WeWow Summer Week - Day 5: Freezer Burned (7/11/25)

Summary

Wow in the World: Episode Summary – "WeWow Summer Week - Day 5: Freezer Burned" (Released July 11, 2025)

Hosts: Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz

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Introduction

In the fifth installment of the "WeWow Summer Week" series, titled "Freezer Burned," hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz delve into the intriguing world of ice cream science. This episode blends educational content with entertaining storytelling, exploring the challenges of ice cream melting and the innovative solutions scientists are developing to keep our favorite frozen treat perfect even on the hottest days.

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The Melting Dilemma: Why Ice Cream Can't Keep Its Cool

The episode kicks off with a lighthearted conversation about the perennial problem of ice cream melting too quickly, leading to "freezer burned" buns and messy hands. Guy Raz introduces the core issue:

Guy Raz [12:00]: "As delicious as ice cream can be, these warm temperatures can melt it faster than we can eat it."

Mindy Thomas builds on this by highlighting the common frustration of enjoying a scoop that quickly turns into a liquid mess, setting the stage for the episode's exploration of scientific breakthroughs aimed at solving this delectable dilemma.

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Scientific Breakthrough: Melt-Resistant Ice Cream

Mindy excitedly shares news of a significant scientific discovery that promises to revolutionize how we enjoy ice cream:

Mindy Thomas [12:14]: "I'm talking about a newly discovered recipe for melt-resistant ice cream."

This breakthrough involves the use of cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), derived from banana plant waste, to create ice cream that melts more slowly. The hosts explain how researchers from Colombia and the University of Guelph in Canada collaborated to extract these microfibers from banana rachis, a typically discarded byproduct of banana harvesting.

Mindy Thomas [21:08]: "They're called cellulose nanofibrils, or CNFs for short."

By incorporating CNFs into the ice cream mixture, scientists found that the ice cream not only resisted melting but also achieved a creamier texture in low-fat formulations. This dual benefit addresses both sustainability and health-conscious consumers' desires.

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The Adventure Begins: Mindy and Guy's Quest for CNF

To bring the science to life, the episode transitions into a playful narrative where Mindy and Guy embark on a whimsical adventure in an ice cream truck. Their mission? To secure more banana plant waste necessary for producing melt-resistant ice cream.

Mindy Thomas [15:10]: "But it has everything to do with ice cream not melting. So, you ready to go find the secret?"

The duo's journey takes them through imaginative scenarios, including navigating the treacherous Darien Gap—a real-world, roadless jungle area between Panama and Colombia. This segment serves to humorously illustrate the lengths to which scientists might go to obtain sustainable materials for innovative products.

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Understanding Cellulose Nanofibrils (CNF)

Back in the studio, the hosts provide a more detailed explanation of CNFs:

Guy Raz [20:31]: "And you mentioned that they're perennial herbs."

They discuss how CNFs, being thousands of times smaller than human hair, can enhance the structural integrity of ice cream, preventing rapid melting without compromising taste or texture. This scientific insight emphasizes the intersection of sustainability and culinary innovation.

Mindy Thomas [22:08]: "They added teeny tiny CNF fibers in different amounts to scoops of ice cream mix."

The conversation highlights the practical applications of this discovery, including longer shelf-life for ice cream products and reduced food waste, aligning with broader environmental goals.

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Competitive Landscape and Future Prospects

As the discussion progresses, Mindy and Guy touch upon the competitive nature of scientific advancements in the food industry:

Mindy Thomas [23:31]: "Well, the next step is to be the first to get this melt-resistant ice cream onto freezer shelves and into grocery stores all over the world."

They compare this breakthrough to other scientific discoveries, such as using compounds from strawberries and proteins from Scotland to achieve similar goals. However, Mindy emphasizes the unique advantage of their CNF-based solution.

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Interactive Experiment: Testing the New Ice Cream Recipe

In a hands-on demonstration, Mindy decides to experiment with the CNF recipe herself:

Mindy Thomas [24:27]: "Guy Raz, hand me those banana stalks in a straw."

Despite attempting to create her version of melt-resistant ice cream, the experiment humorously backfires, resulting in a messy outcome that underscores the complexities of food science. This segment reinforces the trial-and-error nature of scientific innovation while keeping the tone light and engaging.

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Conclusion

The episode wraps up with Mindy and Guy reflecting on their adventurous quest and the potential impact of CNFs on the future of ice cream. They encourage listeners to explore more about this scientific breakthrough and share their own "Summer of Wow" moments.

