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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 subscribers on Patreon. New episodes with new topics every fortnight!
Episodes

Saturday May 10, 2025
Episode 217 - Bears
Saturday May 10, 2025
Saturday May 10, 2025
Bears are among the most charismatic and impressive mammals. They have large bodies, very flexible lifestyles, and an extensive fossil record that includes some of the best-preserved and largest fossil mammals of all time. This episode, we explore what makes bears so distinctive and successful, and how their diversity has changed over time.
In the news: ancient alligators, rattlesnake venom, late land crocs, pterosaur tracks, and Caribbean crocodiles.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:05:45
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:43:25
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:28:25
Patron question: 02:12:25
Check out our website for this episode’s blog post and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/
Listen to our new podcast, Leaf it to Us!
https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod
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 with us: https://linktr.ee/common_descent
The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org
Musical Interludes are "Professor Umlaut" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
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