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A
Hey, Wowzer fams. Mindy and Guy Raz here. And before we start the show, we've got a little surprise for you. Reggie, cue the fanfare.
B
Starting this week, we've got brand new episodes of wow in the World.
A
Yep, that's right. Starting right here on our wow in the World podcast feed. And also our YouTube channel, WowTube. You can watch now@tinkercast.com.
B
well, what are we waiting for? Let's get back to the show.
C
Ah, ah, ah, ah.
D
We wow on the weekend. We wow on the weekend. We wow on the weekend. Cause this is what we do on the weekend. Talking, laughing. Me and Reggie singing, laughing. And then we. Oh, wait, no, I said laughing twice. Whatever. Wee wow on the weekend. Yeah, we wow on the weekend.
C
Laugh, quack.
D
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, my co host. Good morning, Reggie. Oh, I agree. Sundaes are the best. You got the whipped cream and the chopped nuts and the hot fudge caramel swirl. Oh, you don't mean ice cream. You mean, like, Sunday's the day? Well, I suppose I like Sunday days, too. Yeah, I have my whole Sunday routine. First, I sleep in, and then my alarm goes off and I hit snooze for five minutes, and then I hit it for five more minutes, and then one more time for 15 minutes. And then I have my morning tea while I read gossip magazines. And then I go outside and say good morning to all my plants. And then you come over and we do the show. All right. And then I eat breakfast cereal right out of the box with my bare, dirty hands while you set up the microphone. Speaking of which, I should finish my breakfast real quick. Sorry, Reggie. No, that was the last handful. There's just cereal dust left. Reggie, what do you do on Sunday mornings? Sunday brunch. I love Sunday brunch. We should make Sunday brunch right now.
C
No, wait.
D
We should make a whole little brunchy restaurant. Let's do it. We just passed breakfast, but it's not time for lunch, so we're making some brunch at our brunchy restaurant. Welcome, everyone, to Dennis and Reggie's brunchy little restaurant. Okay, Reggie, what are we serving for brunch today? No, we don't have that. Or that. Or that, Reggie. Nothing with bugs in it. Ew. Okay, let me check the desk drawer and see what we got. Okay, we have a juice box. Want some juice? Excellent. Here you go. Okay, off to a good start. Now we need an entree. Reggie. Pancakes. That sounds good. I think we could do that. What are pancake ingredients? Right, flour. What can we use for flour?
C
Um.
D
Ooh, cereal dust. Okay, let's just dump the dust onto my desk here. Now we need something wet to hold it together.
C
Um.
D
Oh, Reggie, give me some of your juice. I need it, Reggie. Thank you. Okay, now adding some juice. Now just mix, mix, mix, mix, mix. And then shaping this mess into little pancake shape
B
there.
D
I know, they're so cute and lumpy. No, I don't have a pancake griddle to cook them on. I'm just gonna use the microwave over by the TV that I use for making oatmeal while I watch cartoons. How long do you think I should cook them for? Yeah, probably an hour. There we go. Reggie, what should we name our brunchy little restaurant? Early Bird. Reggie. No, that's the Too Birdie and Early. How about Brunch and Munch? Okay, how about Brunch and Beyond? Uh, Brunch Boulevard. Brunchology. The brunchy little restaurant.
C
My pancakes. Turn it off, turn it off, turn it off, turn it off. What?
D
Close the restaurant, Reggie. No. Think of all the business we'll lose. Well, at least try the pancakes before you judge them. Fine, I'll try them. Oh, that's really bad. Okay, people, close the restaurant. No refunds. Okay, new idea. Let's change the restaurant to a podcast theater. Yeah, and people can come listen to old episodes of their favorite podcasts. Yeah, and we can serve dinner. It'll be a podcast dinner theater. What do we name it? How about Podcasts and Plates? Okay, how about Dine a Download? Okay, how about Dinner in Decibels? Okay, fine, we'll drop the dinner idea and we'll just serve podcasts. Speaking of which, it's time for a little segment I like to call Inside Tinkercast Studios.
C
Ahem.
D
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 seven called 3D Printing the Future.
C
Ooo, 3D printing.
