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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 Jun 24, 2023
Saturday Jun 24, 2023
Most crocodilians today can handle saltwater to some degree, but many of their ancient cousins were much more suited to a life at sea, including some of the most impressive ocean-going reptiles in history. In this episode, we’ll explore the many lineages of marine crocs that have evolved over the last 150 million years, and we’ll dive into the special adaptations that allowed them to take to the seas over and over again. Happy Croc Month!
In the news: a dinosaur transition, tusked dolphins, bird flutes, and crocodile parthenogenesis
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:06:18
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:41:55
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:13:55
Patron question: 01:53:50
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.com/
Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
We’re an Audible Affiliate Partner! Use this link for a 30-day free trial to Audible: https://www.audibletrial.com/CommonDescent
Or make a one-time donation via PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/4c68u4hp
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Join the Common Descent Discord server! https://discord.gg/CwPBxdh9Ev
Follow and Support us on:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/commondescentpodcast/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
You can email us at commondescentpodcast(at)gmail.com
Or send us physical mail at:
The Common Descent Podcast
1735 W State of Franklin Rd. Ste 5 #165
Johnson City, TN 37604
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 17, 2023
Saturday Jun 17, 2023
Happy Croc Month!
In this special episode, we talk about crocs with the croc-fanatic himself: our very own Will!
Thanks to our Patrons for providing the inspiration for these interview questions!
Join us on Patreon to support the podcast our scaly friends!
https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.com/
We’re an Audible Affiliate Partner! Use this link for a 30-day free trial to Audible: https://www.audibletrial.com/CommonDescent
Or make a one-time donation via PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/4c68u4hp
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Join the Common Descent Discord server! https://discord.gg/CwPBxdh9Ev
Follow and Support us on:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/commondescentpodcast/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
You can email us at commondescentpodcast(at)gmail.com
Or send us physical mail at:
The Common Descent Podcast
1735 W State of Franklin Rd. Ste 5 #165
Johnson City, TN 37604
The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome.
More music like this at http://ocremix.org.
Saturday Jun 10, 2023
Saturday Jun 10, 2023
When scientists find a new rock formation or fossil assemblage, how do they determine how old it is? The answer lies in the many varied methods of geologic dating. In this episode, we’ll discuss how we can sort the events in Earth history, how we calculate specific ages for ancient materials – including a deep-dive into radiometric dating! – and most importantly, how these many techniques support and complement each other.
In the news: gaze following, polar pterosaurs, pachycephalosaur heads, and giant marsupials.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:06:50
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:38:45
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:31:10
Patron question: 02:20:18
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.com/
Trans Lifeline connects trans people to community support and resources:
https://translifeline.org/
Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
We’re an Audible Affiliate Partner! Use this link for a 30-day free trial to Audible: https://www.audibletrial.com/CommonDescent
Or make a one-time donation via PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/4c68u4hp
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Join the Common Descent Discord server! https://discord.gg/CwPBxdh9Ev
Follow and Support us on:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/commondescentpodcast/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw
PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/
You can email us at commondescentpodcast(at)gmail.com
Or send us physical mail at:
The Common Descent Podcast
1735 W State of Franklin Rd. Ste 5 #165
Johnson City, TN 37604
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 27, 2023
Saturday May 27, 2023
In our modern world, there are three major groups of mammals: placentals (that’s most of us), marsupials, and the rare and bizarre monotremes. Today’s monotremes – that’s echidnas and platypuses – are famous for their seemingly “un-mammalian” features: they lack external ears, they deliver milk without nipples, and they even lay eggs! This episode, we discuss what makes monotremes unique, the many questions still unanswered about their ancient history, and whether or not they are truly good representatives of early mammal evolution.
