WeWow on the Weekend (8/3/25)

Summary

Wow in the World – Episode Summary: "WeWow on the Weekend" (August 3, 2025)

Hosts: Dennis and Reggie
Podcast: Wow in the World by Tinkercast | Wondery
Release Date: August 3, 2025

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1. Introduction and Listener Engagement [00:13 – 03:54]

The episode kicks off with Dennis engaging his audience through a playful Q&A segment. He reads a listener's question about places on Earth that "wow" him, humorously interacting with fictional characters like "Dentist" and "Reggie." The segment emphasizes audience participation, encouraging listeners to call in and share their "wow" experiences.

Notable Quote:

• Dennis: "What's a place on our planet that wows you?" [00:13]

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2. Creative Cooking Segment: "Dennis Punch" [03:54 – 07:20]

Dennis introduces a whimsical cooking segment where he attempts to create a unique beverage named "Dennis Punch." The concoction includes lemon-lime soda, cherry Skaterade, grape-flavored tea, and a chocolate banana peanut butter smoothie. The experiment humorously fails, leading Dennis to rename the drink "Nobody drink this punch."

Notable Quote:

• Dennis: "I call this drink Dennis Punch, Want the first sip of Dennis Punch, Reggie?" [06:00]

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3. Inside Tinkercast Studios – Revisiting "A Sunbrella for the Planet" [07:20 – 12:20]

Dennis and Reggie transition to a segment where they revisit an episode of "Wow in the World" titled "A Sunbrella for the Planet." Although briefly mentioned, the segment sets the stage for the episode's main discussion on climate change and geoengineering.

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4. Main Discussion: Climate Change and Geoengineering [12:35 – 28:45]

Setting the Scene:

Dennis and Reggie, joined by guest Guy Raz, engage in a lively beachside conversation addressing the pressing issue of climate change. The hosts use playful banter and imaginative scenarios to delve into serious scientific topics, making the discussion accessible and entertaining for a younger audience.

Key Topics Covered:

• Definition of Climate Change vs. Weather:

  • Mindy Thomas: "Weather is what happens in our atmosphere week to week. The climate, on the other hand, specifically refers to larger patterns in our atmosphere that occur over several decades." [18:19]

• Geoengineering as a Temporary Solution:

  • Reggie: "This is not a solution to climate change... it won't last forever. But if this works, it will definitely buy us more time." [28:29]

• Harvard's Geoengineering Research:

  • Reggie: "These scientists are going to use calcium carbonate to help control the temperatures down here on Earth." [22:38]
  • Mindy Thomas: "It's a process called geo-solar engineering, which is basically just a fancy way of saying altering the atmosphere." [23:36]

• Historical Context – Volcanic Eruptions:

  • Mindy Thomas: "In 1963, a volcano in Indonesia erupted and it lowered the Earth's average temperature by 0.7 degrees Fahrenheit that year." [24:15]

• Scientific Community's Role:

  • Mindy Thomas: "The IPCC, or Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, is a group of scientists from all over the world who've gotten together to try and figure out how we can stop and hopefully reverse climate change." [29:00]

Insights and Conclusions:

• Temporary Measures: Geoengineering, such as the proposed use of calcium carbonate particles, is seen as a stopgap measure to mitigate rising temperatures while more sustainable solutions are developed.

• Environmental Impact: Unlike heavy metals or sulfur, calcium carbonate is deemed less harmful and may even aid in healing environmental damage.

• Urgency: The hosts highlight the urgency of addressing climate change, referencing the IPCC report that underscores the limited timeframe to enact meaningful changes.

Notable Quotes:

• Reggie: "It's a process called geo-solar engineering, which is basically just a fancy way of saying altering the atmosphere." [23:36]
• Mindy Thomas: "Think of it like putting tape over your leaky nose. It's gonna hold your snot in for a while, but eventually, you're gonna have to get a new nose." [28:29]
• Mindy Thomas: "We have just 12 years to turn this ship around and start reducing our impact on the climate." [29:23]

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5. Interactive Beach Volleyball Game [28:45 – 30:25]

Transitioning from the climate discussion, the hosts and guest engage in a humorous beach volleyball game. This segment serves as a light-hearted interlude, showcasing the hosts' camaraderie and playful interactions, while subtly reinforcing themes of teamwork and community effort in tackling global issues.