D
Is that like when you print something out in the printer, but instead of a rectangle of paper, it's a cube of paper? No, yeah, no, I know what 3D printing is. Let's just. Let's just listen to the episode. Okay, here we go. And play.
C
Wee.
B
Wow.
A
Will be right back. Grown ups, this message is for you.
E
Hey, grownups. Spring is right around the corner, and as schedules fill up with activities and travel, let IXL help you stay on top of your child's learning. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that fits seamlessly into homeschooling. It offers interactive practice in math, language arts, science and social studies for grades Pre K through 12. IXL offers personalized learning for every child and gives parents clear insight into their progress at Tinkercast. Making learning fun is our bread and butter. So we love that IXL has games, awards and celebrations to keep students motivated and engaged. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and WOW in the world. Listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixl.com wow. Visit ixl.com wow to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price.
F
Hello, it's me, Karlie Q from who When Wow. Mystery Edition, and I have big news to share. I've learned a lot on my time traveling adventures over the years, like what to pack when you're traveling to Victorian England or the must try foods when you're visiting the Viking age.
A
Spoiler alert.
F
The food is pretty good, but they don't have pie yet, which is a bummer. I can't wait to share my time travel tips and tricks with you all.
A
You can listen to my new bite
F
sized episodes in the who When Wow podcast feed now. Looks like lunch break is over.
A
That's it. Now back to the show.
C
Well, in the world.
A
Okay, let's see here. The recipe that calls for two cups of flour. Why put in only two cups? I've got a whole bucket of flour. Yeah, that's gonna make a lot. Let's see, a dash of milk, maybe a little bit more. Couple of eggs. Hey, Reggie, can you please hand me those eggs over there? Thanks, buddy. I'm just gonna crack these babies on my forehead here and. Oh, man, I got yolk in my eye. It's okay, I'll just wipe it away. Let's see. Oh, a little bit of vanilla.
C
I love vanilla.
A
Just throw in the whole bottle, Reg. All right. And just a touch of sugar. Okay. Reggie, can you help me hoist this bag of sugar up?
C
Thanks.
A
Okay, just keep pouring. Yep, keep pouring. Keep pouring. You can never have too much sugar. Keep on pouring. Yeah, a little bit more there, that should do it. Ah, maybe a little bit more. Oh, come on in.
B
Hey, good morning, Mindy.
A
Oh, hey, Guy. Raz, you ready for our big annual Brunchapalooza?
B
You bet, Mindy. I've got everything we need right here. I brought a cantaloupe display.
A
Fancy.
B
I've got some of my homemade granola. Ooh. And my world famous ancient grain and wheat berry salad.
A
Oh, old grains. Yeah.
B
Oh, by the way, how are the pancakes coming?
A
Almost there. I just need to figure out how to. Hmm. How to get this thing working.
B
Mindy?
A
Yeah?
B
What are you doing with that printer?
A
Oh, yeah. So I was reading this article the other day about how 3D printing is changing our world. So I thought, why sit here like a caveman making pancakes on the stove when I can just 3D print them?
B
Well, that is true about 3D technology, but I don't think this is how it works.
A
Of course it is. I just put some eggs in the ink cartridge here, and then the flower I just shove in here and. Well, I guess I just thought I would pour the milk into this tray.
B
The paper tray. Yeah. I don't know. I think this is a bad idea.
A
Mindy, Guy Raz would have pancakes ever been a bad idea? Well, now excuse me while I just plug this baby in and press start. Um, I think it's gonna take a second to really power up the pancakes, you know what I mean?
C
See? There we go. Oh, does this mean it's working? Star for alive. Run, run, run, run, run, run. Quick, Mindy, Minnie, dance. Get behind the sofa while we're here.
A
Oh, boy, there's pancake batter everywhere.
B
My beautiful cantaloupe display is ruined.
C
Huh.
A
I can't quite put my finger on it, but I kind of feel like something went wrong with my 3D printed pancakes.
B
Mindy, what made you think this was a good idea?
A
Like I said, Guy Raz, I keep reading about how revolutionary this 3D printing technology is going to be, but every time I try to print out some pancakes, my printer just freaks out. Well, that's because short circuits and start spitting stuff back at me.