In the news: weird mosasaur teeth, Tibetan sabertooths, marsupial growth, and giant pliosaurs.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:07:50
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:38:00
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:11:40
Patron question: 02:01:10
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.com/
Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
We’re an Audible Affiliate Partner! Use this link for a 30-day free trial to Audible: www.audibletrial.com/CommonDescent
Or make a one-time donation via PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/4c68u4hp
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Join the Common Descent Discord server! https://discord.gg/CwPBxdh9Ev
Follow and Support us on:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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
You can email us at commondescentpodcast(at)gmail.com
Or send us physical mail at:
The Common Descent Podcast
1735 W State of Franklin Rd. Ste 5 #165
Johnson City, TN 37604
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 13, 2023
Saturday May 13, 2023
One of the hallmarks of angiosperms (flowering plants) is the formation of a container to hold their seeds. These containers are fruits, and they come in an astonishing variety of forms and functions, far beyond the typical line up of fruits, nuts, and berries we see at the grocery store. Join us and our favorite paleobotanist Dr. Aly Baumgartner as we explore what fruits are, what fruits do, and how fruits came to be so ubiquitous and important in modern ecosystems.
In the news: big predatory amphibians, exceptional fossil preservation, origins of blinking, and cycad cones.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:05:45
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:40:30
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:36:30
Patron question: 02:14:15
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.com/
Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Follow this link for a 30-day free trial to Audible!
www.audibletrial.com/CommonDescent
Or make a one-time donation via PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/4c68u4hp
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Join the Common Descent Discord server! https://discord.gg/CwPBxdh9Ev
Follow and Support us on:
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
You can email us at commondescentpodcast(at)gmail.com
Or send us physical mail at:
The Common Descent Podcast
1735 W State of Franklin Rd. Ste 5 #165
Johnson City, TN 37604
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 Apr 29, 2023
Saturday Apr 29, 2023
From roughly 1.8 – 0.8 billion years ago, things on Earth seemingly slowed down. The geologic record shows a conspicuous lack of evidence for major climatic, tectonic, or biological changes, a dramatic contrast to the tumultuous times before and after. In this episode, we explore this so-called “Boring Billion” and discuss what made it so unusual. Along the way, we’ll examine claims that there might have been more going on than we think, that this time might have been a critical step toward the modern state of our planet, and that this billion might not have been so boring after all.
In the news: oldest bats, sauropod skulls, placoderm mouths, and feather-eating beetles.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:05:45
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:39:00
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:08:15
Patron question: 01:40:30
Listen to us on I Know Dino!
https://iknowdino.com/sinotyrannus-episode-437/
Will was a guest on Sprites of Life!
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7KmiNQcKWgpT6Nn0FRrMMp
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.com/
Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Follow this link for a 30-day free trial to Audible!
www.audibletrial.com/CommonDescent
Or make a one-time donation via PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/4c68u4hp
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Join the Common Descent Discord server! https://discord.gg/CwPBxdh9Ev
Follow and Support us on:
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
You can email us at commondescentpodcast(at)gmail.com
Or send us physical mail at:
The Common Descent Podcast
1735 W State of Franklin Rd. Ste 5 #165
Johnson City, TN 37604
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/
Tuesday Apr 25, 2023
Tuesday Apr 25, 2023
As you might know by now, our high-level supporters on Patreon get to request a topic for their own special mini-episode! Every now and then, we collect the most recent of these and put them together into a compilation for everyone to hear. This is our third one!
A huge thanks as always to our Patrons for their kind contributions to our education efforts.
00:00:00 Intro
00:02:15 Stegosaurs for Sean
00:16:30 Tarantulas for Rebecca
00:35:00 Dilophosaurus for Hobart
00:52:15 Turtles for Quags
01:13:00 Whales for Thea
01:37:45 Parasaurolophus for Krzysztof
Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Find us at commondescentpodcast.com
Follow this link for a 30-day free trial to Audible!
www.audibletrial.com/CommonDescent
Or make a one-time donation via PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/4c68u4hp
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Join the Common Descent Discord server! https://discord.gg/CwPBxdh9Ev
Follow and Support us on:
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/
You can email us at commondescentpodcast(at)gmail.com
Or send us physical mail at:
The Common Descent Podcast
1735 W State of Franklin Rd. Ste 5 #165
Johnson City, TN 37604
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 Apr 15, 2023
Saturday Apr 15, 2023
Check the fingers and toes of your favorite vertebrate animals and you’re likely to find claws or something similar at the ends. These digit-caps come in a variety of shapes – claws, nails, even hooves – for a variety of functions. In this episode, we discuss the close relationship between claw form and function, how we study claws in the fossil record, and the intriguing questions of how claws came to be as we know them today.