Mindy Thomas [26:16]: "If you like wow in the world, you can listen early and ad free right now on Wondery."

This blend of informative content and entertaining storytelling effectively demystifies complex scientific concepts, making them accessible and enjoyable for both children and their grown-up companions.

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Key Takeaways

• Innovative Science: Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) offer a promising solution to slow down ice cream melting, enhancing both texture and shelf-life.

• Sustainability: Utilizing banana plant waste promotes environmentally friendly practices by repurposing agricultural byproducts.

• Practical Impact: This discovery has the potential to transform the ice cream industry, making low-fat options creamier and more sustainable.

• Engaging Education: The episode successfully combines scientific education with entertaining narratives, fostering curiosity and excitement about everyday science.

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Notable Quotes

• Guy Raz [12:00]: "As delicious as ice cream can be, these warm temperatures can melt it faster than we can eat it."

• Mindy Thomas [12:14]: "I'm talking about a newly discovered recipe for melt-resistant ice cream."

• Mindy Thomas [21:08]: "They're called cellulose nanofibrils, or CNFs for short."

• Guy Raz [22:08]: "Cellulose nanofibrils has a nice ring to it."

• Mindy Thomas [24:27]: "Guy Raz, hand me those banana stalks in a straw."

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Final Thoughts

"WeWow Summer Week - Day 5: Freezer Burned" is a stellar example of how "Wow in the World" seamlessly blends science, storytelling, and humor to engage and educate its young audience and their families. By tackling a familiar problem with a fresh perspective, Mindy and Guy inspire listeners to appreciate the wonders of scientific discovery in their everyday lives.

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 Thomas]

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 the 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]

Hey, yeah, it's summertime no homework, no school yeah, it's the hottest season Me and Reggie keeping it cool But Dennis.

[Guy Raz]

Is cooler than Reggie.

[Dennis]

School's out, sun's out Time for fun Hanging with my friends and everyone. No, I got it. I'm good. I'm good, I'm good. 2, 3, 4.

[Mindy Thomas]

We wow.

[Dennis]

Summer summer forever and ever we wild summer Showing up, relaxing and do cool stuff. Yeah. Wee wow, Summer. I don't know what kind of stuff. I will figure it out. Wee wow, Summer, yeah. Hello and welcome to Wee Wow. Summer Week. Summer fun forever and ever. That's right, Reggie. This is the week where we have all kinds of summer fun. But we couldn't think of Reggie. Do you hear that, Reggie? Ice cream truck. Ice cream truck. Ice cream truck.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hurry. No.

[Dennis]

Oh, thank goodness.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, hi, Dennis.

[Dennis]

Hi, Reg. Oh, Mindy, I thought you were the ice cream man again.

[Mindy Thomas]

Dennis, hurry.

[Dennis]

I need some ice cream right now.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, sorry, Dennis. I'm all out of ice cream.

[Dennis]

What?

[Mindy Thomas]

No, but I have some other treats if you want.

[Dennis]

Ooh, like what?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, let's see here. I've got some delicious minestrone soup.

[Dennis]

Soup? I don't want hot soup, Mindy. It's summer.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, I guess I could freeze it.

[Dennis]

Ew, no. How about an ice cream sandwich?

[Mindy Thomas]

How about a tuna sandwich?

[Dennis]

Yuck. Oh, wait, Reggie wants one.

[Mindy Thomas]

Here you go, Reggie.

[Dennis]

Mindy, I want ice cream.

[Mindy Thomas]

I have iceberg lettuce.

[Dennis]

No ice cream.

[Mindy Thomas]

Ooh, cream cheese.

[Dennis]

Why do you only have deli things?

[Mindy Thomas]

Cause I woke up this morning with a hankering for a Reuben, and then just one thing led to another and a.

[Dennis]

It's so hot out, and I just want a cold dessert that's not fish or soup.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, well, let me just check the freezer here. How do you feel about frozen ripe bananas, huh? Ooh, I got an idea.

[Dennis]

Hooray. An idea.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, blender. Just gonna shove these frozen bananas in here and a couple of handfuls of peanut butter. One.

[Dennis]

I like that.

[Mindy Thomas]

Now we just need a little fat to tie this mixture together. Let's see here. Ooh, coconut oil. That'll Work.

[Dennis]

Oh, boy.

