MINDY THOMAS, HOST:
Hey, wowzer fams. Before we start the show, I have one big announcement to make for anyone coming to our Wow In The World Pop Up Party in Chicago on July 6. So here's the deal - VIP tickets have already sold out, but - and this is a big but - we are giving one lucky family a chance to have their tickets upgraded to VIP status with post-show meet-and-greet passes. Why? Because Guy Raz and I want to meet you - high-fives, photo ops, eye contact. We can even swap wows.
Grown-ups, for a chance to have your family's tickets upgraded, just visit our WOW IN THE WORLD page on Facebook by Friday, June 28, and look for the Chicago Pop Up Party event post. Let us know that you'll be there by clicking the Going button, and we will choose one lucky family to join our meet-and-greet after the show. And remember, you must already have your tickets to be eligible for the upgrade, so snag viewers today at tinkercast.com/events.
The Wow In The World Pop Up Party is happening at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 6, at the historic Chicago Theatre and is a WBEZ Podcast Passport event. For more info and tickets, visit tinkercast.com/events. That's it. Now let's get on with the show.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THE GOLDEN AGE (WOW IN THE WORLD PODCAST THEME SONG)")
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Stay seated. Three, two, one - ignition.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: Get ready for an adventure of magnificent proportion.
THE POP UPS: (Singing) I don't know what you've been told, but we're in a golden age - so many discoveries that are jumping off the page. Wow in the world. Wow in the world. Wow in the world. Wow in the world. Wow in the world. Wow in the world. Wow in the world. Wow in the world. Wow in the world.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #3: With Guy and Mindy.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: We're on our way, Houston.
THOMAS: (Singing) Baby shark - doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, da, doo. Baby shark - doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, da, doo (ph).
(SOUNDBITE OF KNOCKING)
GUY RAZ, HOST:
Mindy. Mindy. Where are you?
THOMAS: (Singing) Baby shark. Grandma shark - doo, doo...
RAZ: Mindy, we're going to be late.
THOMAS: (Singing) Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, da, doo.
RAZ: Where is she? She knows we have two tickets to the hot pickle and pepper eating championships.
THOMAS: (Singing) Stepdad shark - doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, da, doo.
(SOUNDBITE OF KNOCKING)
RAZ: Mindy, can you hear me?
THOMAS: (Singing) Guy Raz shark - doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, da, doo. Guy Raz shark - doo, doo...
RAZ: Sheesh. She must be in the shower. We're going to be a late.
THOMAS: (Singing) Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, da, doo. Guy Raz shark.
RAZ: Mindy, hurry up.
(SOUNDBITE OF DOORBELL)
THOMAS: Ah, hang on a second. I'll be right there. I'm just giving my new pet baby shark a bath. Yes, I am.
RAZ: Pet baby shark? What the?
(SOUNDBITE OF DOOR OPENING)
THOMAS: Good morning, Guy Raz.
RAZ: Ah.
THOMAS: Ugh. Why do you always do that whenever I'm holding a killer animal? You're going to scare him.
RAZ: Bah (ph).
THOMAS: Calm down, Guy Raz. Baby Lockjaw here's not going to eat you - pretty sure.
RAZ: Baby Lockjaw? Mindy, why are you cradling a baby shark in your arms?
THOMAS: Um, you mean - why am I cradling a baby rescue shark in my arms?
RAZ: Huh?
THOMAS: Guy Raz, I rescued him from babysharkrescue.com.
RAZ: A rescue shark?
THOMAS: Oh, yeah. Ever since that baby shark song came out, all these celebrities have been buying baby sharks as pets. But after they realize how much responsibility they take, well then...
RAZ: Well, what?
THOMAS: Well, they just dump them on the stairs in front of the babysharkrescue.com office downtown.
RAZ: But why did you decide to adopt one?
THOMAS: You mean rescue one.
RAZ: Yeah, rescue one. I mean, don't you think Lockjaw would be better off in, say, the ocean?
THOMAS: Huh. The ocean. The ocean, yeah. Nope, never even considered it.
