Grownups, Wondery Plus subscribers can listen to Wow in the World early and ad-free right now. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or Wondery Kids Plus on Apple Podcasts. D-D-D-D-Dennis, it's freezing in here! Yeah, what's going on, Dennis? Backstage at the studio feels like Antarctica. Well, it's going to be a chilly episode of Two What's in a Wow today. The theater heater is broken. What? What? Yeah, a certain someone let their cousin build a bird's nest.
In the blower motor. Yes, I'm talking about you, Reggie. Humans were not designed to withstand these sub-zero temperatures, Dennis. Oh, guy, it's only 60 degrees in here. Maybe to a polar... bear it is? Well, the heating technician can't come out until Tuesday, so you're just gonna have to adapt. Wait. Adapt? Huh? Adapt! That's... Just like polar bears have developed certain adaptations to help them adapt to freezing climates, so have we humans, Gairaz!
Or at least we've learned to mimic them. Oh, you mean like wearing sweaters that act like warm fur. Yes, or... Or sweater vests. Well, yeah, that too, but... Or sweater coats. Guy, quit dreaming about sweaters. We've got a show to do. Oh, I almost forgot. Ahem. You there, sweat those shirts. And you, flip those flops. And Reggie, ice all. We're going live in three, two, one! And now, for everyone's favorite game show, it's Two Once and a One!
The scientific game show that separates the wows from the what's. And the category for today is adaptation. It's how living things change based on their situations. You know, like how worm fur on polar animals is part of what helps them to survive and thrive. Now, Mindy, why don't you remind our contestants on how the game works? You know it. Wowzers, in each of our three rounds today, Guy Raz and I will present you with three scientific statements about adaptations.
And this is a big fight. Only one of those statements will be a true wow. The other two, just a couple of made up what? In each round, if you guess correctly, congratulations. get a point. But if you guess incorrectly, you must stop, drop, and do a redonkulous physical challenge. Okay, everyone ready to start the game? Great, let's do it! Okay, round one. Which of the following statements is a true scientific wow? Is it A. 30,000 years ago, wild dogs had thumbs to help them fight predators.
Or is it B? Certain trees can turn themselves into cacti if planted in a desert. Or is it C? During a drought... African lungfish can survive without water. When you think you have the correct answer, breathe it onto a window and write it in the fog. Reggie, cue the thinking music. Let's reveal the winning wow. And to do just that, joining us by phone, it's Blake from Michigan. Blake from Michigan, tell us, what's the wow?
the world is that during a drought, African lungfish will dig into the mud and coat themselves with a slime-like mucus that hardens to keep them alive during the drought. Thank you, Blake! Contestants, if you guessed the answer C, that during a drought, African lungfish can survive without water, you found the winning wow! Congratulations!
You see, African lungfish have some bonker balls adaptations to help them survive. First of all, these fish have two lungs and can breathe air. This is especially important since they live in flood... planes and waterways that often dry up. But that's where their life-saving mucus comes in. These lungfish will wrap themselves in a cocoon of their very own mucus. This mucus cocoon can give them the protection they need to survive outside of water.
for a year or more. In the meantime, they breathe using their lungs until rain refills its waterway. Now, if you guessed correctly, congratulations, you get a point. But if you did not... You must stop, drop, and jump on one foot while spelling your name backwards. Okay, on to round two. Which of the following statements is a true scientific wow? Is it A? Some geckos lick their own eyeballs to keep their eyes moist in dry temperatures. Or is it B?
Snowy owls cover themselves in their own poop to help camouflage themselves in snow. Or is it sea? Flatulence is an adaptation that animals have developed as a defense mechanism. I should note that flatulence is just a fancy word for... That's out. Okay, when you think you have the correct answer, say it as slowly as you can. Reggie, sound the thinking music. us is Ethan from New Zealand. Ethan, tell us, what's the wow? My wow in the world is that a New Zealand green gecko
has a purple tongue that it licks its eyes to clean with. Winner, winner, eyeballs for dinner! I mean, meatballs for dinner! Thank you, Ethan! Contestants, if you guessed the answer A, that some geckos lick their eyeballs, you found the winning wow. Congratulations! Geckos actually do this because most of them don't have eyelids. No, eyelids means that they can't blink, so they have to clean their eyes in other more creative ways.
