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1:01

What if kittens played the glockenspiel?

1:06

And what if unicorns were

1:08

real? What

1:11

if you could fly or travel

1:13

back in time? We welcome

1:15

you to What If World.

1:20

What If World?

1:23

This is What If World.

1:31

Hey

1:31

there folks and welcome back to What If World, the

1:33

show where your questions and ideas inspire

1:36

off-the-cuff stories. I'm Mr. Eric, your

1:38

host, and today we're bringing

1:40

you the third and final part of

1:43

the MC Detective Agency's

1:45

File 1, The Case

1:46

of the Deadly Dials, by

1:48

Dr. Colleen Kelly. The PBS

1:51

short documentary chemistry comic books

1:53

featuring Dr. Colleen Kelly has just

1:56

won an Emmy Award, and now we're

1:58

adapting those comics. to help give you

2:00

and your kids an introduction to

2:02

chemistry. And you can find out more by

2:05

going to kidschemicalsolutions.com.

2:08

Thanks, and enjoy the show. Kids

2:13

Chemical Solutions presents the

2:16

MC Detective Agency, file

2:19

one, the case

2:20

of the deadly tiles. Chapter

2:23

three, the famous flip flop.

2:26

Written by Colleen Kelly, PhD. Adapted

2:29

and produced by Eric O'Keefe. Last

2:34

time on the MC Detective

2:36

Agency, Puppy and Ray

2:39

learned about the periodic table of elements

2:41

from Thomas Edison himself. Then

2:45

the famous inventor escorted

2:47

the kids to the US Radium

2:49

Corporation. Can they find

2:51

the radium girls and help

2:54

them before it is too late? Let's

2:56

join Puppy and Ray now as

2:58

they venture forth boldly on

3:00

their final mission. Om

3:03

nom nom. That's

3:06

good. Ray, where did you even get

3:08

that pizza? Asked Puppy. Uh-uh,

3:11

a detective never tells,

3:14

said Ray. What? A detective

3:16

always tells. Telling is like their

3:18

job. Then allow me to show

3:21

you the false bottom of my

3:23

flip flops. You may want to hold

3:25

your nose. On second thought, let's

3:27

get back to the mission. Puppy and Ray

3:30

were walking through a deserted courtyard

3:32

outside the US Radium

3:34

Corporation, looking for a way into

3:37

the building. As they turned a corner,

3:39

they came across a pair of young adults

3:41

with shoulder-length hair. One wore

3:44

a pink

3:44

dress with a blue bucket hat, and

3:46

the other wore a brown dress with

3:48

a long white scarf.

3:50

They were quietly eating their lunches under

3:52

a shady tree, and they appeared distraught.

3:56

Om nom nom. You know, Puppy,

3:58

one day I'll probably pat the pizza flip-flop.

4:01

Maybe I'll be a famous inventor like

4:03

Addison." "'Good for you, Ray,'

4:06

said Poppy as she approached the two

4:08

worried-looking people, giving a friendly

4:10

wave. "'Um, hi.'

4:12

"'Oh, hello,' said

4:15

the worker in the blue hat. "'Do you

4:17

work here?' "'No, I'm

4:19

Poppy and this is my brother Ray.

4:22

Why do you think I work here?' "'Because

4:24

you work green.' "'Oh, we know

4:26

already. Everyone here is really

4:28

hung up on it.'

4:29

"'Well, we can turn ourselves a little

4:31

green with the radium powder that we use

4:33

from work,' said the worker with the white scarf.

4:36

"'If

4:37

we get enough of the dust on us during

4:39

the day, we can glow at

4:41

night.' "'And sometimes we'll

4:43

coat our fingernails with the radium

4:45

paint to see them glow in the dark. Just

4:48

a little party trick.'

4:49

"'We're just always green,' said

4:51

Ray. "'We got it from our granny Eve.'

4:54

"'Wait a minute,' interrupted Poppy.

4:56

"'You're

4:56

the radium girls.' "'What?

4:59

My name is Catherine.' "'And I'm Edna.'

5:02

"'We just paint glow in the dark watches.