C
Well, that's or explodes.
B
Well, Mindy, that's because you just keep putting ingredients into your paper printer and hoping it'll make pancakes.
A
That's not how it works.
B
No, Mindy, a 3D printer is a machine that prints out very specific three dimensional objects.
A
Like pancakes?
B
Well, yeah, and actually, There is a 3D printer that's been designed to print pancakes. But it's so much cooler than that, Mindy. You can print out almost anything with a 3D printer. From forks and knives to plastic toys to metal machine parts.
A
Man, that's so. Wow. So how do these 3D printers work anyway?
B
Well, Mindy, first You design or download right onto your computer a 3.3D model of what you want to print out.
A
Okay, so you're talking about a three dimensional object.
B
Exactly. Something that isn't flat like a circle, but three dimensional like a sphere or a ball.
A
Gotcha. So how does this work?
B
So the way it works is you've got your 3D model inside the computer, and then a computer program kind of slices and dices it up into thousands and thousands of layers.
C
Cool.
B
And then the printer prints out each of these slices from the bottom up, layer by layer.
A
And then.
B
And then these layers stick together, and then at the end, you have a solid 3D object.
C
Wow.
A
Guy Raz. This might literally be the greatest invention since sliced bread. In fact, it basically is a loaf of bread, but in reverse.
B
A loaf of bread in reverse? What are you talking about, Mindy?
A
Well, it's like baking each individual slice of bread separately and then gluing them all together from the bottom up to create a whole loaf, huh?
B
Yeah, I guess you could put it that way.
A
So let me get this straight, Guy Raz. You can have a machine in your home that can create almost any object in a matter of hours?
B
That's exactly right, Mindy. They're kind of like tiny little factories.
A
Tiny little factories, huh?
C
Okay, everyone, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I just got word from the cops. It's going to be another long weekend. Excuse me. Excuse me. I don't call the shop, I call. Just following order. Guy Raz, here's your scroll. Tell them what's on your list of things to do. Okay, we need a small plastic fork,
A
a fidget spinner, and a human ear.
C
A human ear? What in the. Uh.
A
Hold the phone, Guy Raz. A human ear. Hey, Jed.
D
Yellow.
A
Can we rewind the tape?
C
Sure. Okay, we need a small plastic fork, a fidget spinner, and a human ear.
A
Yep, that's what I thought you said, Guy Raz. A human ear.
B
That's right, Mindy. It's a process called biofabrication, which is the scientific term for using machines like 3D printers to create living tissue and
A
tissue meaning skin and muscles and organs and guts, that sort of thing.
B
Exactly. These specialized medical 3D printers are able to print all kinds of living material using a similar technique to the one we talked about before. But instead of printing layer after layer in plastic, these 3D printers print their layers in stem cells. Huh.
A
Okay, so we know that cells are the building blocks for all living things, right?
B
Right.
A
And so stem cells are the cells in your body that can basically transform and then grow into any other cell in your body.
B
That's right. And generally speaking, if you put them near some skin cells, for example, they'll become skin cells. And if you put them next to some nerve cells, they'll become nerve cells
A
and so on, like a cellular chameleon.
B
And because of this amazing ability, stem cells are perfect for growing artificial skin or bones or even parts of the human heart.
C
That's so. Wow.
B
And Mindy, researchers from the University of California in Los Angeles and And the University of Edinburgh in Scotland have recently developed a way to 3D print ears for people who suffer from a condition called microtia.
A
Your whatchia.
B
Microtia. Microtia is a condition that results in a person's ear not fully developing when they're a baby. So it might look like a smaller ear on one side of your head.
A
Okay, so how exactly are these scientists using 3D printing to help these microtia patients?
B
Well, Mindy, microtia usually only affects one of the patient's ears. So the scientists start off by scanning the patient's good ear. Whoa. Then they use that scan to create a three dimensional model of the ear on a computer.
A
Oh, and can't forget to flip it around since it's for the other side of their head.
B
Right. And then they print out a 3D model of the ear out of a special kind of material that. That the stem cells can attach to. Kind of like Velcro.
C
This is so awesome.
