WeWow on the Weekend (7/12/25)

Summary

Wow in the World: Episode Summary – "WeWow on the Weekend" (July 12, 2025)

Hosts: Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz
Podcast: Wow in the World by Tinkercast | Wondery
Release Date: July 12, 2025

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1. Introduction and Setting the Stage

The episode "WeWow on the Weekend" begins with Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz diving into the weekend fun, setting a lighthearted and engaging tone for listeners. While initial moments include promotional content, the true essence of the episode unfolds as the hosts transition into their unique segments.

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2. Wee Wow on the Weekend Segment

Hosts: Dennis and Reggie
Duration: [02:29] – [16:33]

Dennis and Reggie take center stage in this humorous and playful segment filmed from "mother's basement." They entertain listeners with light-hearted banter, singing, and laughter, creating an inviting atmosphere for family audiences.

Key Highlights:

• Listener Q&A: Dennis attempts to engage with listener questions, showcasing humorous interactions.

  • Mindy's Question: "Hi, my name is Amos Dennis. How do boats float?" ([04:23])

    • Dennis: "How do boats float? Great question, Amos. The answer is they float on water. What do you mean? That's where boats float and not how boats float." ([04:29])

  • Leo's Question: "Hey, Dennis, what's your favorite tiger?" ([05:13])

    • Dennis: "There's more than one tiger? Well, I just know the one on the cereal box. What's his name? No, not that. I'm just gonna call him Terrance." ([05:21])

  • Kira's Question: "What should I do when I'm bored?" ([05:55])

    • Dennis: "Well, Kira, I think you should just be bored. Yeah, being bored is how all the good stuff happens, baby." ([06:03])

• Humorous Anecdotes: Dennis shares funny stories about exploring his own mind and creating imaginary games to cope with boredom, adding a whimsical touch to the segment.

• Closing the Segment: Dennis encourages listeners to leave questions for future episodes, maintaining interactive engagement.

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3. Inside Tinkercast Studios: Revisiting "Bag O Worms"

Segment Introduction:
Mindy introduces the "Inside Tinkercast Studios" segment, where she revisits favorite moments from previous "Wow in the World" episodes. This week's focus is on Season 1, Episode 7, titled "Bag O Worms."

Key Highlights:

• Welda the Wax Worm:
  Mindy reintroduces Welda, her pet wax worm, sparking nostalgic memories and setting the stage for an educational discussion about wax worms.

  • Dennis's Curiosity:
    • Dennis: "What happened to Welda the wax worm? Did she show up again in another episode?" ([15:02])

• Educational Dialogue with Guy Raz:
  The conversation between Mindy and Guy Raz delves deep into the biology and environmental significance of wax worms.

  • Mindy: "Welda is my new pet wax worm." ([08:37])

  • Guy Raz: "Mindy, I've seen you do a lot of weird things during the course of our friendship. Mixing up a bowl of grocery bags has got to be the." ([08:31])

  • Mindy: "She wears clothes and eats grocery bags." ([10:49])

• Discovery of Wax Worms Eating Plastic Bags:
  The segment explores a groundbreaking discovery where wax worms can digest plastic bags, presenting a potential solution to plastic pollution.

  • Mindy: "Frederica decided to take this clue and explore it further." ([09:44])

  • Guy Raz: "Plastic bags are not good for the earth." ([12:19])

  • Mindy: "The plastic in grocery bags isn't one of [the recyclable plastics]." ([13:04])

  • Mindy: "If wax worms eat the bags, their bellies will break down the stubborn polyethylene and turn it into another useful type of liquid used to make things like polyester fabric or even antifreeze for your car." ([13:38])

  • Guy Raz: "I can't hardly wait until this thing becomes a reality, Mindy." ([15:02])

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4. Environmental Insights and Scientific Breakthroughs

The heart of the episode lies in the detailed discussion about wax worms' ability to consume and break down plastic bags, offering a beacon of hope for environmental conservation.

Scientific Exploration:

• Frederica Bertochini's Discovery:
  A scientist from the Spanish National Research Council observes that wax worms can chew through plastic grocery bags.

  • Mindy: "Frederica Bertochini... noticed a bunch of wax worms living in her beehives." ([09:36])

  • Mindy: "Wax worms had eaten their way out." ([11:35])

• Collaboration with University of Cambridge Scientists:
  Frederica teams up with Paolo Bombelli and Christopher Howe to investigate the phenomenon.

  • Mindy: "They discovered a special protein in the wax worm's belly that attacks the chemicals that make up the plastic in the bag." ([11:56])

• Potential Environmental Impact:
  The enzyme found in wax worms could revolutionize plastic waste management by transforming polyethylene into ethylene glycol, a valuable industrial chemical.