RAZ: Ugh.
THOMAS: Anywho (ph), I was just about to put on my Anaheim Chili Pepper slippers so that we can take off for the hot pickle and pepper championships. You ready?
RAZ: Ready? I've been trying to tell you we're going to be late for the last five minutes.
THOMAS: Well, then let's go. What's taking you so long? Reggie.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) Hey there, Mindy. Hey there, Guy. Hey there, little Carcharodon carcharias.
RAZ: Carcharodon carcharias?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) Yeah, it's the Latin name for a great white shark.
RAZ: Oh, huh.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) So what are you up to today?
RAZ: Well, Dennis, we were just about to leave. See you later.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) Ooh, leaving - that sounds like fun. I'll leave, too. Hang on - let me get my wetsuit.
RAZ: Wetsuit? Hang on? But you don't even know where we're going.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) That's why I'm grabbing the wetsuit. Got to be prepared.
RAZ: Mindy?
THOMAS: Well, I did install a sidecar on the motor pickle, so there's not not-room for Dennis.
RAZ: Ugh.
THOMAS: Hey, Dennis, you ever ride a motor pickle?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) No. But once I had a bicycle with a banana seat. Does that count?
RAZ: We're taking the motor pickle? That thing is dangerous.
THOMAS: Dangerous? Yes. And it's also perfect. Guy Raz, we're going to the hot pickle and pepper championship. Come on.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) Yeah, Guy, come on.
RAZ: Ugh.
THOMAS: OK, I'll be ready to go in just a sec. But first, I got to go put Baby Lockjaw back in the bathtub. Be right back. Run, run, run, run...
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) So Guy, what's new?
RAZ: Uh.
THOMAS: ...Run, run, run. OK - all ready to go. Now, to the motor pickle.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) Yeah. To the motor pickle.
RAZ: To the motor pickle.
THOMAS: Hop on back, Guy Raz.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) And hop in the sidecar, Dennis. Guys, look - I'm literally and figuratively a third wheel. Isn't this fun?
THOMAS: Ugh.
(SOUNDBITE OF ENGINE TURNING OVER)
RAZ: Well, I guess this means...
GUY RAZ AND MINDY THOMAS: Here we go.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) Whoa. That was awesome.
THOMAS: Whew. How's that for a parking job?
RAZ: Parking job? Mindy, you've screeched into a vegetable garden.
THOMAS: Well, where else would you park a giant pickle that doubles as a motorcycle?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) That is an excellent point.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #2: (As character) Attention - please have your event tickets ready. This is a sold-out show. Tickets purchased in advance only.
THOMAS: Oh, man. I only have two tickets. Sorry, Dennis. I didn't know you were coming until you invited yourself today.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) Well, hat's OK, Mindy. You know, it's like my mother always says - don't invite Dennis if you don't want - ah, Dennis. What are you doing here? You scared me. Ah, Mother - so wise. Anyway, I'll just stay back and clean the motor pickle. I mean, look at this thing - it's filthy.
RAZ: Good idea. Here, catch.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) Oh, wow - apple cider vinegar. This will be perfect. And you know what? Maybe I should check the air filter and then clean the spark plugs. Now...
RAZ: Thanks, Dennis. Bye.
THOMAS: You're the best, Dennis. Uh.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) It looks like a '76. My dad had a '77.
THOMAS: Come on, Guy Raz. We got to hurry up. Grandma G-Force is competing in the first round. She's the defending champ.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #3: (As character) Tickets, please.
RAZ: Here you go.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #3: (As character) Thank you. You two are seated in Section 105, Row T...
THOMAS: Got it. Come on, Guy Raz. Let's go. Run, run, run, run, run.
RAZ: Wait for me, Mindy.
(SOUNDBITE OF WHOOSH)
THOMAS: Ah, excuse us. Excuse us. Thank you. Thank you. Squeezing through. Thank you.
RAZ: I didn't realize how long it would take to get to our seats.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
THOMAS: Oh, just in time. The competition is about to begin.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #4: (As character) Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 13th annual hot pickle and pepper eating championships. Two reigning capsaicin champions will face off in the ultimate battle of the taste buds.
