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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 Nov 28, 2020
Saturday Nov 28, 2020
Is there a group of dinosaurs more iconic than sauropods? Famous for their ridiculously long necks, their global success, their astounding diversity, and of course for their unparalleled size, sauropods have fascinated and puzzled people for centuries. In this episode, we’ll explore what makes sauropods and their ancestors special, and we’ll talk a bit about how they functioned at truly colossal scales.
In the news: strange-jawed sharks, ancient walruses, dinosaur demise, and the oldest blindsnakes.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:07:00
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:38:30
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:04:30
Patron question: 01:42:00
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: 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/
Sunday Nov 22, 2020
Sunday Nov 22, 2020
We’ve released 100 episodes of the podcast! Plus, more than 50 side episodes, a handful of YouTube videos, some live shows … it’s been quite a journey. In this episode, we take some time to look back over our experience, to discuss some of our favorite aspects of the podcast, and above all, to thank our listeners.
Thank you. To everyone who listens to the podcast; everyone who supports us on Patreon; everyone who sends us requests, questions, comments, and feedback; everyone who follows us on social media or leaves a review on iTunes; everyone who comes to see us at DragonCon; everyone who tells their friends about us. This podcast wouldn’t exist without all of you, and we are so, so glad it exists.
Here’s to another 100 episodes.
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: 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.
Saturday Nov 14, 2020
Saturday Nov 14, 2020
One hundred episodes is kind of a big deal, so we figured we’d pick a big deal kind of topic, and it doesn’t get much bigger than this.
As far as we can tell, all life on Earth is descended from a common ancestry – at some point, at least once, life originated on Earth. But when, where, and how? These are open questions that have been subject to lots of scientific and philosophical discussions and experiments. In this episode, we’ll touch on some of the biggest questions: What even is life? How old is life on Earth? What steps led to the first living things? Is Earth the only place this has happened?
In the news: dino bone disease, amphibian chameleons, ancient social mammals, and pterosaur diets.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:08:00
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:38:00
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:30:00
Patron questions: 02:26:30
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: 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/
Saturday Oct 31, 2020
Saturday Oct 31, 2020
Insects must be among the most impressive animals in Earth history. For hundreds of millions of years, they have been some of the most significant animals on land in terms of their abundance, diversity, and ecological impact. Their deep story is marked by evolutionary innovations that weren’t just major events for insects, but major events for the entire planet. This episode, we barely scratch the surface of the insect story.
In the news: a new pterosaur, big Antarctic birds, gliding dinosaurs, and a dinosaur cloaca.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:07:30
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:35:00
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:08:00
Patron question: 01:56:30
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
Featuring art by Rob Soto! https://www.rob-soto.com/
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 Oct 31, 2020
Saturday Oct 31, 2020
Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution.
It’s October once again and time for Spook-E! Each episode throughout this month, we’re choosing a monster and discussing how it – or something like – might evolve biologically, pulling inspiration from critters of the real world. This month’s theme: sea monsters.
This episode, we turn our attention to the creatures whose enticing songs sound over the sea. How can we naturally evolve a group of humanoid(ish) island-dwellers whose voices lure in victims? Our creatures to create this time: the Sirens.
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 Oct 24, 2020
Saturday Oct 24, 2020
Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution.
It’s October once again and time for Spook-E! Each episode throughout this month, we’re choosing a monster and discussing how it – or something like – might evolve biologically, pulling inspiration from critters of the real world. This month’s theme: sea monsters.
This episode, we explore a monster whose name is synonymous with immensity and might. What biological history could explain a dangerous sea giant worthy of divine association? Our creature to create this time: the Leviathan.
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 Oct 17, 2020
Saturday Oct 17, 2020
When we study life, past or present, we talk a lot about species, their evolution, their diversity, their extinction, and more. But we don’t often slow down to discuss what we really mean by that. What is a species? How and where do new species arise? It turns out this topic is much more complicated – and controversial! – than it may seem. In this episode, we’ll touch on the basics and discuss why scientists get so worked up about species and speciation.
In the news: a glass-ified brain, a Cretaceous croc, a long walk, and a sensitive dinosaur.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:05:30
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:36:30
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:13:00
Patron question: 01:57:30
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
We were featured on Pallet University, talking about science and Pokémon! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noKhRDVa03o
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Featuring art by Rob Soto! https://www.rob-soto.com/
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 Oct 17, 2020
Saturday Oct 17, 2020
Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution.
It’s October once again and time for Spook-E! Each episode throughout this month, we’re choosing a monster and discussing how it – or something like – might evolve biologically, pulling inspiration from critters of the real world. This month’s theme: sea monsters.
This episode, we tackle a particularly prevalent body shape among sea monsters. How might evolution produce an ocean full of enormous slithery beasts fit for sailors’ nightmares? Our creatures to create this time: sea serpents.
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 Oct 10, 2020
Saturday Oct 10, 2020
Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution.
It’s October once again and time for Spook-E! Each episode throughout this month, we’re choosing a monster and discussing how it – or something like – might evolve biologically, pulling inspiration from critters of the real world. This month’s theme: sea monsters.
This episode, we discuss one of the most famous fictional sea creatures of all. How might natural selection give us a ship-wrecking cephalopod of titanic proportions? Our creature to create this time: the Kraken.
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 Oct 03, 2020
Saturday Oct 03, 2020
Okay, that’s not a great title. More accurately, we’re discussing toxins, the substances that organisms produce for chemical defense or attack against each other. Toxins are found in practically all living things, they function as part of immune systems, poisonous defenses, and predatory venom, and they have all sorts of amazing effects from discomfort to death. In this episode, we’ll touch on who has them, what they do, and what we know about the long, complex evolutionary history of venom and biological poison.
In the news: Spinosaurus teeth, an overlooked extinction, bird beaks, and Neanderthal DNA.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:04:00
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:33:30
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:07:30
Patron question: 01:47:30
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
Featuring art by Rob Soto! https://www.rob-soto.com/
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/