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PODCAST

The Common Descent Podcast

Join David and Will as they explore the paleontologists’ perspective on various topics in life and earth history. Each episode features a main discussion on a topic requested by the listeners, presented as a lighthearted and educational conversation about fossils, evolution, deep time, and more. Before the main discussion, each episode also includes a news segment, covering recent research related to paleontology and evolution. Each episode ends with the answer to a question submitted by

science natural sciences

All Episodes

01:56:56

Episode 87 - Ceratopsians, the Horned Dinosaurs

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2020/05/17

From massive Triceratops to tiny Psittacosaurus, few dinosaurs are as famous, charismatic, or commonly preserved as ceratopsians. In this episode, we’ll follow this group’s evolutionary journey from little bipeds to horned behemoths and discuss some of the biggest scientific questions about their history, their identification, and of course their magnificently adorned noggins. In the news: the Tully monster, very strange mammals, dinosaur hunting habits, and the tail of Spinosaurus. Please pardon

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01:01:53

Live Chat - Ancient DNA

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2020/05/12

In this series, we invite scientists to live Q&As on YouTube, where we discuss topics we’ve covered before on the podcast. This episode, we discussed Ancient DNA with Dr. Leigha Lynch of Washington University. You can find Leigha on Twitter at @PantheraLeigha. You can also watch the video recording of this Live Chat on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfdiT8Klm_YO04cvDqZ-_O3Iiq0J5GZJz Check out our blog for bonus info and

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01:48:21

Episode 86 - New Zealand

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2020/05/03

In the South Pacific Ocean, there is a family of islands that have been isolated since the Cretaceous Period. New Zealand – past and present – has been home to some of the most unique and fascinating ecosystems on the planet, from its reptiles to its birds to its plants. This episode, we visit New Zealand and take a trip through the fossil and geology history that made it the wonderful place it is today. In the news: lizard birth, Cretaceous shark extinction, traveling monkeys, and marine croc

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01:52:55

Episode 85 – The Ordovician Mass Extinction

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2020/04/19

We’ve discussed mass extinctions quite a bit on this podcast, and indeed we’ve devoted episode to four out of the famous “Big Five” that shaped life on Earth. This episode, we’re completing the set with the Ordovician mass extinction, the earliest of the five. As usual, we’ll explore what happened, who it happened to, why it happened, and how it left its mark on life on Earth. In the news: ocean crocs, early archosaurs, ancient humans, and post-extinction lakes. Time markers: Intro & Announcements:

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01:11:33

Silver Screen Science - Animals of the James Bond...

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2020/04/16

There’s a pandemic on, and we and many of our listeners are spending lots of time at home. On the bright side, it’s a good opportunity to watch movies and record Silver Screen Science! So, we’re putting together some new episodes, to keep you – and ourselves – entertained. This episode, we share some thoughts from our long and animal-filled journey through the James Bond films. The Common Descent Store is open! Get merch! http://zazzle.com/common_descent Follow and Support us on: Patreon:

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53:14

Silver Screen Science - Godzilla (1998)

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2020/04/08

There’s a pandemic on, and we and many of our listeners are spending lots of time at home. On the bright side, it’s a good opportunity to watch movies and record Silver Screen Science! So, we’re putting together some new episodes, to keep you – and ourselves – entertained. This episode, we revisit the King of Monsters: Godzilla (1998) The Common Descent Store is open! Get merch! http://zazzle.com/common_descent Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast

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02:12:03

Episode 84 - Paleopathology

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2020/04/05

Life ain’t always easy. Injury and disease are a persistent threat for life of all sorts, and that’s been true for as long as there has been life. Fortunately for us, these threats can leave evidence in fossils, teaching us about the lives, struggles, and sometimes deaths of ancient organisms. The study of this evidence is called paleopathology, and in this episode, our friend Laura will explain the ins and outs of the field and share with us some of her favorite examples. In the news: ancient

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01:15:11

Silver Screen Science - Evolution (2001)

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2020/04/01

There’s a pandemic on, and we and many of our listeners are spending lots of time at home. On the bright side, it’s a good opportunity to watch movies and record Silver Screen Science! So, we’re putting together some new episodes, to keep you – and ourselves – entertained. This episode, ca-caw ca-caw tookie tookie: Evolution (2001) The Common Descent Store is open! Get merch! http://zazzle.com/common_descent Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter:

en

01:45:09

Patron Mini-Episode Compilation

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2020/03/29

One of the rewards we offer to our highest-level Patrons is a special mini-episode on an animal or group of their choosing. We’ve done five so far, and we’ve put them together into this compilation so you can all now enjoy them! Special thanks to our Patrons for their generous contributions, and thanks also to our special guests, Keila and the cat. 00:04:15 Desmatosuchus for Julie 00:26:00 Stygimoloch for Danielle 00:45:15 Cryptobranchids for Michael 01:00:00 Parrots for Beth 01:21:00