[Mindy Thomas]

Ugh. It's really hard to squeeze the oil out of a coconut. Then we mix, mix, mix it, mix it, mix it, mix it, mix it. Mix this. And scoop it into a bowl. Ta da. Here you go, Dennis. One bowl of banana peanut butter ice cream. Hold the cream.

[Dennis]

Ice cream. Oh, that's good. Mindy, I need this recipe.

[Mindy Thomas]

Actually, Dennis, this recipe and more can be found on the Tinkercast website. Grown ups. Just go to tinkercast.com wewow that's tinkercast.com wewow to check it out.

[Dennis]

Oh, and remember, devoted listeners, don't forget to call with your summer Wows.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, yeah. And if you got a big summer wow memory you want to share with us, call us at 1-888-7-WOW-WOW. That's 1-888-7- wow Wow. And Dennis and Reggie and me will all be waiting by the answering machine for your call.

[Dennis]

You just might hear your Summer of Wow moment featured on wow in the World.

[Mindy Thomas]

This summer, we should listen to an episode of wow in the World, Dennis.

[Dennis]

Good idea, Mindy. In the spirit of ice cream, let's listen to this one.

[Mindy Thomas]

Uh, which one is it?

[Dennis]

It's wow in the World, Season 2, Episode 33 called Now Watch Me Drip, Drip. The Science of Slower Melting Ice Cream.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh yeah, that's a good one.

[Dennis]

Alright, here we go. And play.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wee. Wow will be right back. Grown ups. This message is for you.

[Unknown]

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[Mindy Thomas]

That'S it. Now back to the show.

[Guy Raz]

What in the what?

[Mindy Thomas]

Mindy. Hey, Guy Raz, check out my sweet new ride.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, where did you get an ice cream truck?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, hang on a sec, Guy Raz. I'll be right there.

[Guy Raz]

Her truck is called A Midsummer Night's Cream.

[Mindy Thomas]

You just got served. Soft served.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, when did you get in the business of selling ice cream?

[Mindy Thomas]

I don't know. About an hour ago. See, Guy Raz, a wise old owl once told me that the secret to life is to find what you love doing the most and to get paid for it. So with that, I had to throw starting a podcast out the window and do the thing I love second most. Ice cream.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, first of all, that wise old owl was me. And second of all, it looks like you've got your profits dripping all over your face.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, as a responsible business boss lady, I had to test out my product before opening it up to the public.

[Guy Raz]

Well, let me clean that off for you. Here, I've got a handkerchief in my pocket.

[Mindy Thomas]

No, no, not the spitty handkerchief.

[Guy Raz]

Now let me see your face. Okay, almost.

[Mindy Thomas]

All right.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, all right, almost.

[Mindy Thomas]

There.

[Guy Raz]

There. All cleaned up.

[Mindy Thomas]

Disgusting.

[Guy Raz]

Guy Raz, that's the problem with ice cream.

[Mindy Thomas]

Mindy, you found a problem with ice cream?

[Guy Raz]

Well, as delicious as ice cream can be, these warm temperatures can melt it faster than we can eat it.

[Mindy Thomas]

Ah, yes, the ol. Creamy, creamy, melty, melty conundrum.

[Guy Raz]

The what?

[Mindy Thomas]

But boy, howdy, do I have some good news for you, Guy Raz. Because there's some new science that says that that's all about to change.

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Mindy Thomas]

And soon our sticky finger lickin days will be gone for good.

[Guy Raz]

What do you mean?

[Mindy Thomas]

I'm talking about a newly discovered recipe for melt resistant ice cream.

[Guy Raz]

Ice cream that will melt in your mouth but not in your hands.

[Mindy Thomas]

Guy Raz, this could be the biggest scientific breakthrough of the 21st century.

[Guy Raz]

Well, that might be a bit overstating things. I mean, there was the discovery of stem cel cells to grow human organs. And the discovery of Water on Mars.

[Mindy Thomas]

And the, ahem, back to melt resistant ice cream.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, right. So what's the scoop?

[Mindy Thomas]

The scoop? The scoop is that these Colombian researchers got together with these scientists from the University of Guelph in Canada and found a secret ingredient that would make ice cream nearly unmeltable. Or at least melt in slow motion.

[Guy Raz]

What's the secret ingredient, Mindy?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, if I told you, then it wouldn't be a secret then, would it?

