x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

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

01:53:52

Episode 198 - Eels

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/08/18

Eels are long-bodied fish found in a variety of aquatic habitats, famous for their unusual body plans, distinctive life cycles, and occasional anatomical oddities like extra jaws. This episode, we’re joined by special guest Shay Maden to discuss the diversity, evolution, and fossil history of the true eels of the Order Anguilliformes, and we’ll also make mention of other famous “eels” and the repeated evolution of the eel-like body shape.In the news: dog brains, giant beans, marine crocs, and

en

01:12:36

Spotlight 2024 - Meredith Johnson, Origin Stories

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/08/07

Welcome to Spotlight 2024! In this series, we’re sitting down with our fellow paleo-podcasters to discuss Science Communication.This episode, another returning guest: Meredith Johnson, host of Origin Stories, the Leakey Foundation podcast! Find Origin Stories here: https://leakeyfoundation.org/learn/originstories/ Connect with Common Descent: https://linktr.ee/common_descent Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Got a topic

en

02:12:28

Episode 197 - Durophagy (Eating Hard Stuff)

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/08/04

Some animals are specialists at eating particularly tough foods like shells, seeds, and bones. Adaptations for a durophagous diet come in many forms in almost all major groups of life. This episode, we discuss how so many animals tackle tough foods, what behaviors and anatomy help them to do it, and the importance of durophagy for understanding fossils and the history of Earth ecosystems.In the news: fossil boas, walking fish, cooked birds, and early arthropods. Time markers: Intro &

en

02:29:33

Episode 196 - Boas and Pythons

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/07/21

Boas and pythons include some of the most famous snake species on Earth, renowned for their incredible tropical diversity, their often beautiful scale patterns, and their often impressive size. This episode, we discuss what sets these two lineages apart from other snakes – and each other – and we explore the evolutionary path recorded in their fossil record.In the news: giant early tetrapods, digging dinosaurs, coastal croc-cousins, and striking snakes. Time markers: Intro & Announcements:

en

03:04:53

Episode 195 - Leaves

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/07/07

Leaves. They’re everywhere. They’re the main photosynthesizing organs of plants, and they’re the main source of green on our green-and-blue planet. Leaves come in a truly dizzying variety of shapes, sizes, and specialized functions, and their early evolution laid the foundation for terrestrial ecosystems as we know them. This episode, Aly joins us yet again to talk about the anatomy and diversity of leaves and the incredible information we can learn from leaves in the fossil record.In the news:

en

01:02:38

Spotlight 2024 - Travis Holland, Fossils and Fiction

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/07/03

Welcome to Spotlight 2024! In this series, we’re sitting down with our fellow paleo-podcasters to discuss Science Communication. Joining us for this episode is Travis Holland, host of Fossils and Fiction! Find Travis and Fossils and Fiction in these places: fossilsfiction.co travisholland.com.au https://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/en/persons/tholla05csueduau Connect with Common Descent: https://linktr.ee/common_descent Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content:

en

02:28:03

Episode 194 - Alligators and Caimans

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/06/23

Happy Croc Month!Alligators and caimans are the living members of the family Alligatoridae. In this episode, we explore how the gator lineage differs from other crocs, and we’ll dive into the fossil record of the extended gator family tree, a history that includes a diversity of species and some of the largest crocodilians to ever live. In the news: Australian pterosaurs, mega-geese, Neanderthal art, and social ants. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:06:45 Main discussion,

en

02:02:53

Episode 193 - Hopping

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/06/09

Terrestrial animals get around using a variety of gaits: walking, running, galloping, etc. Some of these gaits are particularly bouncy! Hopping comes in many forms in many different groups of animals. This episode, we’ll discuss what makes a particular gait “hoppy,” what functions hopping serves, and what adaptations are found in the best hoppers. Then, we’ll explore what we can tell about hopping in the fossil record.In the news: dinosaur skin, marine worms, ancient monotremes, and plant-ant

en

01:12:01

Spotlight 2024 - Sabrina and Garret, I Know Dino

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/06/05

Welcome to Spotlight 2024! In this series, we’re sitting down with our fellow paleo-podcasters to discuss Science Communication. Returning to the podcast for this episode are Sabrina and Garret, hosts of I Know Dino! Find I Know Dino at these places: https://iknowdino.com https://www.patreon.com/join/iknowdino https://pod.link/960976813 Connect with Common Descent: https://linktr.ee/common_descent Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content:

en

02:11:11

Episode 192 - Tongues

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/05/26

Tongues are a common feature among tetrapod animals, but the evolution of this organ is complex and fascinating. Through time, tongues have evolved a wide variety of functions from feeding to sensing to speech. This episode, we’ll explore the diversity of tongues and their bony counterparts in the hyoid apparatus, we’ll examine what’s known about tongue evolution, and we’ll discuss how fossils – especially hyoids – help us interpret the tongues of extinct species.In the news: dinosaur temperatures,