Licking their eyes also helps to keep them moist. And wowsers, remember, if you didn't get the answer correct, we have a physical challenge for you. correct answer? You must stop, drop, and lick your own eyeball. Wait, wait, I almost got it. I almost got it. Well, Mindy's attempting to lick her own eyeball. We should probably take a moment to thank one of our sponsors for today. Today's show is brought to you in part by Inside Out Burritos. All the delicious fillings you love.
to waste the mess. Okay, well, time for round three. Which of the following statements is a true scientific wow? Is it A. Goats sneeze to warn each other of danger. Or is it B? Elephants adapted big ears to cover their eyes while they sleep. Or... Is it C? Zebras have black and white stripes to help them match with everything. When you think you have the correct answer, say it out loud and you're...
cartoon character's voice. And we'll reveal the winning answer right after the break. Two once in a while will be right This message is for you. That's it. Now back to the show. Welcome back to Two What's and a Wow. The scientific game show that separates the wows from the what? Now, before the break, we left you with a dangling question for round three. Which of the following...
statements is a true scientific wow. Is it A, goats sneeze to warn each other of danger? Or is it B, elephants adapted big ears to cover their eyes while they sleep? Or is it C? Zebras have black and white stripes to help them match with everything. We've given you time to decide on the correct answer, and to reveal that winning wow now, please welcome Kaya from...
Tell us, what's the winning wow? Goats sneeze to warn each other, warn others of danger. Winner, winner, gazoon tight for dinner! Thank you, Kaya! Contestants, if you guessed the answer A, that goats sneeze to warn each other of danger, well, congratulations. That's right.
Goats use their super sneeze powers as a way of sounding the alarm when they feel that they're in danger. But sometimes they just sneeze for sneezing's sake. It must get really confusing around allergy season for goats. Better to be safe. than sorry, I guess. I guess. Well, if you guessed this round correctly, congratulations. Give yourself another point. But if you did not guess correctly, you must stop, drop, find the new...
pair of shoes put them on your hands and clap three times. What was that? That sound can mean only one thing. Can't be danger. I didn't hear any goats sneezing. It means it's time for today's Bonker Balls bonus round. And the question for this round is... What does the fox say? I don't know. What does it say? This is not a joke, Mindy. It's the bonus question. Oh, right.
And there's an answer? Well, congratulations to all of our winning contestants on today's show. And with that, we're sending everyone home today with a fabulous invisible prize. Reggie, roll it! thing about the prize generator i invented this thing as a way to get a surprise every time we turned it on but the real surprise is that it spits out
surprise in three different parts, so it's kind of up to you to put it together. So, in other words, it's broken? It's broken. Reggie? Ready to power this puppy up? Is it supposed to be making that noise, Mindy? All of our contestants today will be taking home their very own... Well, that's just about all the time we have for today. But before we go, we have a little steam-themed challenge for you we like to call Comfort to the Max. We challenge...
you to invent something that would make your life a little bit more comfortable, a little easier. Like a pair of shoes that massages your feet as you walk. Or how about a bowl that cools your soup when it's too hot? Whatever it is. And don't forget to take a photo or video of what you come up with. Grown-ups, you can upload pictures and videos to us.
at tinkercast.com slash share. And be sure to come back on Monday for a brand new episode of Wow in the World, and again on Friday for a new episode of Two What's and a Wow. Until then, keep on wow! Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Wondery Kids Plus on Apple Podcasts. Prime members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey at wondery.com slash survey.
Two What's in a Wow is executive produced by Meredith Halpern-Ranzer, Mindy Thomas, and me, Guy Raz. Our writers are Anna Zagorski, Darnell Walker, Ruth... Sound production and design is by Marian Lozano, with help from our senior producer, Jed Anderson. Special thanks to the rest of our team of tinkerers, including Anna Zagorski, Rebecca Caban,
Henry Moskal, Jessica Bode, Jacob Stein, and Jason Rabinowitz. Our theme song was written and composed by the Pop-Ups. For more on their three-time Grammy-nominated all-ages music, Find them at thepopups.com. And to keep the what's and the wows rolling, visit us at tinkercast.com. There you can find our two What's in a Wow Think and Tinker playbook, interactive Kahoot games, and info on becoming a member of the World Organization of Wowzers.
Grownups, you can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at two what's and a wow. And our email address is hello at tinkercast.com. If you're a kid with a big wow to share, it could be used on an upcoming episode of Two What's in a Wow. Call us at 1-888-7WOWWOW. Thanks again for listening and playing along. Meet us back here on Monday for Wow in the World. Made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.