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50:11

Silver Screen Science - Tremors

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2020/03/25

There’s a pandemic on, and we and many of our listeners are spending lots of time at home. On the bright side, it’s a good opportunity to watch movies and record Silver Screen Science! So, we’re putting together some new episodes, to keep you – and ourselves – entertained. This episode, happy 30-year anniversary to: Tremors (1990) Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures: http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/ The Common Descent Store is open! Get merch

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01:43:08

Episode 83 - Coelacanths

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2020/03/22

In 1938, a fishing crew pulled up a fish that everyone thought had been extinct for 70 million years. Since then, coelacanths have become famous not just for their strangely incomplete fossil record, but also for their unique anatomy, their reclusive lifestyle, and their close relationship to land vertebrates. From fossils to genetics, this episode is all about what we know – and what we’re missing – of the story of coelacanths. In the news: an old weasel, fish through time, daily bivalve growth,

en

01:57:38

Episode 82 - Trilobites

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2020/03/08

Few fossil animals are as popular with the public, as abundant in the fossil record, or as important to the study of past life on Earth as trilobites. These ocean-dwelling arthropods came in an amazing variety of shapes, sizes, and lifestyles, with many thousands of identified species, and they persisted on our planet for more than 270 million years. And best of all, they left behind an incredible fossil record giving us insights into their evolution, life history, and ultimate extinction. In the

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01:47:40

Episode 81 - Metamorphosis

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2020/02/23

Metamorphosis is the process that turns a caterpillar to a butterfly, a fry to a fish, and a tadpole to a frog. Animals have been metamorphosing for over 500 million years, from early crustaceans to the many fish, amphibians, and arthropods that do it today. Larvae, pupae, and adults are known in the fossil record, but the evolutionary history of this incredible life strategy is still mysterious. In the news: a new tyrannosaur, early chameleons, giant turtles, and dinosaur temperatures. Time

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01:41:12

Episode 80 - Mary Anning

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2020/02/09

Happy Darwin Day! This time around, we’re talking about Mary Anning! She was one of the earliest modern paleontologists, she helped lay the groundwork for our modern methods of uncovering and understanding fossils, and she was famously underappreciated in her time. We’re joined in our discussion by our friend Brittney Stoneburg from the Western Science Center! Follow Brittney on Twitter and Instagram: @brittandbone And follow our friends at the Western Science Center! In the news: elephant

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02:15:04

Episode 79 - Pterosaurs

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2020/01/26

The first pterosaur to be scientifically identified was Pterodactylus, more than 200 years ago. Since then, scientists have grappled with understanding these bizarre and fantastic animals, aided by inspired science and incredible discoveries. In this episode, we’ll discuss what we know – and what we don’t know – about how these animals evolved, survived, and ruled the skies in the Age of Reptiles. In the news: cassowary evolution, the oldest scorpions, sea floor taphonomy, and Neanderthal

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02:06:32

DragonCon 2019 Paleontology Hour Panel

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2020/01/19

At DragonCon 2019, Will and David were part of the Paleontology Hour Panel, where a room full of nerds asked all their paleo-related questions to a panel of experts - and we recorded it! We were joined on the panel by: Trevor Valle @tattoosandbones Charon Henning @TheOddAngel Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures: http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/ The Common Descent Store is open! Get merch! http://zazzle.com/common_descent Follow and Support us on: Patreon:

en

01:49:03

Episode 78 - Exaptation

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2020/01/12

Hand a kitchen appliance to a child and they’re likely to find a whole new way to use it. This happens in evolution, too – traits adapted for one purpose turn out to be beneficial for a whole other reason, and so the trajectory of natural selection changes. The term for this is exaptation, but it’s a complicated concept, and not everyone even likes using the word. Let’s discuss what this word means, why it exists, and what some people find wrong with it. In the news: the oldest forest, an ancient

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03:26:03

End of the Year Q&A 2019

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2020/01/01

Happy New Year! We got a ton of questions this year, so enjoy the end of the decade with this extra-long edition of David and Will saying the things you want to hear! See you in the ‘20s! Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures: http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/ The Common Descent Store is open! Get merch! http://zazzle.com/common_descent Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC Facebook:

en

01:37:49

Episode 77 - Fins to Feet: The Fish-Tetrapod Transition

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2019/12/29

Happy New Year! As we transition into a new decade, this episode is about one of the most important and incredible transitions in the evolutionary history of life. In the Late Devonian, one particular group of bony fish spent many millions of years experimenting with new forms of fins, skulls, and lifestyles, ultimately giving rise to the first land-dwelling vertebrates and setting the stage for 300 million years of continental dominance. In the news: the earliest penguins, ancient whale swimming,

en

01:54:54

Episode 76 - Horse Evolution

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2019/12/15

The evolution of horses is a classic story, first because it is a beautiful example of evolution in the fossil record, and second because of how our scientific perspective of this story has shifted over the years. From the tiny forest-dwellers of the Eocene, barely recognizable as horse-relatives, to the mighty domesticated animals we know today, we’ll unpack what we know – and what we thought we knew – about horse evolution. In the news: dinosaur teeth, alligator tools, ancient embryos, and

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