  • Mindy: "If wax worms eat the bags, their bellies will break down the stubborn polyethylene and turn it into another useful type of liquid... ethylene glycol." ([13:38])

  • Guy Raz: "Plastic bags are not good for the earth... there are a trillion of these bags every year." ([12:19])

Notable Quotes:

• Mindy on Wax Worms' Potential:
  "It's still pretty exciting to think how just a little curiosity as basic as paying extra attention to wormholes in a grocery bag could possibly lead to fixing a huge problem right here on our planet." ([14:19])

• Guy Raz's Enthusiasm:
  "I can't hardly wait until this thing becomes a reality, Mindy." ([15:02])

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5. Conclusion and Closing Remarks

The episode wraps up with Dennis and Reggie humorously concluding their "Wee Wow on the Weekend" segment, leaving listeners with a blend of laughter and food for thought about the innovative uses of wax worms in combating plastic pollution.

Final Interactions:

• Dennis's Farewell:
  "Hooray. That was great... If you've got a question for me, call and leave me a message at 1-888-7-WOW-WOW." ([16:33])

• Mindy and Guy's Outro:
  Reminding listeners about Wondery's offerings and encouraging engagement through surveys and subscriptions.

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6. Key Takeaways and Insights

• Innovative Solutions to Plastic Pollution:
  The discovery that wax worms can digest polyethylene opens new avenues for reducing plastic waste, showcasing the intersection of biology and environmental science.

• Engaging Educational Content:
  The episode effectively blends humor, storytelling, and scientific discussion, making complex topics accessible and entertaining for both kids and their grown-up listeners.

• Importance of Scientific Curiosity:
  Highlighting Frederica Bertochini's keen observation underscores the value of curiosity and meticulous research in driving scientific breakthroughs.

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7. Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• "How do boats float? Great question, Amos. The answer is they float on water." — Dennis ([04:29])

• "Being bored is how all the good stuff happens, baby." — Dennis ([06:03])

• "Plastic bags are not good for the earth." — Guy Raz ([12:19])

• "If wax worms eat the bags, their bellies will break down the stubborn polyethylene and turn it into another useful type of liquid." — Mindy ([13:38])

• "It's still pretty exciting to think how just a little curiosity could possibly lead to fixing a huge problem right here on our planet." — Mindy ([14:19])

• "I can't hardly wait until this thing becomes a reality, Mindy." — Guy Raz ([15:02])

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8. Conclusion

"WeWow on the Weekend" masterfully combines humor, interactive segments, and impactful scientific discussions to educate and entertain its audience. By exploring the remarkable capabilities of wax worms, the episode not only informs listeners about innovative environmental solutions but also inspires curiosity and hope for the future. Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz continue to uphold "Wow in the World" as a leading science podcast for families, fostering a sense of wonder and agency in young minds and their grown-up companions alike.

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 Mindy here. And before we start the show, it's prime time. Oh, sorry. I meant prime day. And you know what that means. Wow in the world toys are 20% off. That's right. From July 8th through July 11th, you can get 20% off. Select wow in the world toys like the everlasting volcano or the ultimate high flying air rocket that toots. And while they may be 20% off for prime days, our toys are 100% full of wow. Featuring exclusive audio from me and Guy Raz. Plus collectible stem tools to help your Wowzers keep tinkering. After playing, surprise the Wowzers in your world with a wow in the World stem toy today or on their birthday. Or at unbirth day or a sunny day or a rainy day or maybe a windy day. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. They get it. Shop the wow [e-mail] toys. That's Tinkercast.com toys. That's it. And now let's get back to the show.

[Unknown]

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[Dennis]

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. Laugh, laugh me 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 Reggie. We're coming to you from mother's basement on Saturdays and Sundays. And look, Reggie, I was digging around down here and found mother's old photo albums. Want to see what I looked like as a baby? Okay, let's see here. Ah, look. There I am in my crib. And here I am in my high chair wearing a little baby bott. Wasn't I just the cutest, patootest? What do you mean I look old? Oh, I don't know. Let's see. When was this picture taken? Uh, last summer. Oh, whatever. Let's move on. I want to answer some questions from my devoted listeners in the Q and A segment. 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 wewow on the weekend. That's me. Do you have a question? Well, I do too. Lots of them. And who's gonna answer all my questions?

[Mindy]

You?

[Dennis]

Probably not. But I guess I can answer yours. Leave me a message.

[Mindy]

Hi, my name is Amos Dennis. How do boats float?

[Dennis]

How do boats float? Great question, Amos. The answer is they float on water. What do you mean? That's where boats float and not how boats float. Water is not a place. Oh, yeah. I guess they could float on other things too, like pudding or jelly. What about the time when Mindy filled her pool with Oobleck and then I rollerbladed through the Oobleck and then I got stuck in the Oobleck and you had to save me? You think boats could float in Oobleck? Oh, wow. Cool. You think boats can float on air? Oh, yeah. I suppose they'd have to be going pretty fast to do that. Next question.

