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The Common Descent Podcast
564 FOLLOWERS
The Common Descent Podcast is two paleontologists-turned-science-communicators chatting about the diversity of life.
The Common Descent Podcast
6d ago
Boas and pythons include some of the most famous snake species on Earth, renowned for their incredible tropical diversity, their often beautiful scale patterns, and their often impressive size. This episode, we discuss what sets these two lineages apart from other snakes – and each other – and we explore the evolutionary path recorded in their fossil record.
In the news: giant early tetrapods, digging dinosaurs, coastal croc-cousins, and striking snakes.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:08:15
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:37:40
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:30:10
Patron q ..read more
The Common Descent Podcast
2w ago
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 & Announce ..read more
The Common Descent Podcast
3w ago
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 her ..read more
The Common Descent Podcast
1M ago
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 websi ..read more
The Common Descent Podcast
1M ago
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: 0 ..read more
The Common Descent Podcast
1M ago
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://commondes ..read more
The Common Descent Podcast
2M ago
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 &am ..read more
The Common Descent Podcast
2M ago
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 discussio ..read more
The Common Descent Podcast
3M ago
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 Par ..read more
The Common Descent Podcast
3M ago
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 A ..read more