Wow in the World

World Series of Spitting

Feb 23, 2026
A quirky championship showcases surprising spitting skills across the animal kingdom. Listeners meet precise archerfish spit, venom-slinging snakes, a fish-stealing seal, and a disqualified camel. Grandma G-Force delivers a dramatic winning spit and a quirky prize. The show highlights the weird reasons animals expectorate and invites playful listener reactions.
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ANECDOTE

Archerfish Hunts By Precision Spitting

  • The archerfish hunts by spitting to knock insects off branches into the water.
  • Hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz describe it hitting bugs up to five feet above the water with pinpoint accuracy.
INSIGHT

Snake Spitting Is Defensive Venom Projection

  • Some snakes use spitting as self-defense, projecting venom up to seven feet when threatened.
  • Guy Raz and Mindy Thomas present this as a distinct defensive mechanism rather than a hunting tool.
ANECDOTE

Gray Seal Spits To Scare Eagles Away

  • Gracie the gray seal was first observed spitting at eagles in 2022 to protect fish from predators.
  • The show notes that scientists think she spat to scare eagles away so she could eat more fish.
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