WeWow on the Weekend (6/21/25)

Summary

Wow in the World: "WeWow on the Weekend" Episode Summary (June 21, 2025)

In this engaging episode of "Wow in the World" titled "WeWow on the Weekend", hosts Dennis and Reggie the Giant Pigeon take listeners on a delightful journey filled with humor, interactive segments, and insightful discussions about science and technology. Below is a detailed summary capturing all the key points, discussions, insights, and conclusions from the episode.

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1. Introduction to "WeWow on the Weekend"

The episode kicks off with Dennis enthusiastically introducing the segment "WeWow on the Weekend", setting the tone for a fun and interactive show.

Notable Quote:

Dennis [02:15]: "We wow on the weekend. Cause this is what we do on the weekend. Talking, laughing, me and Reggie singing, laughing."

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2. Listener Q&A Segment

Dennis and Reggie engage in a lively Q&A session, responding to questions from listeners. The interaction is filled with playful banter and humorous exchanges, making the segment both entertaining and informative.

2.1. Questions from Azshara and Joshua

A listener named Azshara asks a series of whimsical questions, prompting Dennis to respond humorously.

Notable Quote:

Dennis [04:50]: "Why am I missing one of every sock? Do fish get thirsty? What's that weird smell? Where exactly is Kokomo? Do you think clouds taste like anything? And finally, after you add milk to your breakfast cereal, can it be considered a type of breakfast soup?"

Later, Joshua presents a riddle, showcasing the humorous dynamic between the hosts.

Notable Quote:

Reggie [07:07]: "What time is it when an elephant sits on a fence?"

Joshua [05:26]: "What time is it when an elephant sits on a fence? Um, noon. No, wait..."

2.2. Questions from Cindy and Grant

Another listener, Cindy, poses a personal question about the relationship between Dennis and Reggie, leading to a heartwarming exchange about friendship.

Notable Quote:

Dennis [06:23]: "Of course we're best friends. Right, Reggie? Exactly."

Grant from Houston, Texas, inquires about ants being upside down, sparking a light-hearted discussion.

Notable Quote:

Reggie [07:00]: "Why can ants be upside down?"

Dennis [07:13]: "Ants seem to just go wherever they want, whenever they want, upside down on my picnic blanket."

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3. Inside Tinkercast Studios: Revisiting "Ladies and Germs, Meet the Supervillain Superbugs"

Dennis and Reggie introduce a special segment where they revisit a previous episode titled "Ladies and Germs, Meet the Supervillain Superbugs." Their reactions are filled with playful skepticism and humor as they interact with excerpts from the episode.

Notable Quotes:

Reggie [08:58]: "Why can't Mindy and Guy Raz ever do an episode that's like the Science of Grapefruit Scented Hand Soap or Adventures in Staying Home and Reorganizing the Tea Cabinet?"

Dennis [09:14]: "All right, here we go."

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4. Main Discussion: Bacteria, Antibiotics, and the Battle Against Superbugs

The core of the episode features an in-depth discussion between Guy Raz and Mindy Thomas about bacteria, the history of antibiotics, and the growing concern of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

4.1. The Discovery of Penicillin

Guy Raz initiates the conversation by delving into the history of antibiotics, starting with Dr. Alexander Fleming's accidental discovery of penicillin in 1928.

Notable Quotes:

Guy Raz [11:44]: "What in the world? Ah, what a beautiful day for a little gardening."

Reggie [21:16]: "I call it penicillin."

4.2. The Production Challenges of Early Antibiotics

The hosts discuss the initial challenges in producing sufficient quantities of penicillin to treat patients, highlighting the ingenuity behind scaling up production using innovative methods.

Notable Quotes:

Reggie [25:00]: "Turns out you need 2000 liters or 528 literally gallons of mold just to get enough penicillin to treat one person."

Guy Raz [25:18]: "528 gallons. Mindy, that's like three hot tubs worth of mold."

4.3. The Rise of Superbugs and Antibiotic Resistance

The conversation shifts to the current predicament of antibiotic resistance, where bacteria evolve to withstand existing antibiotics, posing a significant threat to public health.

Notable Quotes:

Reggie [27:55]: "The antibiotic medicine doesn't always work against these bacterial infections anymore."

Guy Raz [28:22]: "The bacterial bugs are trying to fight the antibiotics."

4.4. The Role of Superhero Scientists in Combating Superbugs

Guy Raz and Reggie discuss the ongoing efforts of scientists to discover new antibiotics from the vast microbial diversity present in soil, emphasizing the potential of untapped natural resources.

Notable Quotes:

Reggie [31:08]: "Every day underneath our feet, millions of bacteria are clashing in epic microbial battles."

Guy Raz [32:05]: "Super drugs for superbugs."

4.5. The Importance of Handwashing as a Preventive Measure

Concluding the discussion, the hosts highlight the simplest yet most effective method to prevent bacterial infections: regular handwashing. They reference a study from the University of Southampton demonstrating the tangible benefits of this practice.

