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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

188:22

Episode 237 - The Dinosaur Renaissance

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2026/02/15

In the mid-to-late 20th Century, dinosaurs received a major makeover in their scientific and popular image. This episode, Riley Black takes us through the timeline of the Dinosaur Renaissance. We discuss some of the big scientific milestones and the various players which brought dinosaurs into their modern era, and we’ll explore the early signs and lingering notes of this historic shift.In the news: sleepy jellyfish, fast mammals, bird beaks, and dinosaur diets. Find Riley in these

en

51:05

Pok-É – Giratina

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2026/02/14

Welcome ... to Pok-É! This year is the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise, so we’re picking some of our favorite Legendary Pokémon and speculating upon how they – or something like them – might evolve in real life, pulling inspiration from species throughout our planet’s history! This episode, we confront the Renegade Pokémon. From what ancestors might we get a many-limbed monster from a parallel world? Our creature to create this time: Giratina. Join the Common Descent Discord server for

en

58:05

Pok-É – Lugia

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2026/02/07

Welcome ... to Pok-É!This year is the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise, so we’re picking some of our favorite Legendary Pokémon and speculating upon how they – or something like them – might evolve in real life, pulling inspiration from species throughout our planet’s history! This episode, we set our sights on the Diving Pokémon. How might evolution produce a sea-dwelling bird with a knack for stirring up storms? Our creature to create this time: Lugia. Join the Common Descent Discord

en

121:33

Episode 236 - Chalicotheres

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2026/02/01

The Cenozoic Era was home to many unusual ancient mammals, but few so strange as the “gorilla-horses,” the ungulates that swapped their hooves for claws, chalicotheres. This episode, we discuss the features that make these animals distinct and which confused paleontologists for decades, and we go over what is known – and still unknown – about their evolution and lifestyles.In the news: Let’s Botanize, Prototaxites identity, and giant kangaroos. Find Let’s Botanize here:

en

157:40

Episode 235 - Aquatic Plants

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2026/01/18

All plants need water, but some take it to the extreme. This episode, Dr. Aly Baumgartner joins us to explore the many life strategies of plants that live in the water. We’ll discuss the adaptations that allow them to lead an aquatic lifestyle, their evolutionary history as seen through genes and fossils, and the benefits that keep leading plants back to water.In the news: fish diversity, ammonite survivors, gut microbes, and hiding dinosaurs. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News:

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144:00

Episode 234 - Snails and Slugs

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2026/01/04

From deep-sea trenches to your home garden, gastropods (snails and slugs) are among the most diverse and successful groups of animal life in Earth history. This episode, we’ll explore what makes these animals distinctive, we’ll touch on their extraordinary fossil record, and we’ll investigate the many evolutionary experiments gastropods have undergone in their anatomy and lifestyle.In the news: squishable ants, false saber-tooths, bee burrows, and baby ankylosaurs Time markers: Intro &

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351:42

End of the Year Q&A 2025

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2025/12/31

Happy New Year! Please enjoy our annual question-answering marathon, now longer than ever! Thank you so much to everyone who listens, shares, and supports the podcast. Check out our website 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 episode request here: https://commondescentpodcast.com/request-a-topic/ Lots more ways to connect

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161:39

Episode 233 - Flies and Mosquitoes

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2025/12/21

Of all the highly successful and capable flying insects in the world, few are as successful or capable as those in the order Diptera. This episode, we’re joined by special guest Brandon Strauss to discuss the distinctive anatomy and varied habits of flies, mosquitoes, and their many two-winged relatives. Then, we’ll peer into the past for a glimpse at the fossil record and dynamic evolutionary history of the group.In the news: long-nosed crocs, river mosasaurs, stampeding sea turtles, and giant

en

136:20

Episode 232 - Vertebrate Origins

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2025/12/07

Today, bony animals are some of the most diverse organisms on Earth, but it wasn’t always that way. This episode, we explore what features distinguish vertebrates from their closest relatives, and we dive into the abundant evidence from genetics, embryology, and the fossil record that gives us a glimpse at how our distant ancestors came to be.In the news: swimming hands, early life, Dunkleosteus jaws, and Neanderthal noses Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:05:35 Main

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163:14

Episode 231 - Back to the Water (Secondarily Aquatic...