Notable Quote:

• Reggie: "I'm talking about throwing shade... to the Olympic event where you hurl umbrellas like javelins." [21:37]

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6. Conclusion and Wrap-Up [30:25 – 34:07]

Dennis and Reggie conclude the episode by encouraging listener interaction and promoting additional content. They invite listeners to participate in surveys and become members of the World Organization of Wowzers. The hosts express gratitude to their team and collaborators, highlighting the collective effort behind the podcast.

Notable Quote:

• Mindy Thomas: "Thanks for joining us for this edition of WeeWow on the Weekend... And remember who wows: I wow." [32:24]

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7. Key Takeaways

• Engaging Education: The episode effectively blends humor and creativity to discuss complex topics like climate change, making them accessible to younger audiences.

• Audience Participation: Through interactive segments, the hosts foster a sense of community and encourage listeners to engage with the content actively.

• Highlighting Scientific Solutions: By exploring geoengineering, the podcast introduces listeners to innovative scientific approaches to global problems, emphasizing the importance of ongoing research and collaboration.

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8. Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Dennis: "What's a place on our planet that wows you?" [00:13]

• Dennis: "I call this drink Dennis Punch, Want the first sip of Dennis Punch, Reggie?" [06:00]

• Mindy Thomas: "Weather is what happens in our atmosphere week to week. The climate, on the other hand, specifically refers to larger patterns in our atmosphere that occur over several decades." [18:19]

• Reggie: "Think of it like putting tape over your leaky nose. It's gonna hold your snot in for a while, but eventually, you're gonna have to get a new nose." [28:29]

• Mindy Thomas: "We have just 12 years to turn this ship around and start reducing our impact on the climate." [29:23]

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9. Final Thoughts

"WeWow on the Weekend" successfully intertwines entertainment with education, offering insightful discussions on pressing global issues through a format that resonates with both kids and their grown-ups. By addressing topics like climate change and potential scientific interventions, the podcast empowers young listeners with knowledge and fosters a sense of wonder about the world.

Transcript

[Mindy Thomas]

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.

[Dennis]

Hello, Wowzers. It's me, Dennis. And Reggie's here too. Before we start the show, I want to hear from my devoted listeners with a quick little 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 WEW on the Weeknd. Leave me a message. Hi Dennis, it's me, Den Da Tist. Yeah, Dentist. Hi, Dentist. Reggie, shush. Dentist does not sound familiar. I have a question. What's a place on our planet that wows you? Ooh, great question, Dennis. I mean, Dentist. Let's see a place on our planet that wows me. Um. Oh, I know. Mr. Dentist, have you ever been to the Griffith Observatory? The Griffith Observatory, Reggie. It's in Los Angeles, California. And? And it's the ultimate snoop spot. You can snoop on the stars in Hollywood. No, Reggie, I'm not talking about celebrities. I'm talking about the stars and the planets in the sky. Yeah, at the Griffith Observatory there's like telescopes and stuff and you can snoop up into outer space. Oh, sorry, Wowzers. We want to hear about the places on our planet that wow you. Give us a call at 1-888-7-WOW-WOW and tell us where in the world you find wow. That's it. Now let's get back to the show. Bye.

[Narrator]

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[Dennis]