5:05

We're not famous.' "'Oh,

5:06

okay, listen. You've

5:08

got to stop eating your paint brushes

5:11

for lunch, okay?' "'You sweet,

5:13

strange little child. I can

5:15

hardly eat a thing right now,' said Catherine.

5:18

"'That's

5:18

the worst thing I've ever heard.' "'Her

5:21

jaw's been hurting or something fierce,' said

5:24

Edna. "'And now she's getting a toothache

5:26

too.' "'And what about you?'

5:27

Poppy asked Edna. "'Can

5:30

you eat?' "'Luckily, yes.

5:32

But I have to use this crutch lately to

5:35

help me walk. My ankle

5:37

won't stop aching,'

5:39

said Edna. I guess we both need

5:41

to drink more milk or something for

5:44

stronger bones, added Catherine."

5:46

"'Hmm. I wonder

5:49

if...'

5:50

Poppy pulled out her periodic table

5:52

of elements, unfolded it, and

5:54

looked at it closely. "'Listeners,

5:57

if you're sitting somewhere safe with your

5:59

periodic table...'

5:59

You can follow along, otherwise

6:02

just keep listening. That's it! Cried

6:05

Poppy. Oh, what's it?

6:07

Edna and Catherine, do you put

6:09

paintbrushes with radium paint in

6:11

your mouths? Well, yeah, we

6:13

have to, said Edna. It's

6:15

the only way to get a point fine enough to paint

6:18

the dials on the watches.

6:19

Here, I'll show you. Said

6:21

Catherine, taking out her paintbrush

6:24

and bringing it toward her mouth. Woah,

6:27

stop! No more paintbrushes!

6:30

Said Ray, swatting the brush

6:32

out of Catherine's hand. In fact, I'm

6:34

putting you both on an all ice

6:36

cream diet. Waist.

6:39

Ice cream. That's it! Ray,

6:42

I said that's it five minutes ago.

6:44

But I'm saying it now! Remember how Thomas

6:46

told us that there were metals in ice

6:49

cream?

6:49

Like calcium. Yes,

6:52

that's exactly what I was getting at. Catherine,

6:55

Edna. Look at this periodic table.

6:58

See, you both mentioned that your bones

7:00

and teeth are hurting.

7:02

Well, I know that calcium helps

7:05

us strengthen our bones. That's

7:07

right. Uncle Sunday, uh, Thomas

7:09

Edison, told us that elements in

7:12

the same group have the same properties.

7:15

Look, calcium is here in group two,

7:17

and right below calcium is

7:20

radium.

7:20

Maybe your body

7:22

is mixing up radium for calcium,

7:24

making your bones and teeth weak. And

7:27

Thomas told us that radium was really,

7:29

really bad. Like, totally

7:32

toxic. Toxic? Our

7:34

bosses told us a little radium was

7:37

good for us. We've got to follow

7:39

the data here. Are there more workers

7:41

with the same symptoms as you two?

7:44

A few, I think. But

7:46

are you sure about all this?

7:47

I'm afraid so. Every

7:49

time you eat a paintbrush, uh, twirl

7:52

a paintbrush in your mouth, you're eating

7:55

radium. from

8:00

the factory. Come on, Edna, said

8:02

Catherine. Our lunchtime's over. We

8:04

have to get back to work.

8:06

What? No,

8:08

you can't go back in there.

8:09

We'll spread the word, sweetie, and stop

8:12

looking for other work. But we can't just

8:14

walk out on our job. We'll be fired.

8:17

Catherine and Edna turned away

8:19

from Poppy and Ray and heads down

8:21

low, started walking back into

8:23

the factory. We have to do

8:25

something, Ray. Maybe we could start a

8:27

protest? We could make signs that they

8:30

stop the deadly vitals and march

8:32

outside the factory. Or we could go inside

8:34

and tell the boss that the radium

8:37

paint is hurting his workers. And

8:39

maybe just tell everyone to stop eating

8:41

paint as, like, a rule of thumb?

8:43

Oh, yeah. Let's try that first.

