and enlists Reggie's help to create heartfelt cards. Their antics include making a pop-up card and a macaroni "I love you" note, highlighting the importance of creativity and thoughtfulness in celebrating loved ones.
Dennis ([05:00]): "I gotta figure something out quick."
Reggie ([05:15]): "It's the perfect card."
Segment: Inside Tinkercast Studios
The hosts transition to an in-depth exploration of octopus reproduction, focusing on a unique underwater nursery known for its high concentration of baby octopuses—referred to as "octomoms."
Introduction to the Octopus Nursery ([07:31] – [11:34]):
Mindy and Guy embark on a virtual underwater adventure, discovering a region teeming with up to 20,000 baby octopuses. They delve into the science behind why this area is a hotspot for octopus mothers.
Guy Raz ([13:00]): "What makes this spot on the ocean floor such a hot spot for octomoms?"
Mindy Thomas ([13:05]): "It all has to do with the temperature."
The Role of Underwater Volcanoes ([13:26] – [16:01]):
Mindy explains how underwater volcanic activity warms the ocean floor, creating optimal conditions for octopus gestation. The increased water temperature significantly reduces the time it takes for octopus eggs to hatch.
Mindy Thomas ([15:02]): "The surrounding water is much colder, but down here it's pretty nice and warm."
Guy Raz ([16:01]): "And these octomoms like warmer waters for giving birth."
Octopus Gestation and Survival ([16:18] – [19:27]):
The discussion highlights the incredible sacrifice octopus mothers make, often forgoing food during the entire gestation period to protect their eggs. This dedication ensures a higher survival rate for the offspring, as the shortened gestation time reduces vulnerability to predators.
Mindy Thomas ([17:14]): "We can see that these higher water temperatures were able to cut down the octopus gestation time by as much as four times."
Guy Raz ([19:03]): "They make the ultimate sacrifice for their babies."
Hatching and Translation ([19:47] – [20:21]):
As the eggs begin to hatch, the hosts humorously interact with an "octopus translator," adding a lighthearted twist to the scientific exploration.
Mindy Thomas ([20:09]): "Mindy, easy, easy. And stop activating octopus translator."
Reggie ([20:21]): "Look, it's happening. It's happening."
The episode concludes with a return to Dennis and Reggie's segment, where they reflect on the Mother's Day activities and the exciting underwater discoveries. They encourage listeners to engage by leaving messages and participating in future episodes.
Closing Remarks ([21:00] – [22:31]):
Mindy and Guy promote Wondery+ memberships for an ad-free experience and invite listeners to share their thoughts through a survey. Dennis and Reggie wrap up by thanking the audience and hinting at future Mother's Day surprises.
Dennis ([22:06]): "Grown ups. If you like wow in the world, you can listen early and ad free right now on Wondery+."
Reggie ([22:31]): "Thanks for joining us for this edition of Wee Wow on the Weekend."
The episode features contributions from various writers, voice actors, sound designers, and producers, ensuring a rich and engaging listening experience.
Credits ([24:08]):
"Wow in the World was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery."
Scientific Insight: The episode offers a captivating look into the reproductive behaviors of octopuses, emphasizing the impact of environmental factors like water temperature on gestation and survival rates.
Family Engagement: Through the "Wee Wow on the Weekend" segment, the podcast highlights the value of family activities and creative expressions in celebrating special occasions.
Humor and Education: The blend of humor with informative content makes complex scientific topics accessible and entertaining for both kids and their grown-ups.
Notable Quotes:
This episode of Wow in the World masterfully combines scientific exploration with relatable family moments, embodying the podcast’s mission to inspire wonder and curiosity in listeners of all ages.