(APPLAUSE)
RAZ: Capsaicin, capsaicin - I know I've heard that word before.
THOMAS: Oh, yeah. Capsaicin is that natural chemical that gives hot peppers their burn.
RAZ: Oh, right. And the way they score how a hot pepper is is by using the Scoville heat unit scale.
THOMAS: Exact-oritos (ph), Guy Raz. In fact, that lowly little jalapeno pepper that you can just get at the grocery store, that measures in at around 4,000 on the Scoville heat scale. But the peppers that these competitors will eat today, these babies are measuring in at closer to 2 million on the heat scale.
RAZ: Two million? Man, someone's going to get hurt.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #5: (As Grandma G-Force) Did somebody say, time for hurting?
RAZ: It's Grandma G-Force.
THOMAS: Ah, go Grandma G-Force.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #4: (As character) In the left corner, the queen of capsaicin, the princess of pain, the first lady of fire - Grandma G-Force.
(APPLAUSE)
THOMAS: Whoa, we love you Grandma G-Force. Woot, woot, woot, woot (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #4: (As character) And in the right corner, the upstart, the nobody, the small potato who clawed his way to the top of habanero mountain, please welcome Nelson the Naked Mole-Rat.
(APPLAUSE)
THOMAS: Nelson The Naked Mole-Rat? I didn't even know mole-rats were eligible for this contest.
RAZ: Oh, yeah, Mindy. Several years ago, a scientist named Gary Lewin discovered that mole-rats are not sensitive to capsaicin.
THOMAS: Wait a minute - are you telling me that...
RAZ: Yup. You can literally roll Nelson around in a pool of Carolina reapers and he won't feel a thing.
THOMAS: What? But how?
RAZ: Well, naked mole-rats just don't have the neurons in their brains that tell them a hot pepper is, well, painfully uncomfortable.
THOMAS: Ah, so it's all about the neurons - those teeny-tiny cells in the brain that pass information to other cells into parts of our bodies.
RAZ: Exactly.
THOMAS: Ugh. So you know what this means, Guy Raz.
RAZ: What?
THOMAS: That Grandma G-Force is doomed. There's no way she'll be able to defeat Nelson The Naked Mole-Rat.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #4: (As character) These two fire-eating competitors have mastered the hottest peppers known to humankind - the Carolina reaper, the Dragon's Breath, the Trinidad Moruga scorpion, the Komodo Dragon chili - and on and on and so forth. But today we got a different kind of heat. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you - wasabi.
(APPLAUSE)
THOMAS: Wasabi?
RAZ: Wow. They're going to make them eat wasabi.
THOMAS: Is he talking about the Japanese horseradish that they serve at sushi places?
RAZ: Well, that's what it sounds like. But, you know, Mindy, wasabi doesn't have the same chemical compounds of chilies; it actually has a different chemical called allyl isothiocyanate, or AITC.
THOMAS: Wait a minute - isn't that the chemical in some plants that burns your sinuses or those areas right under your face, above your eyebrows and in your cheeks?
RAZ: Yeah. And unlike peppers, wasabi doesn't usually burn your tongue. But man, oh, man, it can really make your head feel like it's going to explode.
THOMAS: Oh.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #4: (As character) Competitors, are you ready?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #5: (As Grandma G-Force) Didn't your mama teach you to read? Even my unitard says, I'm ready. Now, bring on the heat.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #4: (As character) Nelson, are you ready?
(SOUNDBITE OF SQUEAKING)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #4: (As character) On the count of three, both of you will eat a spoonful of wasabi - one, two, three.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #5: (As Grandma G-Force) Ah, my sinuses - they're on fire.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #4: (As character) Oh.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #5: (As Grandma G-Force) Ah, snap. I need water.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #4: (As character) Goodness.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #5: (As Grandma G-Force) Give me some white rice. Hand me that fire extinguisher. I'm on fire.
THOMAS: What's going on, Guy Raz? What's happening with Grandma G-Force?