Notable Quotes:

Guy Raz [32:41]: "Washing your hands is actually the best way to stop these bacterial infections in their tracks."

Guy Raz [34:08]: "Number one. It stops us from catching infections from the people around us. Number two. It stops the people around us from catching any infections we might have. And number three, if you don't get an infection, that means you don't have to visit a doctor, which saves you."

4.6. Educational Song on Handwashing

To reinforce the message, Guy Raz introduces a catchy song about handwashing, turning the educational content into an engaging and memorable segment.

Notable Quotes:

Guy Raz [36:09]: "Put your right hand in and wash it around. Get some soap in your left hand and go to town."

Reggie [36:47]: "Wow, that was so cool, Reggie. There could be a new medical breakthrough hiding in the dirt."

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5. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, Dennis and Reggie summarize the key takeaways, emphasizing the importance of collective action in combating antibiotic resistance. They encourage listeners to adopt simple habits like handwashing to make a significant impact on public health.

Notable Quotes:

Dennis [37:36]: "Thanks to all you listeners out there for tuning in to Wee Wow on the weekend."

Reggie [37:58]: "Grown ups. If you like wow in the world, you can listen early and ad free right now on Wondery."

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Key Takeaways

• Antibiotics Revolution: The discovery of penicillin by Dr. Alexander Fleming marked a significant milestone in medical history, saving countless lives by combating bacterial infections.

• Production Innovations: Scaling up penicillin production required innovative solutions, such as utilizing cantaloupe-grown molds to increase yield drastically.

• Emergence of Superbugs: Overuse and misuse of antibiotics have led to the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, known as superbugs, posing a severe threat to global health.

• Scientific Endeavors: Scientists are actively seeking new antibiotics from diverse sources, especially within soil microbiomes, to stay ahead in the battle against superbugs.

• Preventive Measures: Simple practices like regular handwashing remain one of the most effective strategies in preventing the spread of bacterial infections, underlining the importance of public hygiene.

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This episode of "Wow in the World" seamlessly blends humor, interactive segments, and profound scientific discussions, making complex topics accessible and engaging for listeners of all ages. Through entertaining dialogues and educational content, Dennis and Reggie effectively highlight the ongoing challenges and solutions in the realm of antibiotics and public health.

Transcript

[Guy Raz]

Grown Ups Wondery subscribers can listen to wow in the world early and ad free right now. Join Wondery in the Wondery app or Wondery Kids plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Mindy]

Hey Grown Ups. Ever feel like everyone's glued to their own screen? Want to actually feel good about your family's screen time? Next Playground flips the script with games that get the whole family moving, laughing and playing together. It's a motion powered game system. No controllers or wearables. Your body and a little wiggle. Explore wild adventures with how to Train youn Dragon, Dance with Barbie, Pop Bubbles in Gabby's Dollhouse or Kick it with Kung Fu Panda. It's 100% fun, 0% ads or in app nonsense. Safe silly screen time that you'll actually feel good about. Ready to play? Visit nexplayground.com that's n e xplayground.com to bring the fun home. Today's episode is presented by Samsung. Hey Grown ups Looking for a kid friendly smartwatch that's parent approved. Samsung Galaxy Watch for Kids lets you manage their contacts and see their locations. And lets them call, text and play games like the two what's in a wow. Daily Game show app? Get Galaxy Watch 7 on T mobile now. Kid ready with a new paired line. Visit t mobile.com to order yours today. Trusted contact applies to compatible apps. It does not restrict communication through third party or other communication apps. Emergency services and contacts remain accessible. Location sharing is dependent on network connectivity and device being recently active.

[Guy Raz]

It is estimated that over 4 million people have been abducted by alien life forms. But only one of them asked for it.

[Mindy]

This is Elio of Earth.

[Reggie]

If any aliens are listening, come and.

[Guy Raz]

Get me from Disney and Pixar.

[Reggie]

Yes, it's really happening.

[Guy Raz]

He'll go where no one has gone before.

[Reggie]

Welcome to the community. What is this place? These are the lava tunnels, Gordon. I am not fireproof.

[Guy Raz]

Disney and Pixar's Elio rated PG Parental guidance suggested now playing only in theaters. Tickets available now.

[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. Uh, 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. Hey Reggie, guess what? I learned a magic trick. Wanna see? Okay, watch this, watch this.

[Guy Raz]

Ahem.

[Dennis]

Ladies and gentlemen, as you can see here, I have a perfectly ordinary deck of cards. Perfectly ordinary.

[Reggie]

What?

