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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

47:46

Silver Screen Science - Jurassic World (4/5)

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2018/06/23

Part 4 of 5! Our Jurassic Park review series is almost done! All month, we’ve been re-watching the movies and chatting about the science in a series of “science reviews.” How do these movies handle such subjects as prehistoric creatures, the science of paleontology, and the portrayal of scientists? In this episode, the complex – and controversial – franchise revival: Jurassic World (2015). Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter:

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01:43:35

Episode 37 - Evolution of Birds

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2018/06/17

Birds are such unique and fascinating animals; for many decades scientists have wondered at their evolutionary story – and so have many of our listeners! Well here it is: the Evolution of Birds, complete with some scientific history, key fossil finds, and a fly-by (yep) of the incredible diversity of critters that led to birds as we know them today In the news: history of the Great Barrier Reef, giant bony fish, early African tetrapods, and the oldest lizards. Time markers: Intro & Announcements:

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40:44

Silver Screen Science - Jurassic Park III (3/5)

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2018/06/16

Part 3 of 5! Every Saturday this month, we’re re-watching all of the Jurassic Park movies and chatting about the science in a series of “science reviews.” How do these movies handle such subjects as prehistoric creatures, the science of paleontology, and the portrayal of scientists? This time, the last of the original trilogy: Jurassic Park III (2001). Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC Facebook:

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37:40

Silver Screen Science - The Lost World: Jurassic Park...

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2018/06/09

Part 2 of 5! Each Saturday in June, we’re re-watching all of the Jurassic Park movies and chatting about the science in a series of “science reviews.” How do these films handle such subjects as prehistoric creatures, the science of paleontology, and the portrayal of scientists? Sequel time. The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997). Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC Facebook:

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01:53:31

Episode 36 - Reefs

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2018/06/03

In this episode, we’re examining the incredible formation of reefs! Not just coral – reef systems have been built by many different organisms over Earth history, and we’ll be touching on the details of these essential harbors of biodiversity: past, present, and prospects for the future. In the news: bone-crushing dogs, ancient global warming, a tick in a web, and how birds bounced back. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:05:30 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:35:00 Main discussion,

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47:33

Silver Screen Science - Jurassic Park (1/5)

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2018/06/02

Part 1 of 5! By the end of June, there will be five Jurassic Park films! So for each of the five Saturdays this month, we’re re-watching all of the movies and chatting about the science in a series of “science reviews.” How do these movies handle such subjects as prehistoric creatures, the science of paleontology, and the portrayal of scientists? This episode, we start at the beginning: Jurassic Park (1993). Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter:

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01:35:43

Episode 35 - De-extinction

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2018/05/20

It's time for another extinction episode! Is extinction truly forever? Could something like Jurassic Park actually be possible? If so, should we do it? As we speak, there are scientists around the world working on the early stages of answering these questions, and in the process developing the very real science of De-extinction. In the news: sea-going crocs, giant sea snakes, early baleen whales, and super-ancient viruses. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:07:30 Main

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01:29:43

Episode 34 - Ancient DNA

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2018/05/06

Only a few decades ago, the idea of pulling DNA from long-dead organisms was the stuff of science fiction, but the field of ancient DNA is now totally real and thriving. In this episode, we discuss how we get DNA from ancient specimens and just a bit of the incredible world of information paleogenetics opens up for scientists. In the news: Another ancient croc-cousin, human and sloth footprints, swimming human evolution, and the oldest wolverine! Time markers: Intro & Announcements:

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14:12

Crocs vs Snakes - The Poll Returns

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2018/05/01

THE GREAT DEBATEIS BACK! By popular demand! Will and David agree on most things, but not this... Help us settle our long-running debate - choose a side! Head to Twitter, Facebook, or Patreon and cast your vote! And then, if you like, tell us what you really think...what's YOUR favorite group of animals? Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/ PodBean:

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01:44:21

Survey Response and Q&A

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2018/04/30

Thanks to everyone who filled out our Listener Survey! In this bonus episode, we’re discussing the feedback we got on the survey and how we’re planning for the future of the podcast. And then we’re answering all the wonderful questions you asked on the survey in an extended Q&A session! This starts about 20 minutes in. Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC Facebook:

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01:45:12

Episode 33 - Ontogeny

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2018/04/22

Animals don’t start their lives as tiny copies of adults; there are all sorts of changes that a creature goes through from fertilization to birth and from newborn to mature. This development is called ontogeny. In this episode, we discuss how ontogenetic change impacts animals as they grow, what we can learn from these patterns, and how ontogeny can cause confusion in the fossil record. In the news: colorful moth fossils, an enormous ichthyosaur, Neanderthals' strange faces, and sea turtle