RAZ: I think Grandma G-Force and Nelson The Naked Mole-Rat aren't reacting well to the AITC chemical in the wasabi.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #4: (As character) The wasabi has defeated our competitors. I guess the winner of Round 1 is, uh, the wasabi.
(APPLAUSE)
THOMAS: It's OK, Grandma G-Force, you get that wasabi next time.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #5: (As Grandma G-Force) Ah.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #4: (As character) Is there anyone in the crowd who thinks they can conquer the mighty power of wasabi?
(SOUNDBITE OF SQUEAKING)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #4: (As character) What's this, a volunteer? Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the arena Harold.
(APPLAUSE)
THOMAS: What is that?
RAZ: Huh. I'm not sure. Can I borrow your magnifying goggles?
THOMAS: Oh, yeah. Let me just get them out of my toolkit here. Um, ooh, kitchen sink. Get that out of there. Um, Alice, your cat - nope. Kiki, your new dog - nope.
RAZ: You have Alice and Kiki inside your toolkit?
THOMAS: My kombucha starter - nope.
RAZ: That's my kombucha starter.
THOMAS: Iron anvil - nope. Oh, there are my magnifying goggles. Here you go, Guy Raz.
RAZ: Let me take a closer look.
THOMAS: What is it? What do you see?
RAZ: Yup. Just as I thought, Mindy. I think Harold is a Highveld mole rat.
THOMAS: You mean the mole rat species that's found in South Africa?
RAZ: Exactly.
THOMAS: Well, why would Harold the Highveld mole rat think that he could do what Grandma G-Force and his cousin Nelson the naked mole rat couldn't do?
RAZ: Well, I think it might have something to do with the way Harold's neurons handle pain.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #4: (As character) Harold, are you ready for some wasabi?
(SOUNDBITE OF SQUEAKING)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #4: (As character) On the count of three, Harold the Highveld mole rat will put this spoonful of green Japanese horseradish into his mouth. One, two and three. Well, Harold? Anything?
(SOUNDBITE OF BURP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #4: (As character) Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like Harold the Highveld mole rat has dethroned Grandma G-Force and Nelson the naked mole rat as this year's hot pickle and pepper champion.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #5: (As Grandma G-Force) Hey, you better watch your back, Harold, 'cause I'ma coming for you next year.
RAZ: Amazing. Mindy, Harold's the new champion.
THOMAS: I can't believe it. Guy Raz, Grandma G-Force has never been outspiced by a competitor before. And a Highveld mole rat? Man, I did not see that one coming.
RAZ: And I think the reason why is because Harold's brain is designed to block the sensation or feeling that most of the rest of us get when we eat wasabi.
THOMAS: Wait a minute. I think I heard about this. Are you talking about a recent study done by the same scientist, Dr. Gary Lewin?
RAZ: That's the one, Mindy. Gary Lewin works at the Max Delbruck Center in Berlin, Germany. And he knew that naked mole rats didn't feel pain when they ate things with capsaicin, like peppers. But he also knew that naked mole rats couldn't eat things with AITC, like wasabi. So he wanted to find out if there were creatures who didn't feel anything when they ate plants with AITC, like wasabi.
THOMAS: And I have a sneaking suspicion that he discovered that Highveld mole rats like Harold here don't feel that wasabi burn.
RAZ: Mindy, not only that, but the scientists in Germany actually gave these Highveld mole rats a shot of pure AITC.
THOMAS: The same chemical found in wasabi.
RAZ: Exactly. And it was such a high amount of AITC that the scientists actually had to wear gas masks in the lab.
THOMAS: Whoa.
RAZ: And guess what?
THOMAS: I'm guessing that the Highveld mole rats didn't feel a thing?
RAZ: Not one bit.
THOMAS: But why? I mean, how is that even possible?
RAZ: Well the scientists in Germany found that the neurons in their brains have an escape hatch.
THOMAS: What? An escape hatch in their brains? Like the one we have in the Wow Machine?