[Dennis]

I'm not talking weird, I'm talking like a magician. Now pick a card. Any card. Wait, no, not that one. Not that one either. Not that one. Ooh, that's a great card. Actually, no, wait, not that one. Reggie, just pick. Pick this card. Okay, very good, sir. Memorize your card and now put it back in the deck. No, Reggie, not in the middle. How am I supposed to find it in there? Just put it right on top. Okay, great. Now magic. Magic. Magic. Hocus crocus. And is this your card? Ta da. Magic. Pretty impressive, right? Oh, whatever. You loved it. Okay, let's get into our first segment. The Q and A segment. Ahem. 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 Wee wow on the weekend. That's. 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. My name is Azshara.

[Dennis]

Hi, Ajara.

[Reggie]

I can probably answer all your questions, depending on how many.

[Guy Raz]

Bye.

[Dennis]

Oh, finally, someone who can answer all my questions. Okay, ready? Reggie? Why am I missing one of every sock? Do fish get thirsty? What's that weird smell? Where exactly is Kokomo? Do you think clouds taste like anything? And finally, after you add milk to your breakfast cereal, can it be considered a type of breakfast soup? Okay, Ajara, call us back with the answers. Thanks.

[Reggie]

Hi, Dennis. My name is Joshua and I live in Los Angeles, California.

[Dennis]

Hi, Joshua, I have a riddle for you.

[Reggie]

What time is it when an elephant sits on a fence?

[Dennis]

What time is it when an elephant sits on a fence? Um, noon. No, wait. Five o' clock. Well, what time do elephants usually sit on fences? And why? Oh, right, It's a riddle. Okay, what time? What time? Umm, fence 30.

[Reggie]

Time for the answer. It's time to fix the fence. I hope you got it. Bye.

[Dennis]

I get it because when the elephant sits on the fence, the fence then becomes a chair and it's not a fence anymore and you have to fix it. Good one, Joshua. Next question.

[Reggie]

Hi, Dennis. My name is Cindy.

[Dennis]

Hi, Cindy.

[Reggie]

And my question is, are you and Reggie really best friends? Or is Reggie more of Mindy's friends and you just follow them?

[Dennis]

Of course we're best friends. Right, Reggie? Exactly. And Mindy and Guy are also our best friends. That's right. Reggie, you can have more than one best friend. It's totally allowed. Best friend is just a level of friendship. It goes strangers, acquaintances, regular old normal friends, close friends, then best friends. Oh, right, and goose friends. I forgot about Gary the Goose best friends. So many best friends. Best friends forever. Yeah. Next question.

[Reggie]

Hi, Dennis. I'm Grant, and I'm from Houston, Texas.

[Dennis]

Hi, Grant.

[Reggie]

My question is, why can ants be upside down?

[Dennis]

How can ants be upside down? Well, Grant, my Aunt Griselda's in the circus, and she hangs upside down from a trapeze. Now, a trapeze is like a swing, and you have to hang upside down at times in order to. What, Reggie?

[Reggie]

What?

[Dennis]

Oh, you think Grant means ants like bugs. Oh, okay. So how can those little buggy ants walk upside down on leaves and stuff? Oh, boy. I don't know, Grant. I don't know. Ants seem to just go wherever they want, whenever they want, upside down on my picnic blanket. And I don't want to alarm you, Grant, but there's an ant in your name. Hope that helps. Thanks for all your questions, everyone. If you've got a question for me, call and leave me a message. The number is 1-888-7-WWOW. I just might answer your question on Wee Wow on the weekend. Okay, that takes care of that. All right, 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 two, episode 19 called ladies and Germs, Meet the Supervillain Superbugs. What? Ew. Superbugs, like flies that have telekinesis and shoot lasers out of their proboscis? Oh, superbugs, like powerful germs? That's even worse.

[Reggie]

Blech.

[Dennis]

Why can't Mindy and Guy Raz ever do an episode that's like the Science of Grapefruit Scented Hand Soap or Adventures in Staying Home and Reorganizing the Tea Cabinet? Okay, fine. We'll listen to the germisode. All right, here we go.

[Reggie]

And Play Wee Wow will be right back.

[Dennis]

Grown ups.

[Reggie]

This message is for you.

[Mindy]