[Mindy]

Hi, my name is Leo. I'm from Columbus, Ohio. Hey, Dennis, what's your favorite tiger?

[Dennis]

My favorite tiger? There's more than one tiger? Well, I just know the one on the cereal box. What's his name? No, not that. I'm just gonna call him Terrance. Terrance the tiger from the cereal box. That's my favorite tiger. Well, what other tigers are there? Okay, the bengal tiger, the white tiger, the liger. What's that? A lion. Tiger. Really? Is that real? Oh, wow. Next question.

[Mindy]

Hi, Dennis. My name is Kira and I was just wondering what you think I should do when I'm bored.

[Dennis]

Well, Kira, I think you should just be bored. Yeah, being bored is how all the good stuff happens, baby. Because being bored is boring. So you have to start getting not bored. Like when I'm on A long car ride. I start exploring my own brain to see what's in there. It's true. I have this type of game I like to play when I'm bored. It's called a board game. And there's this one board game where I just sort of twist around through my own mind. I call it Twister. And there's this other board game where I imagine I live in a land made entirely of candy. Can you guess what that one's called, Reggie? No, it's called Sugar Town. Well, fine. You can make up your own board game and call it whatever you want. Thanks for your calls, everyone. If you've got a question for me, call and leave me a message. The number is 1-888-7-WOW WOW. I just might answer your question on Wee Wow on the weekend. Okay, that takes care of that. All right, next up is a little segment I like to call Inside Tinkercast Studios. Inside Tinkercast Studios. This is the part where we revisit an episode of one of my favorite Tinkercast shows. And this weekend, we're revisiting episodes from the very first season of wow in the World. Today we're doing a story from episode seven called Bag O Worms. In this episode, we're introduced to Mindy's pet wax worm, Welda. I know. I forgot all about Welda. Such a cute name, Reggie. No, I don't think Welda the wax worm is actually made of wa. I think they're called that because they can eat beeswax. Well, I don't know. Let's just play the episode. Okay, here we go. And play.

[Mindy]

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

[Dennis]

What in the world?

[Mindy]

Good morning. Good morning to you and you and you and you. Good morning. Good morning, Garaz.

[Guy Raz]

Good morning. Mindy. What on earth are you doing with all those plastic bags?

[Mindy]

Oh, this? I'm just whipping up a little breakfast for Welda. Here.

[Guy Raz]

Welda.

[Mindy]

Oh, haven't I introduced you yet? Guy Raz, Welda is my new pet wax worm. Isn't that right, Welda? Guy Raz, hand me the salt over there.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, I've seen you do a lot of weird things during the course of our friendship. Mixing up a bowl of grocery bags has got to be the.

[Mindy]

Look, she's eating it. Take another bite, Wilda. Take another bite. You love those grocery bags. Yes, you do.

[Dennis]

What?

[Mindy]

I have to feed her with a spoon because she doesn't have hands. Take another bite. This is her favorite Food.

[Guy Raz]

Wow, it's working. You're actually feeding that wax worm a grocery bag?

[Mindy]

She can't get enough of them.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, I was always under the assumption that waxworms fed on honey or beeswax. Are you sure you should be feeding it grocery bags, guy?

[Mindy]

Raz, she's my pet, and we've lived together for six hours. Do I not look like I know what I'm doing?

[Guy Raz]

Well, I just.

[Mindy]

Let me tell you a story, okay? It all started in Spain with a scientist named Frederica Bertochini. She's part of the Spanish National Research Council. And one day, she was just minding her own beeswax, literally, when she noticed a bunch of wax worms living in her beehives.

[Guy Raz]

And just to be clear, what makes a wax worm different from other types of worms? Because Welda here looks more like just a regular white caterpillar to me.

[Mindy]

Well, that's because she is a caterpillar. Wax worms are the larvae of wax moths, AKA bee moths.

[Guy Raz]

And by larvae, you mean the stage before metamorphosis or the transformation from wax worm to, I guess, wax moth.

[Mindy]

Yeah, and lots of creatures go through metamorphosis. Caterpillars turn into butterflies, tadpoles turn into frogs, maggots turn into regular flies, and hamsters turn into rabbits. What? Making sure you're paying attention.

[Guy Raz]

You know, Mindy, all this talk about caterpillars and butterflies reminds me of a picture book that I love to read called the Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.

[Dennis]

Do you know that book?

[Mindy]

Oh, yeah, I love that book. But in that the Very Hungry Caterpillar. E. Fruit and cake and sausage. My caterpillar, or wax worm, if you will, is way more civilized. She wears clothes and eats grocery bags.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, let's get back to that. How did this scientist. What did you say her name was?