B
The scientists then attach this model, complete with the stem cells, to the ear that they want to grow bigger. And then they wait.
A
Wait for what?
B
For the stem cells to do their thing.
A
Okay, this is taking forever.
B
Wait for it.
A
I gotta go to the bathroom.
B
Wait for it.
C
I can't wait. Wait.
B
Wait for it.
A
I'm warning you, I'm not wearing a diaper.
C
Almost there. I'm gonna spontaneously combust.
B
There. Finally.
A
I was just faking it.
B
So what's happening once the stem cells have transformed into cartilage cells?
A
Cartilage. Oh, that rubbery stuff that our ears and noses are made out of.
B
Mindy, stop pulling my cartilage. Y nose.
A
So rubbery.
B
Okay, where was I?
A
Stem cells. Cartilage.
B
Okay, so once the stem cel transformed into cartilage cells, the 3D model that they were attached to breaks down and leaves behind a fully formed ear.
A
Wow. I Wonder what other 3D body parts we could print off. You know, Guy Raz, I've always wanted a tail for counterbalance.
B
Yeah, you do fall over more often than you Should. Well, I don't know about a tail,
A
Mindy, but I want a 3D butt.
B
But 3D printing is being used in a bunch of different ways in the medical industry. There are experiments happening with things like printing arms and legs for people who may not have them, even artificial skin for people who might have been burned and lost some of their skin.
A
That is bonker balls, Guy Raz. You know, maybe it's time I swapped out my old paper printer for one of these fancy new gizmos.
B
Well, Mindy, if you and everyone else did, it would be a very different world. I mean, just imagine for a second. You've broken something.
C
Oh, no. What was it?
B
It's a hypothetical situation, Mindy. It really doesn't matter.
A
Is it my limited edition custom Guy Raz bobblehead doll?
B
Uh, you made a bobblehead of me?
A
Yeah, I keep it in my garden to scare the snails away.
B
Uh, okay, okay. So, for example, you've broken your limited edition custom bobblehead of me.
C
It had so much left to give,
B
and so you want to replace it, and then you find out that the bobblehead store has shut down and they can no longer make them. It can't be replaced.
A
This just keeps getting worse and worse.
B
Well, if you had a 3D printer in your home, you could just print a new one right there, right on the spot, from the comfort of your own living room.
A
Wow. So no going down to the store,
B
which means fewer cars on the road
A
and fewer delivery trucks and less packaging. And I guess there'd be no warehouses to store unused products in.
B
It would be a completely different world, Mindy. One where nothing is ever out of
A
stock and one with a lot less waste and packaging and pollution.
B
Exactamundo, Mindy.
A
And just think about it, Guy Raz. Where would be the toughest place in the entire universe to deliver something to? A place where there isn't much room for storage. A place with a lot of breakable things.
B
Well, doesn't your great Uncle Godfrey live in the Swiss Alps? I mean, that's pretty hard to get to. And even way up there, there's not much storage space. And, well, his yodeling is constantly breaking all of his glass.
C
Yodi? Yodi.
B
Yodelings.
C
Oh, no. Meinstein.
A
Good guess, Guy Raz. But the place I'm thinking about is out of this world.
B
You mean the International Space Station?
A
Give this guy a prize. You got it, buddy. 3D printing in space is now pretty normal. I mean, they've been doing this on the International space station since 2014. Mostly to print out new tools.
B
So next time they, like, lose a wrench up there, they could just boot up the old 3D printer and bust out a new one.
A
Exactoritos, Guy Raz.
B
Wow.
A
But that's not the only 3D printing that's going on in space.
B
It's not.
A
Okay, well, maybe it is right now, but it won't be for long, because NASA's next big 3D mission is to send a 3D printer to Mars.
B
To Mars?
A
Yep. Okay, so imagine this. You've just landed on Mars, it's taken you nine months to get there, and you're absolutely exhausted. Last thing you're gonna wanna do is to set up a tent, build your hotel, right?
B
Obviously.
A
Well, when those first travelers do get to Mars, they might just open the hatch to find a bunch of homey concrete domes ready and waiting for them.
B
Mindy, are you talking about first contact with aliens?