Today's episode is presented by Samsung. Hey, grownups, if you've been looking for the right smartwatch to get your kids connected, look no further at Samsung Galaxy Watch for kids. It gives your child the right tools to safely learn, play, and explore the wows in their world. And gives you the tools to set boundaries and monitor their activity. It's the perfect balance of independence for kids and peace of mind for parents. Your kid can call and text right from their wrist, but you choose who they can connect with. It can also share your child's location with you and even establish safe zones with alerts if they venture outside of them. We are so excited about the Samsung Galaxy Watch for Kids here at Tinkercast that we teamed up with them to make one of our first apps ever. That's right. Wow in the World. Fans can now play a new round of two what's in a wow Every day on their wrist with the two what's in a WoW game for WatchOS. Guess the real WoW from the made up what's to earn prizes, unlock badges and enjoy special seasonal games. And they can take Guy, Mindy and Reggie on all of their adventures with the wow in the World Watch face. See the wow Crew come to life with motion activated animation that mirrors the watch's motion. Choose from an outer space theme or seasonal scenes, tap to uncover hidden surprises and pick a background color to really personalize it. Kids can find these awesome wow in the World features and tons more age appropriate content on Google Play. And when playtime is over, you can always put the watch in do not Disturb mode. Let your kids keep the Wows rolling wherever they go with the Samsung Galaxy Watch for kids. Get Galaxy Watch 7 on t mobile now. Kid ready with a new paired line. Visit t mobile.com to order yours today. Parent and child must have a Samsung account and Google account with family link requires initial pairing with a compatible Samsung smartphone and qualifying wireless plan with LTE service activated. Please check with your carrier for more information. Trusted contact applies to compatible apps. It does not restrict communication through third party or other communication apps. Emergency services and contacts remain accessible. Location sharing is dependent on network connectivity and device being recently active supervised Google account required. Kids can still access limited features like calling and texting emergency contacts.

[Reggie]

That's it. Now back to the show.

[Guy Raz]

What in the world? Ah, what a beautiful day for a little gardening. Let me just turn on my old garden hose here. There we go. Some for you, Miss Petunia. And for you, Mr. Hydrangea. Oh, we're thirsty today, aren't we? Oh, hey, good morning, Mindy. Watch out for them.

[Reggie]

Hose. Morning, Guy. Raz.

[Guy Raz]

Are you okay, Mindy?

[Reggie]

Yeah, I'll be fine. I think my harmonica broke my fall.

[Guy Raz]

Your harmonica?

[Reggie]

Yeah. Let me just. Yep, still pitch perfect. So whatcha doing out here? Little medical research?

[Guy Raz]

Medical research? No, Mindy, I'm just doing some light Gardening. Look, look here. Everything is in bloom. I've got some hydrangeas.

[Reggie]

Nice.

[Guy Raz]

I've got some tulips.

[Reggie]

Ooh, such friendly flowers.

[Guy Raz]

There's some orchids.

[Reggie]

Ooh la la.

[Guy Raz]

But that donut tree you planted earlier this year still hasn't sprouted.

[Reggie]

Huh. Well, do you remember what kind of Cheerios we used?

[Guy Raz]

I think it was whole wheat.

[Reggie]

Oh, well, there you go. Whole wheat Cheerios always bloom late.

[Guy Raz]

Well, if you say so. Hey, wait a minute. Why did you think I was doing medical research?

[Reggie]

Well, my first clue was that white lab coat you're wearing.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, I always wear a lab coat when I garden.

[Reggie]

Of course you do. But second of all, I was just reading this new scientific study that says that the new next medical breakthrough could be found in the dirt beneath our feet.

[Guy Raz]

The dirt beneath our feet? You mean like. Like this stuff?

[Reggie]

Yep. Living inside that handful of dirt are millions of tiny microscopic life forms called bacteria.

[Guy Raz]

Ah, yes, of course. Bacteria. Bacteria are those tiny little organisms that live almost everywhere on planet Earth, from our oceans to the soil, even in our own guts.

[Reggie]

What? Hold the phone, Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

Huh?

[Reggie]

There's bacteria in my guts?

[Guy Raz]

Almost 29 trillion in you alone, Mindy.

[Reggie]

29 trillion. Hang on a second. I gotta write this down. Okay, now, let's see here. Carry the one. Okay, no, wait, I got it. 29 trillion is 29, with 1, 2, 3, 412 zeros after it.

[Guy Raz]

Exactly. And 29 trillion bacteria live inside of you. And another 29 trillion live inside of me and everyone else, and so on. Whoa. Bacteria comes in all shapes and sizes, too. Sometimes they're helpful.

[Reggie]

Oh, yeah, like how bacteria can help turn milk into yogurt.

[Guy Raz]

Right. Or some of the bacteria in our guts that help keep us healthy.

[Reggie]

That's nice of them.

[Guy Raz]

But there are some bacteria that are bad for us. And these kinds of bacteria often infect us with diseases and can make us sick.

[Reggie]

How dare you. Bacteria.

[Guy Raz]

But since the 1940s, we've been using a special type of medicine called antibiotics to help us fight off these nasty bacterial bugs.

[Reggie]

Right, antibiotics. That's what this new research is about.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, really?

[Reggie]

Really. But first, I think we need a crash course in antibiotics. And, Guy Raz, this crash course in antibiotics will give me the opportunity I've been waiting for to try out my new home theater system.

[Guy Raz]

Home theater system?

[Reggie]

Oh, yeah. Reggie helped me set it up last weekend. 5.1 surround sound, 4K display. There's even a machine that shoots popcorn right into your mouth.

[Guy Raz]

That's a real time saver.

[Reggie]

You're telling me. Come on, let's go.

[Guy Raz]

Okay.

[Reggie]

Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk.

[Guy Raz]

Why do you always do that, Mindy? What? Talk to yourself as you walk.

