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Episodes
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 Apr 03, 2021
Saturday Apr 03, 2021
Go searching in the right spots in Illinois and you’re liable to find a hard chunk of ironstone with a gorgeous fossil inside. The Mazon Creek Fossil Beds represent some of the best Carboniferous fossils in the world, yielding exceptionally preserved plants and animals from a tropical river delta over 300 million years old. This episode, we discuss the history, the geology, and some of the most famously bizarre creatures of Mazon Creek.
In the news: a “winged” shark, digging ankylosaurs, the oldest cephalopods, and a fly full of pollen.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:04:30
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:33:30
Main discussion, Part 2: 00:56:00
Patron question: 01:22:00
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast
Instagram: @commondescentpodcast
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
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/
Saturday Mar 20, 2021
Saturday Mar 20, 2021
Despite their unfortunate reputation, hyenas are really impressive. Modern and fossil, they’re a diverse group with a variety of dietary and social habits, and they are the quintessential example of bone-crushing specialists. In this episode, we discuss what makes hyenas unique and interesting, and we take a look at their surprisingly varied fossil history.
In the news: lamprey larvae, octopus diets, nesting dinosaurs, and tyrannosaur bites.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:03:30
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:34:30
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:11:30
Patron question: 01:49:00
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast
Instagram: @commondescentpodcast
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
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/
Saturday Mar 06, 2021
Saturday Mar 06, 2021
Penguins aren’t the only flightless birds, and they aren’t the only diving birds, but they sure are good at doing both! In this episode, we discuss modern penguins’ unique suite of adaptations that allow them to spend so much of their lives in the water, and then we address some of the most pressing questions about their past: How did they get their start? What drove their evolution? And why were some of them so disconcertingly large?
In the news: giant coelacanths, really old DNA, fossil vampire squid, and dinosaur ecology.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:04:30
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:42:00
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:13:30
Patron question: 01:49:00
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast
Instagram: @commondescentpodcast
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
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/
Saturday Feb 20, 2021
Saturday Feb 20, 2021
Taking teeth to the extreme! Tusks have evolved numerous times, particularly in mammals, and they’ve come in a striking array of shapes and sizes for a variety of uses. From the monstrously huge ivory tusks of mammoths to the modest yet effective tusks of fanged deer to the bizarre and perplexing tusks of babirusas and narwhals, in this episode we discuss trends, drivers, and mysteries in the evolution of tusks.
In the news: razor-toothed mosasaurs, walk the dinosaur, sidewinder skin, and really old giant sloths.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:03:30
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:38:00
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:15:30
Patron question: 01:54:30
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast
Instagram: @commondescentpodcast
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
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/
Saturday Feb 06, 2021
Saturday Feb 06, 2021
Happy Darwin Day!
Baron Franz Nopcsa was a paleontologist around the start of the 20th Century, remembered today for his innovative fossil research, his (in)famous personality, and his fantastic adventures across Eastern Europe. In this episode, we’ll discuss how this aristocrat became a paleontologist and how he contributed to our modern understanding of dinosaurs, and we’ll share some of the incredible and bizarre stories that surround him.
In the news: Parasaurolophus crests, sand striker burrows, dogs in Siberia, and life on Pinatubo.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:04:30
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:42:00
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:12:00
Patron question: 01:46:00
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast
Instagram: @commondescentpodcast
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
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/
Saturday Jan 23, 2021
Saturday Jan 23, 2021
A new tradition begins! Get ready for more plants with our friend Dr. Aly Baumgartner!
Most plants are content to sit still and take in sunlight and soil nutrients, but when conditions are tough, some plants get hungry! The habit of devouring small animals has evolved in plants several times. In this episode, we discuss what counts as carnivory in plants, why they do it, the various methods plants use to murder their meals, and what little we know about the evolutionary history of this behavior.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:03:30
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:41:30
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:19:00
Patron question: 02:03:30
Follow Aly on Twitter @kyrietree or Instagram @paleolorax
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast
Instagram: @commondescentpodcast
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw
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/
Saturday Jan 09, 2021
Saturday Jan 09, 2021
Seals, sea lions, and walruses (oh my!) are widespread, successful, and invariably charming. In this episode, we take a look at how they’re adapted for their aquatic lifestyles and how they might have gotten that way. We’ll explore some of the unanswered questions about their origins and evolution, and we’ll take a tour through their diverse but spotty fossil record.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:04:00
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:29:00
Main discussion, Part 2: 00:57:00
Patron question: 01:32:00
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast
Instagram: @commondescentpodcast
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw
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/
Wednesday Dec 30, 2020
Wednesday Dec 30, 2020
Happy New Year!
A huge thanks to everyone who sent in questions for this year’s Q&A – we got more than we could even answer! – and to everyone who has supported the podcast this year by listening, sharing, donating, and reaching out to us.
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast
Instagram: @commondescentpodcast
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw
The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome.
More music like this at http://ocremix.org.
Saturday Dec 26, 2020
Saturday Dec 26, 2020
The PETM has been called the largest natural climate change event of the Cenozoic Era. It marks the transition from the ecosystems of the Paleocene to the more familiar world of the Eocene and is thus an important step in making the world the way we know it today. But maybe most importantly, it is a dramatic case study in what happens when a huge amount of Carbon injected into the atmosphere triggers rapid warming of global climate … you know, in case anyone needs to know about that.
In the news: pterosaur cousins, oldest pythons, burrowed dinosaurs, and hibernating hominins.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:04:30
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:32:30
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:03:00
Patron question: 01:36:30
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast
Instagram: @commondescentpodcast
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw
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/
Saturday Dec 12, 2020
Saturday Dec 12, 2020
The word parasite doesn’t typically invoke a lot of happy thoughts for us humans, but as far as life on Earth is concerned, parasitism is a path to success. As we discuss in this episode, an incredible diversity of organisms, past and present, have developed an equally incredible diversity of strategies for stealing, siphoning, and exploiting resources from other organisms.
In the news: surprise bird beak, alligator tails, flightless birds, and chemical re-assessment.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:05:00
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:39:30
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:21:00
Patron question: 01:55:00
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Submit your questions for our End of the Year Q&A using this form, closing December 15th! https://forms.gle/2BDWts2RaKzRo3hL8
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast
Instagram: @commondescentpodcast
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw
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/