8:45

That's what Granny Eve told us to do. Poppy

8:49

and Ray tried to follow Catherine

8:52

and Edna into the building, but

8:54

were stopped by a gruff security

8:56

guard at the front desk. Mr.

8:58

Guard, we need to speak to the boss ASAP.

9:02

I never met no ASAP. Besides,

9:05

the boss don't see nobody.

9:07

Fine. Well, I work here.

9:10

Poppy lied. See, I'm green.

9:12

Makes sense. So let me just talk to everyone

9:14

on the factory floor for a quick

9:15

second. Hey, you're slightly younger

9:17

than the children working at this factory.

9:20

And the big guard quickly snatched

9:22

up Poppy and Ray. Whoa, dude,

9:25

chill out. You want to see the

9:27

boss, huh? I'll take you

9:29

to see the boss. Wait,

9:32

Poppy shouted toward the women, starting their

9:34

shifts.

9:34

Stop putting those paint brushes in your mouth.

9:37

The paint is poison.

9:39

But she was too far away to be heard by

9:41

the radium girls as the security

9:44

guard pushed them into the manager's

9:46

office.

9:48

What's going on here? Why are you green?

9:50

Do you work here? Said the boss, a

9:52

heavyset man with a mustache and brown

9:55

suit. I found these two

9:58

things trying to sneak. into

10:00

the factory. They're green, but

10:02

they don't work here.

10:04

We don't like creatures or things snoopin'

10:06

around here. There have been too many reporters

10:09

lately."

10:09

And the security guard brought out rope

10:12

to bind both Poppy and Ray

10:15

to a separate wooden chair. Whoa,

10:17

whoa, whoa. Being tied up isn't

10:19

healthy for me, just like Radium

10:22

isn't healthy for those girls, boss man.

10:25

Everyone knows Radium is good

10:27

for your health, said the boss.

10:29

That's not true, said Poppy,

10:32

struggling against the rope.

10:34

They're ingesting Radium from the paint

10:36

and their bones are weakening.

10:38

Catherine and Adnara are already

10:41

sick, dude. Probably others too.

10:43

If you untie me, I can explain

10:45

this using the periodic table.

10:47

Nice try, but

10:49

we're keeping you here. And we're not

10:51

gonna stop using that paint either.

10:54

We're making a mint on those glow in

10:56

the dark watches.

10:58

Well if you don't think what you're doing

11:00

is unethical, then it's gotta be

11:02

illegal, right?

11:04

There are no laws against painting

11:06

watch dials. Well there ought

11:08

to be.

11:09

No one should be allowed to work with toxic

11:11

stuff like Radium.

11:12

Yeah, so why don't you just go call

11:15

a lawyer and have them write some new

11:17

laws, and also maybe bring us some

11:19

food? Not gonna happen. While

11:21

I'm down to my last flip-flop pizza

11:23

slice. No lawyers. Nobody

11:27

is in danger here. You got it?

11:29

And the boss started to walk out of the

11:31

office while talking with the Burley

11:34

security guard.

11:35

Let's lock them up here overnight, said

11:38

the boss. We can deal with them

11:40

in the morning.

11:41

They left, locking Poppy

11:43

and Ray in the office, alone, and

11:46

bound to their wooden chairs by rope.

11:49

Well I'm pretty sure there are laws against

11:51

kidnapping, my dudes! But

11:53

all they heard were two sets of footsteps

11:56

walking away. Ray, we

11:58

have

11:58

got to get out of here. said

12:00

Bobby. But Ray was already

12:03

hopping vigorously and awkwardly

12:05

in his rope of bindings towards

12:08

the boss's desk which was covered

12:10

with stacks of paper and office supplies.

12:13

Maybe this guy keeps some surfboard

12:15

wax in his desk. I could use

12:18

it to help us slip out of these ropes.

12:21

Surfboard

12:21

wax hasn't been invented yet,

12:23

Ray.

12:23

Oh, well what's taking Edison

12:25

so long? And while Ray's search

12:28

for wax was doomed from the start,

12:30

he found something else in the stack

12:32

of papers. Oh, Poppy,

12:35

check it out! These are official

12:37

reports saying that the radium

12:39

in the paint is toxic. The boss

12:42

was lying.