[Reggie]

Oh, well.

[Guy Raz]

Or run.

[Reggie]

I've been.

[Guy Raz]

Or basically do anything.

[Reggie]

Well, how? Who else would I know what I was doing? Uh, okay, here we are. Just need to kick in the door here.

[Guy Raz]

You know, Mindy, you could probably save yourself a lot of time from having to bake a new gingerbread door every few days if you just stopped kicking them all in.

[Reggie]

Well, the last time I ate my way through the door, I got sick.

[Guy Raz]

So where's this brand new home theater of yours?

[Reggie]

Right this way. Just follow me, Guy Raz. Oh, hey, before we start, you want a snack for the movie?

[Guy Raz]

Movie? Wait a minute. What does a movie have to do with antibiotics?

[Reggie]

Oh, it came with the system.

[Guy Raz]

What did?

[Reggie]

The entire history of antibiotics.

[Guy Raz]

The entire history of antibiotics came with your home theater system.

[Reggie]

I know. Crazy coincidence, huh?

[Guy Raz]

You can say that again.

[Reggie]

Crazy coincidence, Mindy. Okay, so you want a movie snack or what?

[Guy Raz]

Uh, do you have any kale chips?

[Reggie]

Uh, no kale chips, but I can scoop some mayonnaise into a cone for ya.

[Guy Raz]

Uh, no thanks.

[Reggie]

Uh, okay, let me see here. Oh, I got some gravy to munch.

[Guy Raz]

On during the movie.

[Reggie]

You don't munch on gravy during a movie, Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

Huh?

[Reggie]

You suck it through a straw.

[Guy Raz]

Uh, I think I'll pass on the movie snacks, Mindy.

[Reggie]

Suit yourself. More for me. Okay, Guy Raz, now I just need you to squeeze right through that door and then you'll be in my home theater. Okay?

[Guy Raz]

Through that doggy door?

[Reggie]

Well, it's only a doggy door if you have a dog, which I do not. So come on, you can get through there. You're small. Just take a deep breath and squeeze your way through.

[Guy Raz]

Okay?

[Reggie]

I'll be right behind you. Okay. Tighter squeeze than I thought. I'm gonna give you a little shove.

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Reggie]

Ready? On the count of three. One, two, three. And do it. Come on.

[Dennis]

Just keep on pushing.

[Reggie]

Just keep. See, that wasn't too bad. Alright, coming in. Right behind you, Mindy. So what do you think of my home theater?

[Guy Raz]

Whoa. You could fit like 300 people in here.

[Reggie]

Yeah, first I thought maybe it's a little too much, but then Reggie was like, please, I want to have all my friends over to watch some old movie called the Birds. And I was like, this is for the birds. Okay, fine, Reggie, you always get your way.

[Guy Raz]

This is so cool. Mindy. Mindy.

[Reggie]

I'M back here. Guy Raz in the projector booth. Somebody's gotta run this bad boy.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, right.

[Reggie]

Okay. Just gonna boot up the old projector here. There should be in business now. Okay. Hello, and welcome to the Grandma GeForce Theater. Thank you for joining us today. For updates on upcoming movies, special deals and discounts on food, please ask one of our attendants for information on how to sign up for our. Okay, fine. Tonight's film will be Antibiotics. A history with running commentary from yours truly.

[Guy Raz]

Running commentary.

[Reggie]

So sit back and relax as we take you through the history of molecular medicine. The year is 1928, and Dr. Alexander Fleming, a famous bacterial ologamist.

[Guy Raz]

Huh?

[Reggie]

No, a famous bacterial ologist.

[Guy Raz]

What the.

[Reggie]

Wait. Bacterial. Bacterial allergist. Practice this word all night. Hang on a second. Guy Raz. Dr. Alexander Fleming, a famous bacteria.

[Guy Raz]

Bacteria? Are you trying to say bacteriologist? Ugh.

[Reggie]

Guy Raz. I had it that time.

[Guy Raz]

But you did mean a bacteriologist, right? A scientist who studies bacteria.

[Reggie]

Yeah, that's what I was trying to say.

[Dennis]

Who cares? Start the movie. Ah.

[Guy Raz]

Who is that?

[Reggie]

Sorry. Okay, back to the film. When Alexander returned home from his summer vacation.

[Guy Raz]

How I do enjoy the Scottish moors.

[Reggie]

He found that his lab was a complete mess.

[Guy Raz]

This lab is a complete mess.

[Reggie]

And there he discovered that a mold called Penicillium notatum had contaminated or poisoned all of his petri dishes.

[Dennis]

Oh, no.

[Guy Raz]

My petri dishes. And many petri dishes are those little discs of plastic or glass? Glass that scientists put bacteria and other things on so they can look at them under the microscope.

[Reggie]

You got it, Guy Raz. And when he put one of these moldy petri dishes under the microscope, he noticed that the penicillium mold had completely stopped the growth of the bacteria that he already had on that petri dish.