Ah, ah, ah. 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. 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 We Wow on the Weekend. I'm your host, Dennis, and that's Reggie, my co host. This is the show where we chit chat and answer questions from our fans and listen to Tinkercast podcasts. Hey, Reggie, check out all the stuff I got for Goldiebob the goldfish's goldfish bowl. Look, I got her a water filter so her bowl stays nice and clean. And some cool, groovy, colorful pebbles. And I even got her a little pirate ship. Yeah, look at her in there. She's a little buccaneer. Captain Goldy Bob setting sail on the seven seas. Or in the seven seas, I guess. Okay, fine. In the 1C. That's not really a C because it's a fishbowl, Reggie. We're using our imaginations. Hey, goldiebab. Say a yay. Wow, all this fishbowl talk is making me thirsty. No, I'm not going to drink the fish water, Reggie. That's Goldie Bob's water. I feel thirsty for a new drink that I wanna invent. That's right. It's time for a cooking segment. Ahem. Dish it up on a dish. Anything that you wish. Take a bite. That's delish. Dishing it up with Dennis and Reggie. Today on Dishing It Up With Dennis, we're gonna be making a never been drank before refreshing beverage that will quench my thirst. First, let's start with this glass that has a little bit of lemon lime soda left in it. Right? The soda's there for a while, so there's no more bubbles left in it. Next, I'll add in some of this razz. Cherry Skaterade. Yeah, it's a sports drink for when I'm rollerblading. It has electrolytes. And now I'll take the tea bag from my mug of tea and give my drink an Earl Grape infusion. No, Reggie, not Earl Grey. Earl Grape. It's grape flavored tea. It's not gross, it's grape. Then lastly, I'll top it off with some of this chocolate banana peanut butter smoothie I had for breakfast. Yeah, it's a little warm and melted, but it's still good. Okay, there we go. Oops, I spilled a little, Reggie. I know. I need to clean up down here. Sheesh, Louis. Alright, give that a stir. And now all we need is a straw. No, not that one. We need a crazy straw with the loop de loops. Yeah, like that one. Perfect. And there. I call this drink Dennis Punch. Want the first sip of Dennis Punch, Reggie?

[Reggie]

No.

[Dennis]

Are you sure? Okay, suit yourself. I'll try the Dennis Punch. No, it tastes horrible. How is that possible? All of the ingredients taste good on their own. Why do they taste so nasty when I mix them all together? Oh, you're right. Maybe the next sip will taste better. No, it didn't taste any better. Okay, I'm gonna rename Dennis Punch to Nobody drink this punch. It's a bad, bad punch. Okay, 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 today we're listening to wow. In the World, Season 3, Episode 24 called A Sunbrella for the Planet. Oh, this was the one where it was really, really hot out and we all went to the beach. Yeah, I love the beach too. As long as I don't get wet or get sand on me, or touch any kind of seaweed or get pinched by a crab, or get my sandwich stolen by a seagull. Or get. Right, right, right, right, right. Let's just listen to the episode. Okay, here we go. And play.

[Reggie]

Wee. Wow. Will be right back. Grown ups, this message is for you.

[Narrator]

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[Reggie]

That's it. Now back to the show wall in the world.

[Guy Raz]

You're listening to Bungo and the Two Talk in the Morning on Womble fm. WOBBLING your way through the work week.

[Dennis]

Whoa. I tell you what, folks, it's a hot one out here today.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, totally. I saw kid trying to cool off his hot pocket by sticking it in lava.

[Dennis]

Ow. I just saw a chicken lay an omelette.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, but seriously, folks, stay safe out there. Find some shade, drink plenty of water.

[Dennis]

Yeah. Cause hydration is cool.

[Reggie]

Wee, wee, wee.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah.

[Dennis]

Okay, don't go anywhere, folks.

[Guy Raz]

All your favorite summer tunes coming up right after these messages. Summer heat got you down? Well, then head on over to the spit, take restaurant, Moist, bitter and.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wow, Mindy, you really picked a hot day to go to the beach. I'm sweating through my elbow patches.

[Dennis]

Ugh.

[Reggie]

I still can't believe you were able to get a full body tweed swimsuit. Tailor made, man.

[Mindy Thomas]

Does this ice cream truck of yours have air conditioning? I'm gonna need to turn it on.

[Reggie]

It is on.

[Mindy Thomas]

It is.

[Dennis]

Uh huh.

[Reggie]

See, check out the dial on the dashboard, Mindy.

[Mindy Thomas]

This is set to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. And Mindy, why in the wow do you have the heater on?

[Reggie]

Because I wanted to set it to a temperature that would help us to get in the mood for the beach.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, I'm gonna have to bring this down to a comfortable and climate friendly 77 degrees Fahrenheit or 25 degrees Celsius.

[Reggie]

But careful, the button's only held on by gu.

[Mindy Thomas]

Ah, so much better.

[Reggie]

We're here. Come on, let's get out before everyone else eats all the sand.

[Mindy Thomas]

Mindy, my door isn't opening.