[Guy Raz]

Well, since when are you able to.

[Mindy Thomas]

Keep a secret, Guy Raz? I am not going to tell you what the secret ingredient is. I'm gonna show you what the secret ingredient is.

[Guy Raz]

Well, what's the difference?

[Mindy Thomas]

Hop in the midsummer night's cream truck, Guy Raz. Just watch out for the sprinkle party down there on the floor. Had a little accident.

[Guy Raz]

Are you sure that this thing is safe to ride in, Mindy?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yes, of course. I'm not sure it's safe to ride in, Guy Raz. Now go ahead and strap yourself into that vat of cookies and cream over there.

[Guy Raz]

There are no seats in this ice cream truck.

[Mindy Thomas]

And I thought this truck was high maintenance.

[Guy Raz]

My buns are freezer burning. My buns are freezer burning.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, wait, there's a seat that someone left on the curb over there. Hold tight, little buddy. I'll hop out and grab it for you.

[Guy Raz]

But, Mindy, that's a.

[Mindy Thomas]

Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back. Run, run, run, run, run. Hey, guys. Just thought this chair is sitting right here. Do you mind if I take it? Ow. Did you just punch me? Pleasure doing business with you guys. Thank you very much. Maybe I'll run into you again sometimes.

[Guy Raz]

Uh, Mindy?

[Mindy Thomas]

Sorry, I had to fight off a pack of wild squirrels for it.

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Mindy Thomas]

But it's still mostly in one piece. Squirrel's got the sippy cup holder.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, that's a child's car seat.

[Mindy Thomas]

Now we're just going to squeeze you in. Squiggling. Stay still, Guy Raz. Ah, too tight. Too tight. There. Now you're not going anywhere for the rest of your life.

[Guy Raz]

We better not be going too far.

[Mindy Thomas]

Nah, just a quick drive to South America.

[Guy Raz]

South America? Mindy, what does this have to do with melting ice cream?

[Mindy Thomas]

Nothing.

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Mindy Thomas]

But it has everything to do with ice cream not melting. So, you ready to go find the secret?

[Guy Raz]

Start up the engine, Mindy. Yes, Anything for science.

[Mindy Thomas]

Anything. Thing for science, Guy Raz. Now hand me that wire coat hanger over there so I can start this baby up.

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Mindy Thomas]

Shove that in there and. Huh. Try this Again. Hmm. I wonder what's.

[Guy Raz]

Are we there yet?

[Mindy Thomas]

Nope, still got a ways to go.

[Guy Raz]

Are we there yet, Guy Raz?

[Mindy Thomas]

You'll know when we get there, because we'll be there.

[Guy Raz]

Okay. Are we there yet, Guy Raz? What? Are we there yet?

[Mindy Thomas]

No. We've hit a little snag in our travel plans.

[Guy Raz]

Uh, snag?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, we've made it all the way to Panama. So that's the good news.

[Guy Raz]

Uh, and what's the bad news?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, we ran out of highway.

[Guy Raz]

We ran out of what?

[Mindy Thomas]

This Pan American highway in Central America. We've reached the end, and now we've hit the Darien Gap that connects us to South America.

[Guy Raz]

Wait, I've heard of the Darien Gap. Mindy, we're almost there. We're almost to Colombia.

[Mindy Thomas]

Not so fast, Guy Raz. The Darien Gap is a major swath of roadless jungle and swampland that sits right between us here in Panama and our destination in Colombia, South America.

[Guy Raz]

Hmm. No roads, huh?

[Mindy Thomas]

Nope.

[Guy Raz]

And you said jungle and swampland?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yep.

[Guy Raz]

So I guess we only have one choice left, and that's to turn around.

[Mindy Thomas]

Ice cream truck into hyperdrive.

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Mindy Thomas]

Put this ice cream bucket on your head, Guy Raz, and hold on for your life.

[Guy Raz]

You want me to.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yes.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, what does any of this have to do with the secret ingredient to melt resistant ice cream?

[Mindy Thomas]

Brace yourself, Guy Raz. This is gonna be a rocky. Sorry, Sorry. Back. It's fixed. Now, that was crazy.

[Guy Raz]

When did you learn to drive like that, Mindy?

[Mindy Thomas]

Grandma G Force taught me how to drive monster trucks before I could even crawl.

[Guy Raz]

Of course she did.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, Guy Raz, you ready to explore the new science of ice cream that will melt in your mouth, not in your hand?