[Guy Raz]

And what type of bacteria was that, Mindy?

[Reggie]

It was a bacteria called staphylococci.

[Guy Raz]

Ah, staphylococci, Mindy, Isn't that a deadly disease?

[Reggie]

Well, technically, it's a big family of bacteria, Guy Raz. And just like in most families, there are some members that are totally fine, but others, well, let's just say they're the kinds that can be a little cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, if you know what I mean.

[Guy Raz]

You mean like your Aunt Mojo?

[Reggie]

Yeah, but unlike my Aunt Mojo, these guys don't stay out singing karaoke till three in the morning. Instead, they cause all kinds of problems for us humans. Everything from food poisoning to skin infections.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, boy.

[Reggie]

But you're right. They can sometimes turn deadly. Especially Before Alexander Fleming's discovery.

[Guy Raz]

I can imagine. Because before the discovery of antibiotics, things as simple as a paper cut or a scraped knee could be deadly. Because open wounds could let infectious bacteria like staphylococci. Exactly.

[Reggie]

Which is why Alexander Fleming's discovery was such a huge deal.

[Guy Raz]

So what happened next?

[Reggie]

Well, he spent the next few months just toiling away, creating more and more of this penicillium mold.

[Guy Raz]

Toil, toil, toil, toil, toil, toil, toil, toil.

[Reggie]

And eventually, he discovered that this mold could be used to create medicine that could not only stop staphylococci, but all sorts of other infectious bacterial diseases as.

[Guy Raz]

Well, creating the world's first antibiotic medicine.

[Reggie]

I call it penicillin.

[Guy Raz]

Fascinating.

[Reggie]

But that's not the end of the. Of the story.

[Guy Raz]

It isn't?

[Reggie]

Not even close. Now, let me just find the fast forward button here. Oh, here it is.

[Guy Raz]

Wait a minute. Mindy, when you said you had the entire history of antibiotics, I didn't think you meant you literally had the entire 100 years on tape.

[Reggie]

Oh, yeah, I got everything from that day. Alexander Fleming found a worm in his apple.

[Mindy]

Yuck.

[Dennis]

There's a worm in my app.

[Reggie]

To us talking about antibiotics in your backyard just a few minutes ago.

[Guy Raz]

What? Mindy, I always wear a lab coat when I garden.

[Reggie]

Of course you do. But secondly. Whoops, too far. Let me just hit the rewind button here. We need to stop at around 1941 there. Right this way, sir. Righty O. Very good.

[Guy Raz]

Huh? Who's that, Mindy?

[Reggie]

Oh, that Guy Raz is Dr. Howard Florey. He's just showing Mr. Albert Alexander into his lab.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, Albert Alexander. I know him. He's the first person who was ever treated with antibiotics.

[Reggie]

You know it. He got pricked by a rose thorn in his garden, and then his cut got infected with staphylococci.

[Guy Raz]

The bacteria from Fleming's lab.

[Reggie]

Yeah. And even though Alexander Fleming had been able to combat small microscopic doses of staphylococci in his lab, to treat a whole person, that would take a lot more mold.

[Dennis]

Oh, my cheesy whiskers.

[Guy Raz]

What on earth is going on here?

[Dennis]

Well.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, my gosh. Mindy, look at Flory's lab. It's covered in bottles and flasks and tubes of. Wait, wait.

[Reggie]

What is that? That, my friend, is beautiful. 100% organic, certified fresh mold mold.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, that's disgusting. And look, Flori's lab is completely covered in the stuff.

[Reggie]

I know, right? Turns out you need 2000 liters or 528 literally gallons of mold just to get enough penicillin to treat one person.

[Guy Raz]

528 gallons. Mindy, that's like three hot tubs worth of mold.

[Reggie]

Yep, and all for just one guy or gal. So, obviously, they had to find a better way to make this much penicillin.

[Guy Raz]

Obviously.

[Reggie]

And that better way came in the form of a garden cantaloupe.

[Guy Raz]

A cantaloupe?

[Reggie]

Yep. And for this, we're gonna need to fast forward again to 1941.

[Guy Raz]

Hey, who's that walking into Flory's lab now?

[Reggie]

Oh, that's his laboratory assistant, Mary Hunt. And look, she's just returned from the market with a cantaloupe.

[Dennis]

I got that cantaloupe you asked for.

[Guy Raz]

Sir, just in time for brunch.

[Reggie]

And growing on that cantaloupe is a very special kind of mold.

[Guy Raz]

Ah, more mold.

[Reggie]

More mold. Guy Raz. But the fungus found in this mold produced 200 times as much penicillin as that fungus Alexander Fleming discovered.

[Guy Raz]

Wow, that's a lot of mold.

[Reggie]

And that's not even the best part. With a little bit of tinkering, they were able to make this fungus produce 1000 times as much penicillin as Alexander Fleming's original discovery.