[Reggie]

Oh, yeah, sorry. Here, I can help you with that. See, I had to re jig up this door after I converted this ice cream truck into a food truck. And then I had to turn the food truck into a portable. And then I had to turn the ball pit back into the ice cream truck and ah. Ah, man, it's not working.

[Mindy Thomas]

So how do I get out?

[Reggie]

Well, like this.

[Mindy Thomas]

How do you do that every day, Mindy?

[Reggie]

Steel toed flip flops. Now let's go hit the beach.

[Mindy Thomas]

Mindy, it must be 100 degrees out here. I'm gonna need my parasol. Hold on one sec.

[Reggie]

All right, let me just grab the steering wheel. There we go.

[Mindy Thomas]

Mindy, did you just pull the steering wheel off the dashboard of your ice cream truck?

[Dennis]

Uh huh.

[Mindy Thomas]

Why in the world would you do that?

[Reggie]

So nobody drives away with the truck. Now come on, let's kick. It must be like a billion degrees out here.

[Dennis]

Walk, walk, walk, walk.

[Mindy Thomas]

Man, this beach is packed, Mindy.

[Reggie]

Tell me about it. Looks like the whole neighborhood Is here. Hey, look, there's Thomas Fingerling.

[Guy Raz]

Cowabunga. Scope out that epic surf, bro. Toss me my board. I'm gonna hit the lip and then just hang 10.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hey, and look, there's grandma. G Force.

[Reggie]

Hey, 10. Fingerling, you'd be lucky if you could still hang fast.

[Guy Raz]

No way, dude. I could never hang five.

[Reggie]

And. Is that Dennis?

[Dennis]

Hey, Mindy. Hi, guy. Check it out. I got a new full body nylon blend swim master bathing suit.

[Reggie]

Yep, that's Dennis all right.

[Dennis]

Whoa. I'm fully protected from the sun's harmful rays. The hydrophobic material is as slippery as a dolphin's nose.

[Reggie]

What is he talking about?

[Dennis]

Nothing can stop me. Except for maybe a jellyfish or a shark. Or seaweed. Or a wayward vessel.

[Reggie]

Thanks, Dennis.

[Mindy Thomas]

Boy, all we're missing is Reggie. Reggie, what are you doing here? I thought you were meeting your friends in the park.

[Reggie]

He says that the bird bath was too crowded. Okay, Reg, see you later. All right, let's see here. Oh, this looks like a good place to set up.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, well, let me just set up the parasol here.

[Reggie]

Okey doke.

[Mindy Thomas]

Stand back, Mindy. Three, two, one.

[Dennis]

Wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

There we go. Okay, let me just get out my beach bag. Okay, let's see. What do we have here? I got some beach towels, some sunscreen, SPF 350, UV protective sombrero, microscope, microscope, kale chips, some caviar for you, Mindy.

[Reggie]

Aw, you remembered.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yep.

[Reggie]

Did you bring the bun so I could make a caviar sandwich?

[Mindy Thomas]

Here you go.

[Reggie]

Thank you very much.

[Mindy Thomas]

Sunglasses, sun gloves, zinc cream, sun neck protector guy.

[Reggie]

Raz, do you think that maybe you're just taking this whole sun safe thing just a teensy bit too far?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, oh, no. There's no such thing as being too sun safe, Mindy. Now pass me my sun awear.

[Reggie]

Ah, I don't want to handle your sunderwear, guy. Raz, is there anything in this sun safety bag of yours that's actually going to help us with this heat?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, I'm afraid not, Mindy. And with the changing climate, these heat waves are just going to become much more common.

[Reggie]

You mean because of global warming?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, technically, Mindy, many scientists prefer the term climate change nowadays because although the global temperature is rising, overall, this increase in temperature is messing with the planet's climate.

[Reggie]

And just to be clear, climate is not the same thing as weather, right?

[Mindy Thomas]

That's right. Weather is what happens in our atmosphere week to week. The climate, on the other hand, specifically refers to larger patterns in our atmosphere that occur over several decades Ah.

[Reggie]

So when we say climate change, we mean that long term, the atmosphere is changing because of the higher temperatures.