[Guy Raz]

You know, I almost forgot why we were even on this wild adventure.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, first things first. Take a look over there.

[Guy Raz]

Where?

[Mindy Thomas]

Over there.

[Guy Raz]

Well, all I see are a bunch of people harvesting bananas.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, that's it. Now, we're gonna sneak over there, and you're going to distract them while I grab all of their banana waste.

[Guy Raz]

Wha. I'm not sure I follow.

[Mindy Thomas]

Guy Raz, look at me. Look me in the eye. Okay, now, you're just going to have to trust me when I tell you that this next part is going to be very, very important. Important to our mission. Okay, you ready?

[Guy Raz]

No.

[Mindy Thomas]

Now, just tiptoe behind me. When we get close, you do something to distract them, and I'll sweep in and snatch the goods, okay?

[Guy Raz]

Well, if it's trash, couldn't we just walk up and Ask for it.

[Mindy Thomas]

Why would we want to do that? Guy Raz? Come on, let's go.

[Guy Raz]

Creep, creep, creep, creep, creep, creep.

[Mindy Thomas]

Quick, now distract them so they don't notice me.

[Guy Raz]

Okay. I'm a little teapot short Short and stout Here is my handle and here is my.

[Mindy Thomas]

Got it. Come on, Guy Raz, let's get out of here.

[Guy Raz]

But I wasn't finished with my song. I'm a little teapot short and. Hey, she took our garbage, so. Oh, yeah. So long.

[Dennis]

Hey, Mindy, wait up.

[Guy Raz]

What are you running for? You're practically doing their job for them.

[Mindy Thomas]

What? Guy Raz, get in the ice cream truck before they catch us.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, we're running off with their garbage. Trust me, no one's trying to catch us.

[Mindy Thomas]

Did you just say garbage? You call all this garbage?

[Guy Raz]

Well, you've got bushels of inedible banana stock, so. Yeah, pretty sure that's the definition of garbage.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, then what if I told you that these bushels of banana stock garbage held the secret ingredient to melt resistant ice cream? Huh?

[Guy Raz]

Go on.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, as you can see here, bananas grow on plants in places like Columbia, South America, and not in our neighborhood grocery store.

[Guy Raz]

Please tell me that's not the secret.

[Mindy Thomas]

And they grow in bunches on these tree, like perennial herbs.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, looking at these banana plants, I can see that they look sort of like trees. Hey, look, some of them are almost 30ft tall, and they have pretty sturdy stems, but they're not woody like an actual tree. So what about their trunks?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, those aren't actually trunks at all.

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Mindy Thomas]

They're pseudostems, which means that they're made up of leaves packed really, really tightly together.

[Guy Raz]

And because they're packed so tightly together, that's what makes those stems hard.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yep.

[Guy Raz]

And you mentioned that they're perennial herbs.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, so? Perennial is just a fancy pants way of saying a plant that lives for more than two years.

[Guy Raz]

And an herb is any plant that makes seeds and doesn't have a woody stem and also dies down to the ground after flowering.

[Mindy Thomas]

But a perennial herb will come back to life year after year after year.

[Guy Raz]

Like these banana plants.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yep. Or lilies or orchids. They're perennial herbs, too.

[Guy Raz]

So what about all this banana plant waste that you just sn snatched away from the harvesters? It looks like they were throwing it away after plucking the banana bunches from it.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, yeah, Here. This stalk is called Arrakis. And once harvesters pick the banana bunches, they just get rid of it.

[Guy Raz]

But.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, this is a big butt, Mindy. But these Researchers had a hunch that maybe, just maybe, there was more to these banana rachis than just garbage.

[Guy Raz]

So what did they do?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, they started to extract or suck out of these rachis these teeny tiny microfibers or threads. Threads that have no smell or taste and are thousands of times smaller than the width of a human hair.

[Guy Raz]

Do these tiny fibers or threads have a name?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, but it's a mouthful.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, well, try me.

[Mindy Thomas]

They're called cellulose nanofibrils, or CNFS for short. Huh.

[Guy Raz]

Cellulose nanofibrils has a nice ring to it. So when they got these fibers out of the plant, what did they do with them?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, they sprinkled them on their ice cream. Uh, okay, so maybe it was a little more complicated than that because, you know, scientists.

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Mindy Thomas]

Anywho, they added teeny tiny CNF fibers in different amounts to scoops of ice cream mix.