12:43

That's just the evidence we need, Ray.

12:46

But we've still got to get out of

12:47

here. Then I hope you're ready for

12:49

my next great idea. Please don't

12:51

say pizza. Pizza. For the last

12:54

time, Ray, I don't want your greasy,

12:56

gross flip-flop foot pizza.

12:59

Oh, I think you do. And Ray

13:01

slipped off his false bottom flip-flop

13:04

and took out his last slice of

13:06

emergency pizza.

13:08

Now I'm just gonna pick up this

13:10

greasy pizza slice with my toes.

13:12

Please stop and put it in your hands.

13:15

Maybe we should just wait here for the kidnappers.

13:18

But as Ray rubbed the greasy,

13:20

disgusting pizza on Poppy's hands,

13:23

they started to get slippery. Almost.

13:26

Just a little more.

13:27

Oh, I think I can wiggle my

13:29

hand free. And just like that,

13:31

Poppy's hands were loose. You did

13:34

it, Ray. It was so gross, but

13:36

you never gave up.

13:38

People say that to me all

13:40

the time. Poppy finished

13:42

wiggling loose and quickly untied Ray,

13:44

who grabbed the top secret reports

13:47

on their way out the door.

13:48

Hey, how'd you kids get

13:50

loose? Shouted the security guard.

13:53

Screamed Poppy, and she did

13:55

just that. But I forgot my false bottom

13:58

flip-flop. Leave it, Poppy. Blood

14:00

almost reached the exit when she turned

14:02

on her heel and ran instead toward

14:05

the factory floor. Oh, so we can

14:07

leave my flip flops, but we gotta go back

14:09

for your thing? The boss and

14:11

the security guard chased Poppy

14:13

and Ray, who scrambled all

14:15

over the factory,

14:16

as they shouted to the workers. Listen,

14:20

you've gotta stop working here. The radium

14:22

is toxic. I'm holding the proof

14:24

in my hands.

14:25

You all need to see a lawyer in the- Get

14:27

those green kids. And file a

14:29

lawsuit against the U.S. Radium

14:31

Corporation. Come here, you fool. As

14:34

the boss and the security guard closed

14:36

in on the children, the radium girls stood

14:39

angry and defiant. And

14:41

you should all see a Dr. Asa.

14:44

Said Poppy, standing behind Edna

14:46

and Catherine. Well, we don't know any Dr.

14:49

Asa, said Catherine, shielding

14:51

the children with her body. But we will go

14:54

see a doctor and a lawyer, as long

14:56

as you kids get out of here right now.

14:59

You'll do no such thing. Shouted

15:01

the boss, trying to push past a

15:03

wall of radium girls, as they

15:05

guarded

15:06

Poppy and Ray and helped them escape

15:08

the factory. You're fired. You're

15:11

all fired. Shouted the boss.

15:13

Wait, they're my fired too. Asked

15:15

the security guard. Vrrrrrrr.

15:20

Poppy and Ray ran as far and

15:22

fast as they could, until they saw

15:24

a strange someone riding

15:27

toward them on a bicycle, wearing a long

15:29

black dress with a white collar. Ray,

15:32

doesn't that look like the woman in the

15:34

photo we found in Granny Eve's attic?

15:36

Oh yeah. Um, hi,

15:39

attic lady. Nice work, Maison

15:41

Fond. You discovered that radium is

15:43

toxic and that it interferes

15:46

with calcium in bone.

15:48

When I discovered radium years

15:50

ago, I had no idea how

15:52

dangerous it could be. Wait, I

15:55

think Thomas Edison mentioned you. You

15:57

must be. You've got all the proof you need to

15:59

save. Give the radium girls and change history.

16:02

Monsieur Edison should be able to help

16:04

you. Just get those records to him.

16:06

But wait, I've got so many questions. Au

16:09

revoir. And good luck. You're

16:11

just biking away? I am so

16:13

confused. But before they could

16:15

follow the mysterious woman on the bicycle.

