5.5M
Downloads
351
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 Jun 03, 2017
Saturday Jun 03, 2017
This episode, we’re taking the time to talk about a subject that comes up just about every episode: the classification and relationships of living organisms. Taxonomy, Phylogeny, and the Tree of Life!
In the news: giant ground sloth diets, how whales got huge, the crunching jaws of T. rex, and the evolution of soldier bees!
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:05:30
Main discussion: 00:28:00
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/common-descent/the-common-descent-podcast
The Podcast music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome.
More music like this at http://ocremix.org.
Sunday May 21, 2017
Sunday May 21, 2017
In this episode, we’re discussing the dramatic event that saw the rise of modern animal life and formed the foundation for all animal ecosystems – an event as fascinating as it is mysterious – the Cambrian Explosion!
In the news: brand new armored dinosaurs, a long-lost dino-baby, surprises from the human family tree, and snake fossils from our favorite fossil site!
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:04:00
Main discussion: 00:37:30
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/common-descent/the-common-descent-podcast
The Podcast music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome.
More music like this at http://ocremix.org.
Sunday May 07, 2017
Sunday May 07, 2017
This episode topic comes from a fan request! We’re discussing how lessons from our planet’s prehistoric record can guide our efforts to preserve modern ecosystems: this is the field of conservation paleontology.
In the news: sword-tailed sea scorpions, finding ancient DNA without fossils, climate change during the end-Pleistocene extinction, and (maybe) the oldest humans in North America!
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:04:30
Main discussion: 00:31:00
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/common-descent/the-common-descent-podcast
The Podcast music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome.
More music like this at http://ocremix.org.
Sunday Apr 23, 2017
Sunday Apr 23, 2017
In this episode, we are joined by special guest Ethan Fulwood! He shares with us the fascinating diversity and evolutionary history of a familiar group of mammals called Primates.
In the news: an ancient dinosaur-cousin, bats with diverse diets, and ancient predator injuries.
Ethan’s on Twitter! @fulwoodomys
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:02:00
Main discussion: 00:25:00
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/common-descent/the-common-descent-podcast
The Podcast music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome.
More music like this at http://ocremix.org.
Sunday Apr 09, 2017
Sunday Apr 09, 2017
On this episode, we’re discussing one of nature’s most incredible inventions: flight – who has it, how do they do it, and most mysteriously, how did it evolve?
In the news: Dinosaur footprints; tyrannosaur faces; life in a crater; and a beautiful ancient bird.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:02:30
Main discussion: 00:29:30
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/common-descent/the-common-descent-podcast
The Podcast music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome.
More music like this at http://ocremix.org.
Wednesday Mar 29, 2017
Wednesday Mar 29, 2017
Some big dinosaur-related news dropped last week - so big we just had to talk about it! So here's a mini-episode (a small digression) about the new study by Baron et al., and the phenomenon that has paleontologists going crazy: Ornithoscelida.
Read more about the study here: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/03/dinosaur-family-tree-saurischia-ornithischia-childhood-shattered-what-is-real-anymore/520338/
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/common-descent/the-common-descent-podcast
The Podcast music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome.
More music like this at http://ocremix.org.
Saturday Mar 25, 2017
Saturday Mar 25, 2017
In this episode, we discuss one of the most famously devastating events in Earth history – the mass extinction that ended the Age of Dinosaurs.
In the news: the first fish on land, the earliest sharks, some really old croc eggs, and some really really old plants!
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:02:00
Main discussion: 00:30:00
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/common-descent/the-common-descent-podcast
The Podcast music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome.
More music like this at http://ocremix.org.
Saturday Mar 11, 2017
Saturday Mar 11, 2017
In this episode, we’re exploring the unique and sometimes bizarre directions evolution takes on islands.
In the news: ancient tortoise DNA, a better picture of dinosaurs, oyster conservation, and a giant scary worm!
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:07:00
Main discussion: 00:31:30
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
The Podcast music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome.
More music like this at http://ocremix.org.
Saturday Feb 25, 2017
Saturday Feb 25, 2017
This time around the topic is David’s favorite group of life: snakes. We look at their impressive diversity, their mysterious origins, and their long fossil history.
In the news: live-birth in archosaurs, ancient venom, horse evolution, and carnivorous plants!
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:02:00
Main discussion: 00:28:30
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
The Podcast music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome.
More music like this at http://ocremix.org.
Sunday Feb 12, 2017
Sunday Feb 12, 2017
We’re back for Episode 2!
This episode we’re talking about Will’s favorite group of animals: crocodilians, their fascinating modern diversity, and their even more astonishing fossil history.
In the news: our bag-like ancestors, dinosaur proteins, giant otters, and Australian extinctions!
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:02:30
Main discussion: 00:27:00
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures: https://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/
Follow and Support us on:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2
The Podcast music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome.
More music like this at http://ocremix.org.