RAZ: Well, yeah. And that escape hatch allows all of those AITC chemicals to escape or to leak out before they're able to send a signal to the rat's body that it should feel pain.
THOMAS: Did the scientists come up with a theory for why?
RAZ: Well, it turns out the Highveld mole rats live underground, and they happen to share their homes with an ant species called Natal droptails.
THOMAS: Natal droptails? Oh, you mean those ants that have that nasty sting?
RAZ: Those are the ones. And these scientists believe that over millions of years, the Highveld mole rats naturally developed a way to defend themselves against the pain of those stings because the sting in those ants contains a chemical that is very similar to the chemical in wasabi, AITC.
THOMAS: So what you're telling me is that the Highveld mole rats bodies' evolved - or changed over time - to make them resistant to those painful ant stings?
RAZ: Exactly. And today, Highveld mole rats don't feel any pain when they're exposed to those chemicals.
THOMAS: Oh, man. So what could all of this even mean?
RAZ: Well, what's really cool is that the scientists believe that rats like Harold could help us humans understand how to deal with our own pain.
THOMAS: You mean maybe we could figure out how to trick the neurons in our brains to not notice certain types of pain?
RAZ: That's right, especially for people who are in the hospital or have to have surgery. Man, that's bonkerballs, Guy Raz. And, you know, even though Harold might be the new reigning champ, I got to say Grandma G-Force did put up a pretty impressive fight, didn't she?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #5: (As Grandma G-Force) Did somebody say sushi? Tell you what - I could throw down some sushi right now.
THOMAS: Grandma G-Force, you did so great out there. And you know what? No matter what happened in that ring today, you're still the spiciest little pepper I know.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #5: (As Grandma G-Force) Spicy pepper nothing - getting spiced out by a mole rat. Let's go to that sushi place. I'm going to throw down a California roll and get my wasabi on.
THOMAS: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #5: (As Grandma G-Force) Start training for next year.
RAZ: That's a great idea.
THOMAS: Yeah.
RAZ: Wait. We left Dennis with the motor pickle. We better tell him we're going for sushi.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) Oh, boy, sushi.
RAZ: Dennis.
THOMAS: Dennis?
RAZ: How'd you get into the stadium?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) Well, I went to the ticket booth to ask if they had any standing-room-only tickets available. And wouldn't you know it, they said, sir, stop trying to put your face in through the ticket slot. We can hear you just fine where you are. But they weren't going to get rid of me easily. I might not be the quickest bunny in the forest, but...
THOMAS: (Groaning) Dennis...
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) Sorry. Sushi. Is it dinnertime already?
THOMAS: Yeah, it's more of, like, a training thing than a dinner. We're just trying to, you know, get Grandma G-Force ready to take on more wasabi.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) Wasabi? No thank you. This one time, I mistook a bowl of wasabi for mint ice cream. I ate a big spoonful, and then I screamed and sneezed at the same time. And wasabi flew out of my nose. And the librarian said...
THOMAS: Ew, Dennis...
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) Wait. Did I mention this was in the library? Anyway, the librarian said, gross. Is this wasabi or boogers?
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD #1: WOW IN THE WORLD will be right back. Grown-ups, this message is for you.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD #1: That's it. Back to the show.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THE GOLDEN AGE (WOW IN THE WORLD PODCAST THEME SONG)")
THE POP UPS: (Singing) Wow in the world.
(SOUNDBITE OF DIALING PHONE)
THOMAS: Hi. Thanks for calling WOW IN THE WORLD. After the beep, get ready to record.
(SOUNDBITE OF BEEP)
LAINA: Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz. My name is Laina (ph), and I live in Denver, Colo. And I am excited to see you on my birthday at the Pop Up Party on July 14. And my wow in the world is that tigers are the largest cat species in the world. And no two tigers have the same stripes. And tigers are good swimmers. I love your show.
(SOUNDBITE OF BEEP)
MCKENNAN: Hi, Mindy. Hi, Guy Raz. This is Mckennan (ph).
SKYLAR: This is Skylar (ph).