16:18

Beep beep. The time-traveling taxi

16:20

pulled up. Hop in kids. You

16:23

solved the mystery and learned about the periodic

16:26

table of elements. And I made five

16:28

bucks.

16:29

But haven't we also irrevocably altered

16:32

history?

16:32

Hey, don't worry about it kiddos. You

16:35

can never erase the past.

16:37

But you did give

16:37

those radium girls the bright

16:40

future they deserved on an alternate

16:42

timeline. Aww, huh? A

16:45

history mix, if you will. Oh

16:47

yeah, I've seen that musical. Besides,

16:49

in your present, you already changed their

16:51

past. Uh, in that case,

16:54

we can't not help them, right? I

16:56

don't know, probably.

16:58

So the kids got in the time-traveling

17:00

taxi, dropped

17:01

off the reports to Thomas Edison,

17:04

and went back to their present, where

17:06

Granny Eve greeted them warmly.

17:09

My sweet children, you

17:11

did it! You saved

17:14

the flip-flop slappers! Don't

17:16

you mean the radium girls? Oh,

17:19

right. That's what they were called

17:21

in the original timeline. But

17:24

in our world, after

17:26

you shut down the U.S. Radium

17:28

Corporation, Thomas reopened

17:31

it as the Uncle Sunday flip-flop

17:33

slapperation.

17:34

Wait, what? Yes,

17:37

and anyone who needed work could

17:39

find it, making Edison's

17:41

last great invention.

17:43

No, no, don't say it, Granny

17:45

Eve. The false bottom

17:48

flip-flop. EDDY SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIID.

17:52

And he used the profits from the sales

17:55

of the flip-flops to give all

17:57

of the flip-flop flappers a handsome...

17:59

some settlement and pay

18:02

their doctor's bills.

18:03

Wow, that's really inspiring.

18:06

But he stole my invention. Ray,

18:09

that was more than a century ago. Maybe

18:11

we can redo the whole mission, but

18:14

I don't leave my flip-flop this time. I'm

18:16

going to bed. Okay, I'll just quickly

18:18

time travel back to the corporation

18:21

and grab my flip-flop. Good night, Ray.

18:22

I

18:25

will never recover from Thomas

18:27

Edison's betray- Wait, is that

18:29

pizza?

18:33

This file is based on

18:36

the true story of the Radium Girls.

18:38

In your timeline, without the

18:40

help of Poppy and Ray, the Radium Girls

18:43

eventually won a lawsuit that

18:45

forever changed the laws about a

18:47

safe working environment. Now,

18:50

Poppy and Ray have created a new

18:53

timeline where anything is possible.

18:55

But for their next mission, the structure

18:58

of the atom itself needs saving.

19:02

Let us hope they are ready.

19:03

Are you?

19:05

Tune in next time for the

19:07

MC Detective Agency, File 2,

19:11

the case of the missing model,

19:13

the missing atomic model.

19:16

Bonne chance, mes amis.

19:22

This concludes the MC Detective

19:25

Agency,

19:25

File 1, the

19:27

case of the deadly dials. Dr.

19:30

Colleen Kelly has created this chemistry

19:32

comic book series to help elementary

19:35

school students master concepts often

19:37

taught at the college level. These

19:40

comic books are presented by Kids Chemical

19:42

Solutions

19:42

and can be found at kidschemicalsolutions.com.

19:52

I hope you all enjoyed the third and

19:54

final chapter of File 1. Next

19:57

month, we'll be bringing you File 2.

19:59

to chapter one and you

20:02

can get ready to meet Albert Einstein

20:04

himself or at least an alternate

20:07

timeline version of Albert Einstein

20:09

that sounds

20:10

entirely different. I'd like

20:12

to thank Karen O'Keefe, my co-creator,

20:15

Dr. Colleen Kelly of Kids Chemical Solutions,

20:17

my producer Miss Lynn, Craig Martinson

20:20

for our theme song, and all you STEM

20:22

loving kids at

20:23

home for getting curious about the

20:25

elements. And

20:26

until we meet again, keep wondering.