[Mindy Thomas]

Exactly. And a changing climate means more extreme weather. Like this heat wave.

[Guy Raz]

Gnarly.

[Mindy Thomas]

Thomas Fingerling.

[Guy Raz]

Sup?

[Mindy Thomas]

Is that an ironing board?

[Guy Raz]

Oh, well, depends on how you look at it, I guess.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, why did you bring an ironing board to the beach?

[Guy Raz]

Whoa. Don't be so aggro, dude. This is just my fun board. I use it for new school and the party waves, you dig? You newbies gonna drop in? It's tubular out there.

[Reggie]

Well.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, actually, Mindy and I were just discussing how this heat wave may in fact be the result of climate change.

[Guy Raz]

The heat wave is from climate change. Well, if it means more beach days, sign me up for climate change.

[Reggie]

Sorry, Thomas Fingerling, but that is not how climate change works.

[Guy Raz]

It isn't?

[Mindy Thomas]

No. Just because it's warmer here doesn't mean it's a perfect beach day everywhere on the planet.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, but I thought it was global warming.

[Reggie]

Well, technically, yes, but now some scientists are preferring the term climate change because the increasing temperature of the planet is actually changing our climate.

[Mindy Thomas]

Which may mean more heat waves like this one here.

[Reggie]

Or it could mean more hurricanes or more extreme snowstorms.

[Guy Raz]

Snowstorms? I don't think. I don't think my fun board will make it through that. Gnarly. Pow.

[Reggie]

Pow.

[Mindy Thomas]

The fact is, our climate is a very delicate thing, and if we let the temperature of the planet increase by even one and a half degrees, it could throw our whole weather system out of whack.

[Dennis]

Out of whack?

[Guy Raz]

That's the name of mine and Chief Force's hip hop album. Wanna buy a Gabby?

[Reggie]

Huh?

[Guy Raz]

Never mind. It's too cool for you Quimbys. Mind if I set up my bean bag here in your shade? I can feel the top of my head frying.

[Mindy Thomas]

Of course. Thomas Fingerling. Come take a seat.

[Reggie]

Yeah, there's plenty of room.

[Guy Raz]

Thank goodness. Say, this is a cool little umbrella you got here, Mr. Razzie.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, actually, it's not an umbrella. It's a parasol. This one is actually really super special to me. It's based on a design from the Edo period in Japan. It's super handy on hot days like this.

[Dennis]

Here, look.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hot, cool, hot, cool. If only it was this easy to cool down the planet.

[Reggie]

Uh, say that again.

[Mindy Thomas]

It's based off a design from the Edo period in Japan.

[Reggie]

No, no, the other thing you said right after that.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, if only it was this easy to cool down the planet. Yes. Well, what about it, Mindy.

[Reggie]

Well, maybe it is.

[Mindy Thomas]

What are you talking about?

[Reggie]

I'm talking about throwing shade.

[Mindy Thomas]

Throwing shade? You mean that new TV show where two people sit down and insult each other in front of a live studio audience?

[Guy Raz]

I say your fashion sense is little more than that of a wiffle waffling saddle goose.

[Dennis]

Why would you say that? Ah, let's throw chairs.

[Reggie]

I'm not talking about the TV show Throwing Shade, Guy Raz. I'm talking about the Olympic event where you hurl umbrellas like javelins.

[Mindy Thomas]

Really?

[Reggie]

No, I'm talking about a brand new research project from Harvard University where these scientists plan to basically create a great big parasol for the Earth.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wow. For real?

[Reggie]

Yeah. But instead of using fabric like your parasol here, these scientists are going to be using ant antacid to help control the temperatures down here on Earth.

[Mindy Thomas]

Antacid? You mean like the kind of medicine you might take if you have an upset tummy?

[Reggie]

Yep, same stuff.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, yeah, that's what I use to control my toots.

[Reggie]

Gesundheit.

[Guy Raz]

Pardon.

[Mindy Thomas]

So, Mindy, how in the world are these scientists gonna use stomach medication to help cool down the planet?

[Reggie]

Well, Guy Ra is the technical name for this. Stomach medication is calcium carbonate, and it's the same stuff found in snail shells and limestone. And what these scientists are hoping to do is to release particles of this shiny and reflective chemical into our atmosphere to reflect some of the sunlight back out into space and bring temperatures under control here on Earth.