A
No, with autonomously 3D printed buildings, yes.
B
So let me see if I understand this, Mindy. NASA, the space agency, is sending a 3D printer to Mars to build structures for future astronauts. Even before they arrive?
A
Well, that's the plan. So NASA engineers from the University of Southern California have been working for years on a robot that works a lot like the traditional 3D printers, only way, way more powerful. So instead of printing in plastic, it uses.
B
Huh. Okay, well, if I look in my engineering cookbook right here, you just carry
A
that thing around with you?
B
Never leave home without it. Mindy. Let's see here. Yeah, concrete, rocks, sand, a touch of water, a sprinkle of chemicals. Mindy, am I right in assuming that this 3D printing robot on Mars. Mars. Will be using Martian dust and rocks to make this cement?
A
You know it, Guy Raz. And because of Mars atmosphere, which is pretty weak compared to here on Earth, these structures should be able to withstand anything the Martian landscape can throw at it.
B
That's incredible, Mindy.
A
Now, I'm just wondering what I could do if those NASA engineers let me replace some of that Martian dust with some flour.
B
Mindy.
A
A couple of egg.
B
Mindy, no.
A
Just hear me out, Guy raz. One enormous 3D printed pancake.
B
Okay, that does sound pretty great, Right? With a little bit of cantaloupe and some ancient grain and farro salad.
A
You gotta cut that out, man.
B
Maybe some kale leaves sprinkled around, a few organic.
D
Wow, that was so cool. That's what we need for our brunch restaurant, Reggie. A 3D pancake printer. We have to go to NASA right now and find out what kind of pancakes they can print. All right, let's wrap this up.
C
Ahem.
D
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-That's 1-888-7-WOW-WOW. I just might answer your question on Wee Wow on the weekend. Okay, let's go to NASA. Do you think NASA can print banana pancakes with chocolate chips and whipped cream?
C
And do you think they can print
D
the side of bacon and hash browns? Oh, and 3D print. Fresh squeezed orange juice and 3D print. Thanks for joining us for this edition of WEE Wow on the Weekend. Our show is written by Ruth Morrison and Jed Anderson. The role of Baby Dennis is played by Jed Anderson.
C
Ah, well, then who plays the role of Big Dennis?
D
Never you mind, Teehee. Original sound design and production is done by Henry Moskal with contributions from Jed Anderson and Tyler Thol. Original music for Wewow is composed and performed by Tyler Thole. Special thanks to Jessica Bode, Rebecca Caban, Dr. Natasha Crandall, Kenny Curtis, Lizzie Fralich, Kristin Yang, Meredith Halpin, Ranzer Thuy Mack, Erika Medina, Henry Muskill, Jodi Nussbaum, Ali Paxima, Guy Raz, Linda Rothenberg, Steph Sosa, Mindy Thomas, Joanna Weber, 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 hanging out in the basement this weekend. Be sure to check out episodes of wow in the World every Monday and remember who Wows.
C
I wow.
D
No, Baby Dennis. We wow.
C
All right. We wow. Wow in the World was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.
Podcast: Wow in the World
Host: Tinkercast
Episode: WeWow on the Weekend
Date: March 1, 2026
In this playful and energetic weekend episode, Dennis and his co-host Reggie whisk listeners through a mix of silly morning routines, a failed attempt at inventing a brunch restaurant, and a relisten to a classic episode of Wow in the World about 3D printing. Bursting with humor and curiosity, the show manages to sneak in real science about 3D printing technology, medical advances, and even space exploration—all in a style perfect for inquisitive kids and their grownups.
The episode is exuberant, goofy, and educational—balanced between rambunctious imagination and digestible science explanations. Jokes, funny voices, and absurd hypotheticals abound, but the science remains clear and fascinating, making complex technology accessible to kids.
This episode is a charming, laughter-filled dive into the wonders of 3D printing. Through outlandish scenarios, Mindy and Guy Raz illuminate real science—showing how printers are revolutionizing manufacturing, medicine, and even space travel—while Dennis and Reggie’s antics give the show a lively, relatable start and finish. It's a must-listen for families who love to wonder and laugh together!