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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 Jul 06, 2024
Saturday Jul 06, 2024
Leaves. They’re everywhere. They’re the main photosynthesizing organs of plants, and they’re the main source of green on our green-and-blue planet. Leaves come in a truly dizzying variety of shapes, sizes, and specialized functions, and their early evolution laid the foundation for terrestrial ecosystems as we know them. This episode, Aly joins us yet again to talk about the anatomy and diversity of leaves and the incredible information we can learn from leaves in the fossil record.
In the news: croc cousins, horned dinosaurs, dinosaur myths, and fish brains.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:07:40
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:42:30
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:36:00
Patron question: 02:54:30
Follow Aly online at @PaleoLorax
Check out our website for this episode’s blog post 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 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
Wednesday Jul 03, 2024
Wednesday Jul 03, 2024
Welcome to Spotlight 2024! In this series, we’re sitting down with our fellow paleo-podcasters to discuss Science Communication.
Joining us for this episode is Travis Holland, host of Fossils and Fiction!
Find Travis and Fossils and Fiction in these places:
fossilsfiction.co
travisholland.com.au
https://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/en/persons/tholla05csueduau
Connect with Common Descent: https://linktr.ee/common_descent
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/
We’re an Audible Affiliate Partner! Use this link for a 30-day free trial to Audible: https://www.audibletrial.com/CommonDescent
The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org.
Saturday Jun 22, 2024
Saturday Jun 22, 2024
Happy Croc Month!
Alligators and caimans are the living members of the family Alligatoridae. In this episode, we explore how the gator lineage differs from other crocs, and we’ll dive into the fossil record of the extended gator family tree, a history that includes a diversity of species and some of the largest crocodilians to ever live.
In the news: Australian pterosaurs, mega-geese, Neanderthal art, and social ants.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:06:45
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:37:55
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:12:45
Patron question: 02:19:50
Check out our website for this episode’s blog post 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 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
Saturday Jun 08, 2024
Saturday Jun 08, 2024
Terrestrial animals get around using a variety of gaits: walking, running, galloping, etc. Some of these gaits are particularly bouncy! Hopping comes in many forms in many different groups of animals. This episode, we’ll discuss what makes a particular gait “hoppy,” what functions hopping serves, and what adaptations are found in the best hoppers. Then, we’ll explore what we can tell about hopping in the fossil record.
In the news: dinosaur skin, marine worms, ancient monotremes, and plant-ant relations
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:06:45
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:36:30
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:19:00
Patron question: 01:50:10
Check out our website for this episode’s blog post 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 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
Wednesday Jun 05, 2024
Wednesday Jun 05, 2024
Welcome to Spotlight 2024! In this series, we’re sitting down with our fellow paleo-podcasters to discuss Science Communication.
Returning to the podcast for this episode are Sabrina and Garret, hosts of I Know Dino!
Find I Know Dino at these places:
https://iknowdino.com
https://www.patreon.com/join/iknowdino
https://pod.link/960976813
Connect with Common Descent: https://linktr.ee/common_descent
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/
We’re an Audible Affiliate Partner! Use this link for a 30-day free trial to Audible: https://www.audibletrial.com/CommonDescent
The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org.
Saturday May 25, 2024
Saturday May 25, 2024
Tongues are a common feature among tetrapod animals, but the evolution of this organ is complex and fascinating. Through time, tongues have evolved a wide variety of functions from feeding to sensing to speech. This episode, we’ll explore the diversity of tongues and their bony counterparts in the hyoid apparatus, we’ll examine what’s known about tongue evolution, and we’ll discuss how fossils – especially hyoids – help us interpret the tongues of extinct species.
In the news: dinosaur temperatures, ancient geomagnetism, Martian lake conditions, and splitting sea stars.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:08:15
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:39:55
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:24:05
Patron question: 02:02:40
Check out our website for this episode’s blog post 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 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
Saturday May 11, 2024
Saturday May 11, 2024
Language is possibly the most important and incredible ability that sets humans apart from other species. Whether spoken, written, or signed, language exists in thousands of varieties among modern human cultures, and there are some very language-like communication systems in other animals, too. This episode, we discuss what defines language, what makes it so special, and what we understand about its history and origins among our ancestors.
In the news: orangutan medicine, frog skin, giant sharks, and dinosaur eggs.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:05:15
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:34:35
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:14:25
Patron question: 01:58:00
Find Dr. Alex at https://www.bridgetalex.com/ or @bannelia
Check out our website for this episode’s blog post 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 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
Wednesday May 01, 2024
Wednesday May 01, 2024
Welcome to Spotlight 2024! In this series, we’re sitting down with our fellow paleo-podcasters to discuss Science Communication.
This episode, we’re joined by Dylan Wilmeth, host of Bedrock: Earth’s Earliest History!
Find Dylan’s podcast here: https://www.bedrockpodcast.com/
Connect with Common Descent: https://linktr.ee/common_descent
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/
We’re an Audible Affiliate Partner! Use this link for a 30-day free trial to Audible: https://www.audibletrial.com/CommonDescent
The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org.
Saturday Apr 27, 2024
Saturday Apr 27, 2024
Cicadas are among the most famous insects in the world, and in summer 2024, they’re set to put on quite a show in North America! This episode, we explore the function and evolution of cicadas’ most famous features, including their notoriously loud calls and their incredible life cycles, and we’ll take a peek into the past at the fossil record of cicadas and their ancient cousins.
In the news: giant snakes, big kangaroos, dinosaur amino acids, and echolocation tissues.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:03:45
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:39:35
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:18:50
Patron question: 02:00:30
Check out our website for this episode’s blog post 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 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
Wednesday Apr 24, 2024
Wednesday Apr 24, 2024
It’s a new series of Silver Screen Science! As usual, we’re discussing how science is portrayed on the big screen, this time with a new theme: Sharks!
It’s a series about shark movies, so how could we skip the most famous and influential shark film of all time? – Jaws.
Check out our website for 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/
We’re an Audible Affiliate Partner! Use this link for a 30-day free trial to Audible: https://www.audibletrial.com/CommonDescent
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.