[Mindy Thomas]

Kind of like how this parasol is blocking out some of the sunlight on us and keeping us cool.

[Reggie]

Exact oritos. It's a process called geosolar engineering, which is basically just a fancy way of saying altering the atmosphere.

[Mindy Thomas]

Geo. Solar engineering, huh? I think I've heard about this before, Mindy.

[Reggie]

Oh yeah, yeah.

[Mindy Thomas]

What you're talking about is humans purposely altering the atmosphere to try and lower the global temperature.

[Reggie]

Uh huh.

[Mindy Thomas]

But you know, this. This kind of geosolar engineering happens from time to time in the natural world.

[Reggie]

It does?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah. Especially after volcanic eruptions.

[Reggie]

Volcanic eruptions?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, After a volcano erupts, it spews tons and tons of dirt and sulfur way up into our atmosphere and it blocks out the sunlight and creates a sort of giant parasol around the planet.

[Reggie]

Just like what these scientists are trying to do.

[Mindy Thomas]

Exactly. In fact, there was a famous case of this. In 1963, a volcano in Indonesia erupted and it lowered the Earth's average temperature by 0.7 degrees Fahrenheit that year.

[Reggie]

Wow. Was it because the ash from the volcano threw shade over that Part of the planet.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, that's what the scientists concluded.

[Reggie]

Whoa. That's so. Wow.

[Guy Raz]

Balloons here. Get your balloons here.

[Reggie]

I'm gonna get me some raccoons. Where's my pocketbook? Grandma G Force, where'd you come from? I've been here this whole time. You didn't recognize me on account of Fingerling made me into a sand mermaid? I got flippers. Huh? They don't work.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, balloons here, get your balloons.

[Reggie]

Oh, I want one. Excuse me, sir? Sir?

[Guy Raz]

Yes, hello ma'. Am. Hi.

[Reggie]

Yes, I would like one of your finest balloons, please.

[Guy Raz]

Well, these are all the finest I've got. Gas hopper, cluster water, solar fire, observation, decoy weather. And if you're looking to spend the big bucks, I've got a hot air balloon back in my van.

[Reggie]

Hmm. I will take one weather balloon. Please and thank you. That's the type of balloon that they're planning to use to spread the calcium carbonate into our atmosphere to make that giant chemical parasol.

[Guy Raz]

Okey dokey. Here you go. One eight foot diameter weather balloon. It's filled with helium, so if you let it go, you're probably not going to see it again.

[Reggie]

Whoops. I let it go. Sorry.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, okay, here's another one. Make sure to hold tight this time. Will that be all?

[Reggie]

No, actually, that's not all. You would. You didn't happen to have a couple of pounds of calcium carbonate on you, would you?

[Guy Raz]

Nope. Sorry. Just sold my last bucketful to that lady down there.

[Reggie]

This ain't no sherbert. Are you licking Fingerling?

[Guy Raz]

No way, dude.

[Reggie]

Oh, is she eating the calcium carbonate?

[Mindy Thomas]

Grandma G Force, don't eat the calcium carbonate.

[Reggie]

Yeah, don't eat it. I'll do what I want.

[Guy Raz]

That's. That's true. She does.

[Mindy Thomas]

Ok, so what does this balloon have to do with climate change, Mindy?

[Dennis]

What?

[Reggie]

Oh, right, yeah. So those scientists from Harvard University are going to get that calcium carbonate up into the atmosphere with a weather balloon? Well, with a custom made weather balloon. So it might look a little different from this one.

[Mindy Thomas]

Right, right. So how would it work?

[Reggie]

Okay, so later this year, these scientists plan to send this specialized weather balloon 12 miles up into our atmosphere, where it would then use a propeller to stir the calcium carbonate into clouds, which.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hopefully will then reflect some sunlight back.

[Reggie]

Out into space and cool the planet. Right.

[Mindy Thomas]

So why calcium carbonate, Mindy? I mean, I know it's super reflective, but why not something else?

[Reggie]

Well, I mean, you can't just go around putting anything you want into the atmosphere.