In the news: swimming temnospondyls, ants and plants, Troodon eggs, and cooked snails.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:05:30
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:38:15
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:17:45
Patron question: 01:45:45
Listen to us on I Know Dino!
https://iknowdino.com/sinotyrannus-episode-437/
Will was a guest on Sprites of Life!
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7KmiNQcKWgpT6Nn0FRrMMp
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.com/
Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Follow this link for a 30-day free trial to Audible!
www.audibletrial.com/CommonDescent
Or make a one-time donation via PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/4c68u4hp
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Join the Common Descent Discord server! https://discord.gg/CwPBxdh9Ev
Follow and Support us on:
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
You can email us at commondescentpodcast(at)gmail.com
Or send us physical mail at:
The Common Descent Podcast
1735 W State of Franklin Rd. Ste 5 #165
Johnson City, TN 37604
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 Apr 01, 2023
Saturday Apr 01, 2023
You’re probably familiar with frogs and salamanders, but there is a third group of modern amphibians, the strangest of them all: the worm-like caecilians. In this episode, we’ll explore the many bizarre anatomical features of caecilians, from their tentacled faces to their abrupt hind ends. Then we’ll explore the entire caecilian fossil record (it won’t take long) and tackle the much-discussed mystery of how this fascinating lineage of amphibians got started.
In the news: weird marsupial eyes, long dinosaur necks, and kangaroo rats. Also a retraction!
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:05:00
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:43:30
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:22:30
Patron question: 01:59:30
HUGE THANKS to our News guests, Sabrina and Garret!
Check out I Know Dino: https://iknowdino.com/
And they have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/iknowdino
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.com/
Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Follow this link for a 30-day free trial to Audible!
www.audibletrial.com/CommonDescent
Or make a one-time donation via PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/4c68u4hp
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Join the Common Descent Discord server! https://discord.gg/CwPBxdh9Ev
Follow and Support us on:
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
You can email us at commondescentpodcast(at)gmail.com
Or send us physical mail at:
The Common Descent Podcast
1735 W State of Franklin Rd. Ste 5 #165
Johnson City, TN 37604
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 18, 2023
Saturday Mar 18, 2023
We spend a huge portion of our lives sleeping. For us and other animals, it’s clearly a very important behavior. And yet, despite how familiar and commonplace it is, there’s plenty we still don’t understand about sleep: its origins, evolution, and even how to define it in the first place. In this episode, we explore some of the remarkable variation in animal sleeping habits, we discuss some of the ways we study and understand sleep, and we touch upon the crucial – and much debated – question of what sleep even does for us anyway.
In the news: early monotremes, chunky dunk, Permian pollinators, and parasitic ant mutations.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:05:00
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:40:00
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:20:30
Patron question: 02:16:00
Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures:
http://commondescentpodcast.com/
Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast
Follow this link for a 30-day free trial to Audible!
www.audibletrial.com/CommonDescent
Or make a one-time donation via PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/4c68u4hp
Find merch at the Common Descent Store! http://zazzle.com/common_descent
Join the Common Descent Discord server! https://discord.gg/CwPBxdh9Ev
Follow and Support us on:
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
You can email us at commondescentpodcast(at)gmail.com
Or send us physical mail at:
The Common Descent Podcast
1735 W State of Franklin Rd. Ste 5 #165
Johnson City, TN 37604
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/