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2025/11/23

Nearly 400 million years ago, an unusual group of fish gave rise to the first land-dwelling vertebrates. Since then, their descendants have repeatedly moved back into the water. This episode, we explore the many ways these species adapt to the challenges of turning a terrestrial body into one that can survive at sea, and we investigate some of the most famous and confusing cases from the fossil record.In the news: post-extinction oceans, croc eggs, damaged dino tails, and meat-eating dung

en

136:08

Episode 230 - Pachycephalosaurs

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2025/11/09

The dome-headed dinosaurs are some of the most iconic ancient reptiles, but they’re surprisingly unexplored compared to other dinos. This episode, we explore what makes these dinosaurs unique, what limits our understanding of them, and the many confounding mysteries that paleontologists have been scratching their heads over, including the question of what exactly they were doing with those thick heads.In the news: the I Know Dino children’s book, giant reptile locomotion, and dinosaur hooves. Time

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99:26

Silver Screen Science - Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025)

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2025/11/05

In this special guest episode of Silver Screen Science, we're joined by Sabrina and Garret of I Know Dino to discuss the science and scientists of the newest installment in the Jurassic franchise: Jurassic World: Rebirth! Find more Common Descent: http://commondescentpodcast.com/ Join Common Descent and I Know Dino on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast https://www.patreon.com/cw/iknowdino Lots more ways to connect with us:

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58:40

Cute-E – Pikmin

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2025/11/01

Welcome … to Cute-E!During our Spook-E series, we speculate on the evolution of monsters from myth and popular media, but we leave out fiction’s more adorable creatures. In Cute-E, we choose cuddlier critters and discuss how they – or something like them – could evolve here on Earth, pulling inspiration from real-world species across our planet’s history. This year’s theme is Monsters of Nintendo. This episode, we pluck precious partners from the soil. What could be the evolutionary background of

en

141:06

Episode 229 - Myrmecophagy (Ant-Eating)

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2025/10/26

Generally speaking, it’s not a good idea to mess with ants. But several lineages of animals have evolved to be ant-eating specialists. This episode, we discuss anteaters, the suite of adaptations that allow them to focus on ant-eating, and the variety of other species that have evolved similar adaptations for the same purpose. We explore the evolutionary history of ant-eating mammals and even dinosaurs through the fossil record and genetic evidence.In the news: butt-drags, ancient leeches,

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69:00

Spook-E – Metroids

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2025/10/25

Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution. Spook-E Season is back! All throughout October, we pick monsters from myth and media and speculate how they – or something like them – could evolve here on Earth, pulling inspiration from real-world species across our planet’s history. This year’s theme is Monsters of Nintendo! This episode, we take the hunt across the stars. What biological explanation can we find for jellyfish-shaped parasites with a complex and terrifying life cycle? Our creatures to create

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62:51

Spook-E – Kremlings

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2025/10/18

Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution.Spook-E Season is back! All throughout October, we pick monsters from myth and media and speculate how they – or something like them – could evolve here on Earth, pulling inspiration from real-world species across our planet’s history. This year’s theme is Monsters of Nintendo! This time, we’re sailing with the scourges of DK Isle. What circumstances might lead to the evolution of crocodile-faced humanoid pirates? Our creatures to create this time:

en

115:27

Episode 228 - Dinosaur Provincial Park

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2025/10/12

Located in southeastern Alberta is a stretch of gorgeous badlands that are home to some of the world’s absolute best Late Cretaceous fossils. This episode, we explore how Dinosaur Provincial Park earned its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we list off some of the famous dinosaurs who once lived there, and we discuss a fraction of the many fossil discoveries that have been made at the Park since the late 1800s.In the news: Cretaceous crocs, baby pterosaurs, late megaraptorans, and early

en

57:06

Spook-E – Octoroks

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2025/10/11

Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution. Spook-E Season is back! All throughout October, we pick monsters from myth and media and speculate how they – or something like them – could evolve here on Earth, pulling inspiration from real-world species across our planet’s history. This year’s theme is Monsters of Nintendo! This episode, we take a trip to the Kingdom of Hyrule. How might nature develop an octopus-like monster with a penchant for projectiles? Our creatures to create this time:

en

66:10

Spook-E – Piranha Plants

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2025/10/04

Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution.Spook-E Season is back! All throughout October, we pick monsters from myth and media and speculate how they – or something like them – could evolve here on Earth, pulling inspiration from real-world species across our planet’s history. This year’s theme is Monsters of Nintendo! This episode, we begin with a baddie from the Mushroom Kingdom. What evolutionary path might generate a pipe-dwelling plant-like predator? Our creatures to create this time: Piranha

en

146:52

Episode 227 - Beaks

The Common Descent Podcast ·

2025/09/28

The faces of vertebrate animals are often soft and full of teeth, but there is a common alternative. Birds, turtles, and many more groups have developed toothless snouts covered in a tough sheath. This episode, we’ll explore the defining features of beaks and their various functions. And we’ll take a tour through animal life past and present to investigate the reasons behind the repeated evolution of beaks among dinosaurs and beyond.In the news: Life on Mars, ancient sharks, mammoth microbes, and

en

358 results

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