en

02:04:37

Episode 191 - Language

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/05/12

Language is possibly the most important and incredible ability that sets humans apart from other species. Whether spoken, written, or signed, language exists in thousands of varieties among modern human cultures, and there are some very language-like communication systems in other animals, too. This episode, we discuss what defines language, what makes it so special, and what we understand about its history and origins among our ancestors. In the news: orangutan medicine, frog skin, giant sharks,

en

01:08:42

Spotlight 2024 - Dylan Wilmeth, Bedrock

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/05/01

Welcome to Spotlight 2024! In this series, we’re sitting down with our fellow paleo-podcasters to discuss Science Communication.This episode, we’re joined by Dylan Wilmeth, host of Bedrock: Earth’s Earliest History! Find Dylan’s podcast here: https://www.bedrockpodcast.com/ Connect with Common Descent: https://linktr.ee/common_descent Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Got a topic you want to hear about? Submit your

en

02:13:12

Episode 190 - Cicadas

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/04/28

Cicadas are among the most famous insects in the world, and in summer 2024, they’re set to put on quite a show in North America! This episode, we explore the function and evolution of cicadas’ most famous features, including their notoriously loud calls and their incredible life cycles, and we’ll take a peek into the past at the fossil record of cicadas and their ancient cousins. In the news: giant snakes, big kangaroos, dinosaur amino acids, and echolocation tissues. Time markers: Intro &

en

01:08:29

Silver Screen Science - Jaws

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/04/24

It’s a new series of Silver Screen Science! As usual, we’re discussing how science is portrayed on the big screen, this time with a new theme: Sharks! It’s a series about shark movies, so how could we skip the most famous and influential shark film of all time? – Jaws. Check out our website for blog posts and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/ Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Got a topic you want to hear about? Submit

en

55:12

Silver Screen Science - Deep Blue Sea

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/04/17

It’s a new series of Silver Screen Science! As usual, we’re discussing how science is portrayed on the big screen, this time with a new theme: Sharks!This time, we’re exploring the monster sharks and suspicious science of a 90s shark classic – Deep Blue Sea. Check out our website for blog posts and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/ Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Got a topic you want to hear about? Submit your

en

02:33:52

Episode 189 - Dromaeosaurs

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/04/14

This group of predatory dinosaurs includes such famous names as Deinonychus, Microraptor, and Velociraptor, and they’re among the most well-studied and popular dinosaurs of all time. This episode, we’ll discuss what sets these dinosaurs apart, as well the much-discussed and -debated questions surrounding their relationships to birds, their distinctive claws and wings, and their hunting strategies.In the news: ant-mimic spiders, fishapod spinal column, early dinosaur growth, and a fossil

en

01:01:18

Silver Screen Science - Meg 2: The Trench

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/04/10

It’s a new series of Silver Screen Science! As usual, we’re discussing how science is portrayed on the big screen, this time with a new theme: Sharks! This episode, we’re examining the newest installment in the film series about giant monster ancient sharks – Meg 2: The Trench. Check out our website for blog posts and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/ Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Got a topic you want to hear

en

01:04:17

Spotlight 2024 - James, Amanda, and Curtis, Palaeo...

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/04/03

Welcome to Spotlight 2024! In this series, we’re sitting down with our fellow paleo-podcasters to discuss Science Communication.It’s episode two, and our guests are the hosts of Palaeo After Dark: James, Amanda, and Curtis! Find Palaeo After Dark at their website: www.palaeoafterdark.com Connect with Common Descent: https://linktr.ee/common_descent Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Got a topic you want to hear about

en

02:20:49

Episode 188 - Cannibalism

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/03/31

An animal eating another member of its own species might sound like a rare and abnormal occurrence – and it is often portrayed that way – but cannibalism is actually extremely widespread and common in nature. Some animals are occasional cannibals, while some go so far as to rely on this behavior to fuel proper growth and development. In this episode, we’ll discuss some of the varieties of cannibalism, explore how this behavior has been misunderstood and misconstrued in the past, and investigate some

en

02:07:07

Episode 187 - Migration

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2024/03/17

Among the most spectacular of animal behaviors is migration, the habit of many species to undertake massive journeys, sometimes traveling thousands of kilometers to access food or breeding grounds. This episode, we explore the incredible diversity of migratory behaviors, we examine the functions and adaptations that make migration happen, we discuss how migration is defined, and we investigate some of the tools we can use to identify migration in the distant past.In the news: giant crabs, fossil

en

353 results

Similar Podcasts

Classic Radio Science Fiction

solgoodmedia.com

Mission to Mars

Inception Point Ai

The 365 Days of Astronomy

365DaysOfAstronomy.org

Creek Devil

william Jevning

UFO Chronicles Podcast

Nik Hunter