[Guy Raz]

So that means they were now able to make enough of it to treat people.

[Reggie]

Exact oritos, Guy Raz. And as they say, the rest is antibiotic history.

[Guy Raz]

Wow, what a movie. And you know what? It gets me thinking.

[Reggie]

Oh, yeah.

[Guy Raz]

Since that first antibiotic penicillin made its way to our hospitals almost 80 years ago, we've made so many more medical discoveries and developed a whole bunch more antibiotics.

[Reggie]

Yeah. And so much so that when people have access to doctors and medicine, bacterial infections are pretty much a thing of the past. I mean, nobody freaks out about getting a deadly infection. Infection from a paper cut anymore.

[Guy Raz]

And it's probably also made surgery a lot safer, too. Hey, Mindy, what are you doing?

[Reggie]

Much better. Man, it was so cramped in there.

[Guy Raz]

So, Mindy, as much as I enjoyed the movie, I still don't understand what any of this has to do with my gardening.

[Reggie]

Oh, right. So as much as these antibiotics have helped us keep these nasty bacterial bugs away.

[Dennis]

Yeah.

[Reggie]

Well, these bugs have basically spent the last 80 years getting smarter and learning new ways to fight back.

[Guy Raz]

The bacterial bugs are trying to fight the antibiotics.

[Reggie]

Oh, yeah. And the smartest bugs, or at least the bugs that are winning the battle, are called superbugs. And they are what scientists call antibiotic resistant.

[Guy Raz]

Antibiotic resistant?

[Reggie]

Yeah. Which is basically just a fancy way of Saying that antibiotic medicine doesn't always work against these bacterial infections anymore.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, that's right. And I was reading that some scientists are concerned that if more and more of these bugs become antibiotic resistant, then we'll soon go back to a world like this. The one before Fleming's discovery.

[Reggie]

Yeah, a world where a paper cut could be deadly.

[Guy Raz]

Exactly.

[Reggie]

But have no fear, Guy Raz. Superhero scientists to the rescue. Phew. These super scientists, men and women, are on the case, searching high and low for new antibiotics to fight these new superbugs.

[Guy Raz]

Aha. Well, where are they searching?

[Reggie]

Well, you know that dirt in your backyard?

[Guy Raz]

Scientists are looking for the next big antibiotic in the dirt in my backyard?

[Reggie]

Well, I mean, not just the dirt in your backyard, but dirt everywhere.

[Guy Raz]

Wait a minute.

[Reggie]

You know what? Let's head back out to your backyard and I'll show you. Plus, I think I hear the cleaning crew is about to come in.

[Guy Raz]

Yep, looks like it's time to get out of here.

[Reggie]

Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk. After you.

[Guy Raz]

Thank you very much. Ah, back in my beautiful, pristine, well kept antibiotic farm. Well, I was gonna say horticultural display, but.

[Reggie]

But nothing. Guy Raz, you are currently standing on a potential gold mine of medical wonders.

[Guy Raz]

But, Mindy, all I see here is my beautiful flower display and those pogo sticks you and Reggie left. I told you not to leave pogo sticks in my backyard anymore.

[Reggie]

Oh, so that's where we left them.

[Guy Raz]

Well, anyway, I don't see any antibiotics or mold anywhere.

[Reggie]

Well, the antibiotics that we're looking for aren't gonna be found in some gross mold, Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

They're not?

[Reggie]

Nope. They'd be found in some gross dirt in my flower.

[Guy Raz]

Dirt.

[Reggie]

Exactoritos. And like I said earlier, there are trillions of bacteria living inside this dirt. In fact, in just one ounce of dirt, there can be as many as 8.5 million different bacteria.

[Guy Raz]

Wow, 8.5 million. That's like the entire population of New York City living in this tiny morsel of dirt.

[Reggie]

And guess what?

[Guy Raz]

What, Mindy?

[Reggie]

Those bacteria are at war. That's right. Every day underneath our feet, millions of bacteria are clashing in epic microbial battles. And each of these microbes uses a different type of microbial weapon to fight the others.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, yikes.

[Reggie]

And some of these bacteria are the ones that. That spread infectious diseases and make us sick.

[Guy Raz]

Ha. And so I'm guessing that these scientists are studying how these warring bacteria defeat each other so they can try to use that same technique in hospitals. Right?

[Reggie]

Right. These superhero scientists are trying to take the weapons that the good bacteria is using against the bad infectious bacteria.

[Guy Raz]

Wow.

[Reggie]

And then use these weapons to defend ourselves the next time the bad bacteria decides to infect a human.

[Guy Raz]

Huh. So how did they do it?

[Reggie]

Well, after inspecting soil samples sent in from other scientists from all over the world, the team was able to extract or take out 10,000 new microbial weapons that could potentially be used to fight superbugs.

[Guy Raz]

Super drugs for superbugs.