[Mindy Thomas]

That is true. I mean, putting too much Carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is what got us into this climate change conundrum in the first place.

[Reggie]

Right, so the scientists did a bunch of testing with a bunch of different chemicals and found that heavy metals, like chlorine, for example, would be bad and toxic for the environment.

[Mindy Thomas]

And what about sulfur? Because that's the primary chemical that's found in all those volcanic eruptions.

[Reggie]

Well, they tested that, too, and found that calcium carbonate is even less harmful than that, and it could even help heal some of the damage that has already been done.

[Mindy Thomas]

That's amazing.

[Reggie]

But. And this is a big but.

[Guy Raz]

I get it.

[Reggie]

This is not a solution to climate change.

[Mindy Thomas]

But, Mindy, I thought you said this was gonna reduce temperatures here on Earth.

[Reggie]

Well, that's the idea, but it won't last forever.

[Mindy Thomas]

So this is just a temporary plan?

[Reggie]

Exactly. Think of it like putting tape over your leaky nose. It's gonna hold your snot in for a while, but eventually, you're gonna have to get a new nose. But if this works, it will dolphinitely buy us more time.

[Mindy Thomas]

And, boy, do we need all the time we can get. By the way, did you ever read that IPCC report I sent you?

[Reggie]

Uh, the ICUPP report?

[Mindy Thomas]

No, Mindy. The ipcc. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

[Reggie]

Oh, right, the ICMEPP report. Ah, yes. No, I did not see that. What did it say?

[Mindy Thomas]

The ipcc, or Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, is a group of scientists from all over the world who've gotten together to try and figure out how we can stop and hopefully reverse climate change.

[Reggie]

And what did they figure out?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, in a report they released in 2018, they said that we have just 12 years to turn this ship around and start reducing our impact on the climate.

[Reggie]

Oh, man. So even though solar geoengineering might not be a permanent solution to climate change, it could help buy us some more time to figure out how to do that.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, that's the idea.

[Dennis]

Incoming.

[Guy Raz]

It's raining volleyballs. Climate change is here.

[Mindy Thomas]

Mr. Fingerling, are you all right?

[Guy Raz]

Oh, yeah, sorry. I just had a bad dream is all. Now who's hitting volleyballs at my noggin?

[Dennis]

Reggie did it. Dennis. Mindy. Guy, little help.

[Mindy Thomas]

I don't suppose you guys want to play doubles? Mindy, do you want to play?

[Reggie]

I'm in.

[Guy Raz]

I was a volleyball champ in 1932. Back then we called it Lofty Smash.

[Reggie]

What about teams of three? And we all use Dennis for the ball.

[Dennis]

Oh, ha ha.

[Reggie]

Fine.

[Dennis]

Teams of three. But we're playing by European standardized rules and I will be enforcing them. Now. When it comes to the utilized rules of the so called five in one system, I think it goes without saying that we should only be allowed wow. That was so cool. I didn't remember all that stuff about using calcium carbonate to shade the planet because Reggie, I was busy being really great at beach volleyball. I did not cheat. If anyone cheated, it was you. Uh huh. When you served the ball, your toe was over the line. What? I did not touch the net. Nuh nuh nuh. Okay fine. I demand a rematch. Right, let's wrap up the show and then it is on. Reggie, thanks to all you listeners out there for tuning in to Wee Wow on the Weekend. If you have a question for me, call and leave me a message at 1-888-7-WOW-WOW. That's 1-888-7-WWOW. I just might answer your question on Wee Wow on the weekend. Okay, it's go time. Come on. Oh your tail is so toast Reggie. And don't forget the volleyball and my sunscreen and my sunglasses and my full body swim master swimsuit and my sand repelling pop up cabana and my.

[Reggie]

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

[Mindy Thomas]

Join Wondery 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.

[Dennis]

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 Wee Wow is composed and performed by Tyler Thole. Special thanks to Jessica Bode, Rebecca Caban, Dr. Natasha Crandall, Kenny Curtis, Kristin Yang, Meredith Helpern, Ranzer, Thuy Mack, Jody Nussbaum, Ali Paxima, 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 podcasts 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 right. We wow. Wow.

[Reggie]

Wow in the World was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery Parents.

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