MCKENNAN: My sister. We are from Richmond, Va. Did you know the first dinosaur discovered was a Megalosaurus in 1824? Love your show.
SKYLAR: Love your show.
MCKENNAN: Bye.
SKYLAR: Bye.
(SOUNDBITE OF BEEP)
GEORGE: Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz. My name is George (ph). And I'm from Golden Valley, Minn. And my wow in the world is that earthworms don't need lungs to breathe. They absorb oxygen through their skin. Love your podcast.
(SOUNDBITE OF BEEP)
LAYLA: Hi. My name is Layla (ph). I'm 9 years old, and I live in San Mateo, Calif. And my wow in my world is that we know more about outer space than the deepest depths of the ocean. Bye, Mindy and Guy Raz. I love your show and all your funny characters.
(SOUNDBITE OF BEEP)
KENNEDY: Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz. My name is Kennedy (ph), and my wow in the world is that if you eat too many carrots, your skin will turn orange. Say hi to Grandma G-Force...
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #5: (As Grandma G-Force) Boo-yah.
KENNEDY: ...Reggie...
(SOUNDBITE OF BIRD COOING)
KENNEDY: ...And even the annoying Dennis for me.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As Dennis) Ahoy there.
KENNEDY: Bye.
(SOUNDBITE OF BEEP)
ALEXANDER: Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz and Reggie. My name is Alexander (ph). I lived in Denver, Colo., but now I live in France. My wow in the world is that the blue whale's heart is the size of two cars. Oh, and, Reggie, (imitating bird cooing).
(SOUNDBITE OF BIRD COOING)
ALEXANDER: See you later.
CHAYA: Hi, guys. My name is Chaya (ph). I live in Ojai, Calif. And my little sister Truly (ph)...
TRULY: Hi.
CHAYA: ...Loves your show. Our wow when the world is that there are 13 different types of finches on the Galapagos Islands. And they all came from one species on the mainland. Thanks, guys.
TRULY: Bye. Hi, Reggie.
(SOUNDBITE OF BIRD COOING)
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #4: End of messages.
THOMAS: Hey, everyone. Thank you so much for hanging out with us this week on WOW IN THE WORLD.
RAZ: And to keep the wow rolling, check out this week's scientific conversation starters at our website wowintheworld.com.
THOMAS: And, grown-ups, there you can find more info on how your kids can become members of the World Organization of Wowzers, shop our Wow Shop, upload photos and videos to us and check dates for our upcoming live events. That's wowintheworld.com.
RAZ: Our show is produced by Jed Anderson.
THOMAS: Who provides the bells, whistles and silly characters. Say hello, Jed.
JED ANDERSON, BYLINE: Yello.
THOMAS: Our show is written by me, Guy Raz and Thomas van Kalken, who also provides silly characters. Tom?
THOMAS VAN KALKEN, BYLINE: Hello there.
RAZ: Thanks also to Jessica Boddy, Casey Koeffer (ph), Rebecca Caban (ph), Kit Ballenger (ph) and Alex Curley. Meredith Halpern-Ranzer powers the wow at Tinkercast.
THOMAS: Our theme song was composed and performed by The Pop Ups. For more info on their two-time-Grammy-nominated, all-ages music, find them at thepopups.com.
RAZ: And, grown-ups, you can follow WOW IN THE WORLD on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @wowintheworld. And our email address is hello@wowintheworld.com.
THOMAS: And if you're a kid with a big wow to share with us, call us at 1-888-7-WOW-WOW for a chance to be featured at the end of the show.
RAZ: Also, if you haven't already done so, please subscribe to WOW IN THE WORLD on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
THOMAS: Yeah. Leave us a few stars, a review. Or just tell a friend about the show.
RAZ: Thanks again for listening. And until next time...
RAZ AND THOMAS: Keep on wowing.
THOMAS: Jinx.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THE GOLDEN AGE (WOW IN THE WORLD PODCAST THEME SONG)")
THE POP UPS: (Singing) Wow in the world. Wow in the world. Wow in the world. Wow in the world.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD #2: WOW IN THE WORLD was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by NPR.
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