[Guy Raz]

And what did they find?

[Mindy Thomas]

They found that with just the right amount of CNF fibers mixed in, that the ice cream lasted longer than the ice cream we're used to eating.

[Guy Raz]

And by lasting longer, you mean?

[Mindy Thomas]

I mean that it lasted longer in the freezer without going bad, longer in the store, and longer in these researchers hands because it wasn't melting like crazy.

[Guy Raz]

The secret to melt resistant ice cream.

[Mindy Thomas]

And that's not all.

[Guy Raz]

There's more.

[Mindy Thomas]

They also discovered that the CNF fibers from the banana plants helped low fat ice cream have a creamier texture. Meaning that low fat ice cream can now be as delicious as regular ice cream.

[Guy Raz]

Healthier ice cream. Now you're speaking my language, Mindy. So what's next?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, the next step is to be the first to get this melt resistant ice cream onto freezer shelves and into grocery stores all over the world.

[Guy Raz]

Wait, did you say the first?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, the competition is starting to heat up. And that could melt some scientists dreams.

[Guy Raz]

What do you mean?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, just last year, these Japanese scientists accidentally stumbled upon a discovery that a certain chemical found in strawberries could also help keep ice cream from melting for hours.

[Guy Raz]

You know, now that I think about it, I faintly remember reading a study out of Scotland last year where scientists found a protein that could help keep ice cream from melting on a hot day as well.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, but you know what I always say?

[Guy Raz]

Bonkerballs.

[Mindy Thomas]

No, I always say, why wait for science when you can just do it yourself?

[Guy Raz]

Oh no.

[Mindy Thomas]

What could possibly go wrong? Guy Raz, hand me those banana stalks in a straw.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, what?

[Mindy Thomas]

I'm going to suck the rakis out of the stock and add it to My own recipe and then make us some melt resistant ice cream. Right now.

[Guy Raz]

I'm pretty sure that's not how it works, Mindy.

[Mindy Thomas]

Here goes nothing.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, boy.

[Mindy Thomas]

Do these look like tiny fibers to you? Eh, close enough. Spitting them into the ice.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy. That doesn't.

[Mindy Thomas]

Mixing it up, Guy Raz. Waffle cone, sugar cone or parking cone?

[Guy Raz]

Parking cone.

[Mindy Thomas]

Pine cone it is.

[Guy Raz]

Huh?

[Mindy Thomas]

Ice cream keeps falling off there. Okay, here you go, Guy Raz. I call this flavor banana conda.

[Guy Raz]

Huh?

[Mindy Thomas]

Now step outside the ice cream truck and see if it doesn't melt all over your hands.

[Guy Raz]

Anything for science. Anything for science. Anything for science.

[Mindy Thomas]

Any updates? What's happening? Is it melting?

[Guy Raz]

Well, Mindy, it appears that your experiment has left me covered in ice cream soup.

[Mindy Thomas]

Man. Wonder where I went wrong.

[Guy Raz]

Well, it all started when you rolled up in this falling apart ice cream truck and then drove me through swampy jungles to South America. And then.

[Mindy Thomas]

Speaking of which, we should probably head back. I'm losing business down here. This place is bananas.

[Guy Raz]

Well, let me at least get back into the truck before you take off.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, wait, wait.

[Guy Raz]

The truck won't start.

[Mindy Thomas]

What are we gonna do? Well, I'm afraid there's only one thing we can do, Guy Raz Ra 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 Thomas]

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 Wee Wow. Our show is written by Ruth Morrison and Jed Anderson. The role of baby Dennis is played by Jed Anderson. Oh, well then who plays the role of Big Dennis? Never you mind. Tee hee. Original sound design and production is done by Henry Moskal and Marion Lozano with Helen From, Jett Anderson and Tyler Thole. Original music for Wewow is composed and performed by Tyler Thole. Special thanks to Jessica Bode, Rebecca Caban, Dr. Natasha Crandall, Kenny Curtis, Lizzie Froehlich, Kristin Yang, Meredith Halpin, Ranzer, Twee Mac, Erica Medina, Henry Muskill, Jody Nussbaum, Ali Paksima, Guy Raz, Linda Rothenberg, Steph Sosa, Mindy Thompson, 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 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 Weeknds. And remember who Wows? I wow. No, baby, Dennis.

[Mindy Thomas]

We Wow. All right.

[Dennis]

We wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

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