[Mindy]

Oh, Frederica Bertoccini.

[Guy Raz]

How did Frederica find this out?

[Mindy]

Well, like I said, she was cleaning the wax worms out of her beehive like nobody's business, plucking them out and putting them in a plastic grocery bag, maybe to use as, like, fish bait for later. And anyway, when she went back to the worm bag a little while later, she found it full of holes.

[Dennis]

Wow.

[Guy Raz]

So the wax worms had eaten their way out.

[Mindy]

You know it. And so, being the savvy scientist she is, Frederica decided to take this clue and explore it further.

[Guy Raz]

How so?

[Mindy]

Well, first, knowing that three heads are better than one, she brought this discovery to some scientist pals at the University of Cambridge in England. Their names are Paolo Bombelli and Christopher Howe.

[Guy Raz]

And what did they?

[Mindy]

Well, they did some experiments and discovered a special protein in the wax worm's belly that attacks the chemicals that make up the plastic in the bag.

[Guy Raz]

Wow, that sounds very similar to the way that the acid in our stomachs work to break up the food that we eat.

[Mindy]

Yeah, exactly.

[Guy Raz]

I think I might be starting to see where this is going, Mindy.

[Mindy]

Oh, yeah.

[Guy Raz]

Well, as we know, plastic bags are not good for the earth.

[Mindy]

Right, Right.

[Guy Raz]

And I think I read recently that there are a trillion of these bags every year.

[Mindy]

Yeah. Which according to my calculations, is about 2 million grocery bags used every single minute. Crazy, right?

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, really crazy. And like the plastic water bottles that we were talking about on another episode, Plastic bags probably take a lot of energy to make.

[Mindy]

Yeah. Apparently the amount of energy it takes to make 12 of these bags is enough to drive a car for a mile.

[Guy Raz]

It's too bad we can't power cars on grocery bags.

[Mindy]

I know. And it turns out there isn't much we can with them, and that includes recycling.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, I know that there are some plastics that we can recycle, but the plastic in grocery bags isn't one of them.

[Mindy]

That's because they're made out of a plastic called polyethylene, and it's really hard to break down, especially when we humans are producing 8 million tons of it every year.

[Guy Raz]

But it seems like what you're saying is that these scientists discovered an. An enzyme or a little teeny tiny microscopic baby protein inside the wax worm's belly that can break it down just.

[Mindy]

Like your mom did on the dance floor of your senior prom, Guy Raz. Go guys mom. Go guys mom. Break it down now. It's your birthday. Break it down now.

[Dennis]

Go guys mom.

[Mindy]

Umm, anywho, so, yeah, that's what they think they've discovered. Basically, they've come to the conclusion that if wax were eat the bags, their bellies will break down the stubborn polyethylene and turn it into another useful type of liquid used to make things like polyester fabric or even antifreeze for your car. And that liquid is called ethylene glycol. Which coincidentally was what my parents almost named me.

[Guy Raz]

Uh, that would be a mouthful.

[Mindy]

Speaking of mouthfuls, check out Welda over there going to town on that bag.

[Guy Raz]

Now that. That's a very hungry caterpillar.

[Mindy]

Yeah. And I know what you're thinking, Guy Raz, and I need you to calm down, because before you get all excited thinking that, you can just start going all around town using and tossing all of your grocery bags like they're going out of style because wax worms like Welda here will eat them. Okay, just know that this theory is still being tested, and it has a long way to go before it can be proven. But it's still pretty exciting to think how just a little curiosity as basic as paying extra attention to wormholes in a grocery bag could possibly lead to fixing a huge problem right here on our planet.

[Guy Raz]

I can't hardly wait until this thing becomes a reality, Mindy.

[Mindy]

Me neither. In the meantime, Guy Raz, I'm just gonna climb into this grocery bag here feet first, and then all I need you to do is pick it up by the handles and then take me to the store because. Cause my legs are too tired to walk. Thank you.

[Dennis]

Hooray. That was great. Reggie, whatever happened to Welda the wax worm? Did she show up again in another episode? Oh, right. She probably turned into a wax moth. Ah, that's nice. Hey, Reggie, would you carry me around in a grocery bag? Like how Guy was gonna carry Mindy around in a grocery bag at the end of the episode? Please? Okay, great. Let's wrap this up and go see if we can find a big enough grocery bag. Thank you everyone, for listening to this episode of 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 Wee Wow on the weekend. Oh, Reggie, should we do the goodbye song? Okay, that's the end of the show. Now carry me around in a grocery bag and I'll do another show tomorrow. But for now, that's the end of the show. Ee. Eh.

[Mindy]

Bye, 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.