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01:33:24

Episode 32 - Naracoorte Caves, Australia

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2018/04/08

Over the past several hundred thousand years, Australia has witnesed numerous ice age cycles, ecosystems dominated by giant marsupials, the arrival of humans, the extinction of those giant animals, and more. And there may be no better window into this dynamic time period than the world-famous Naracoorte Caves of South Australia. In the news: an infected dinosaur, humans' earliest steps in Canada, horny dinosaurs, and a four-eyed ancient lizard. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News:

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01:40:59

Episode 31 - The Ediacaran Biota

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2018/03/25

Before life as we know it, and before even the Cambrian Explosion, there was a time when the Earth was home to an assortment of strange squishy creatures so unusual that they defy most of our best attempts at classification. This episode, we discuss life’s earliest experiments with complex bodies: the Ediacaran Biota. In the news: the last pterosaurs, ancient lost tails, island spider evolution, and the legs of gators and crocs. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:05:30 Main

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01:36:45

Episode 30 - Prehistoric Poop

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2018/03/11

Everybody poops! Throughout the history of life on Earth, animals of all lifestyles have been littering the planet with little presents, and those few that fossilize become coprolites: unique time capsules that can serve as invaluable sources of information, not just on obvious stuff like ancient diets, but also about evolution, extinction, and more. This episode: we talk turds. In the news: de-escalating plant evolution, reverse speciation in ravens, upside-down dinosaurs, and record-keeping giant

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01:41:52

Episode 29 - Placoderms, The Armored Fish

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2018/02/25

In the earliest millennia of vertebrate life on Earth, the seas were home to the placoderms, a diverse group of extinct armored fish whose evolutionary innovations set the stage for some of the most important features of vertebrate life. This episode, we talk about some of history's most influential placoderms, with a special spotlight on the most famous of armored fish, the giant predator Dunkleosteus. In the news: asteroids and volcanoes, running lizards, Shawn's turtle, walking fish, and more on

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01:35:22

Episode 28 - Charles Darwin

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2018/02/11

Happy Darwin Day! In honor of Chuck's birthday (Feb 12), we are joined this episode by Dr. Sarah Bray of the Discovering Darwin podcast, to chat about the man whose research and writings laid the groundwork for our modern understanding of biology and evolution: Charles Darwin! In the news: orange crocs, insect evolution, and footprints at NASA! Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:05:00 Main discussion: 00:31:00 Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:

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01:30:11

Episode 27 - Domestication

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2018/01/28

This episode, we explore the evolutionary innovation that brought us a diversity of animal companions, from corgis to cattle to cauliflower, and jump-started our species’ rise to world dominance: Domestication. In the news: a colorful new dinosaur, super-ancient butterflies, the evolution of tail weaponry, and migrating whale barnacles. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:02:00 Main discussion: 00:23:30 Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:

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01:44:27

Episode 26 - Astrobiology

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2018/01/14

This episode, we look to the stars! Our discussion takes a tour across the field of astrobiology, the broad and thought-provoking science that seeks to answer the questions of how life arises, where it thrives, and where we might find it elsewhere in the universe, incorporating everything from astronomy to paleontology along the way. In the news: Ancient Americans, a frozen baby rhino, unique dinosaur bones, and a surprising shared feature of cells. Time markers: Intro & Announcements:

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01:40:49

Episode 25 - The Pleistocene Megafaunal Extinction

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2017/12/31

In this episode, we firmly establish a tradition of extinction-talk! This time, by request, it’s the latest major prehistoric extinction in Earth history, the event that took from us the mammoths, ground sloths, and other giants of the Ice Age, a mass extinction that our own species was around to witness (and perhaps even cause): the Pleistocene Megafaunal Extinction. In the news: mistaken Archaeopteryx identity, ticks with a taste for dinosaurs, evolution of the Tibetan Plateau, and ancient bear

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01:35:25

Episode 24 - Sloths

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2017/12/17

This episode, by listener request, is all about sloths! We explore their bizarre family tree, their adorable and internet-favorite living representatives, and their diverse and truly incredible ancient members. In the news: pterosaur eggs, a bizarre swimming dinosaur, the plight of paleontological monuments, and the ears of plesiosaurs. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:04:30 Main discussion: 00:33:00 Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:

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348 results

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