[Reggie]

Yep. And one of these microbial weapons that they were able to get from these dirt samples has proven to knock out a nasty superbug called streptococcus pneumoniae.

[Guy Raz]

So I guess there's hope for the future of medicine after all.

[Reggie]

I mean, just think about it, Guy Raz. There could be a million more medical discoveries still waiting out there, Some maybe even lurking right beneath our flower feet.

[Guy Raz]

You're absolutely right, Mindy. But, you know, in the meantime, there's a much more effective and potentially cheaper way to combat antibiotic resistance.

[Reggie]

Really? How?

[Guy Raz]

Well, it may seem like a pretty simple thing, Mindy, but washing your hands is actually the best way to stop these bacterial infections in their tracks. We've even got the science to back it up.

[Reggie]

Battling bacteria with soap and water, baby could do that.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah. In fact, researchers at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom recently conducted a huge survey where they divided 20,000 people into two groups. And one group was told to go to a website that encouraged them to wash their hands.

[Reggie]

Okay.

[Guy Raz]

And that website would remind the people in that group about the benefits of washing hands and the dangers of not washing your hands.

[Reggie]

Huh. And so what happened?

[Guy Raz]

Well, three years later, the researchers went back to that group and compared them with another group that never saw the website at all.

[Reggie]

So what did these researchers find?

[Guy Raz]

Well, they found that the group that was reminded to wash its hands, the people in that group didn't get sick as often as the people in the other group that weren't washing their hands.

[Reggie]

Like less cold flu and all those other infections we get.

[Guy Raz]

Exactly.

[Reggie]

Hm. But do we know exactly why?

[Guy Raz]

Well, I'm glad you asked. Mindy.

[Reggie]

Uh, Guy Raz. What are you doing?

[Guy Raz]

I'm just getting out my PowerPoint.

[Reggie]

You made a PowerPoint presentation for this?

[Guy Raz]

Well, I'm really into hand washing.

[Reggie]

Yeah, I can tell.

[Guy Raz]

It's even on my family crests.

[Reggie]

What?

[Guy Raz]

Check it out. It's on this patch on my shirt here.

[Reggie]

Let me see. Emundare manuum tuarum. What? It's Latin for wash your hands. Got it.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, let me just finish getting Set up here. Boot up the projector, man. There we go. Okay, where was I? Oh, right, right. The three benefits of hand washing. Number one.

[Reggie]

Oh, boy.

[Guy Raz]

It stops us from catching infections from the people around us. Number two.

[Reggie]

You said number two.

[Guy Raz]

Number two, it stops the people around us from catching any infections we might have. And number three, if you don't get an infection, that. That means you don't have to visit a doctor, which saves you.

[Reggie]

So what you're saying is that our hands are like a highway that infections use to travel and hand washing with soap is the big roadblock we need.

[Guy Raz]

Spoken like a true member of the hand washing society.

[Reggie]

So there's something that all of us can do to help defeat these nasty superbugs.

[Guy Raz]

That's right. I even put it into a song, man.

[Reggie]

Now there's a. I was so impressed.

[Guy Raz]

With your gratitude appreciation song last year.

[Reggie]

Thank you, thank you.

[Guy Raz]

Not now, Jed.

[Reggie]

Thank you so much. I was about to launch into the good part.

[Guy Raz]

Well, I thought I'd make up my own song for hand washing.

[Reggie]

Aw. Well, look at you, you little show pony. I knew I'd rub off on you eventually.

[Guy Raz]

Look, do you want to hear it or not, Mindy?

[Reggie]

Guy Raz, there is literally nothing I'd rather hear more in this moment than your hand washing. Pump up jam.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, well, let me just get out my boombox here.

[Reggie]

Man, you sure do keep a lot of tech out here in your backyard.

[Guy Raz]

And here we go. All right. Here we go. Put your right hand in and wash it around. Get some soap in your left hand and go to town.

[Reggie]

All right. Yeah, kind of hand wash it I could really get into.

[Guy Raz]

Put your right hand in and wash it all around. Get some soap in your left hand and go to town.

[Reggie]

Guy Raz, you show that bacteria who's boss.

[Dennis]

Wow, that was so cool, Reggie. There could be a new medical breakthrough hiding in the dirt. Well, I have dirt. Yeah, out back in the garden. There's probably tons of science going on in my flower beds. We need to go look right now. Let me get my gardening gloves and a microscope and my big floppy sun hat. Oh, right. Let's wrap up the show first. 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 1-88-8-7, wow wow. That's 1-888-7- wow wow. I just might answer your question on we wow on the waken. Okay. Should we do the goodbye song? Good. Ah.

[Reggie]

Ah.

[Guy Raz]

Ahem.

[Dennis]

That's the end of the show. I need to go and look for signs in the dirt, but I'll do another show tomorrow. But for now, that's the end of the show. Bye.

[Reggie]

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

[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.

[Reggie]

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