The Common Descent Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Leaf it to Us - Pilot Episode Mar 10, 2025

Show notes

Enjoy this special preview of the upcoming podcast Leaf it to Us, hosted by Nora Spurling and Dr. Aly Baumgartner. In this pilot episode, they discuss the fascinating phenomenon of sex-changing trees!

The first season of Leaf it to Us is in the works, and we’re excited to hear your feedback for this pilot episode. Please reach out to us and let us know what you think!

You can contact us and find more from Common Descent here: https://linktr.ee/common_descent

The Intro and Outro music is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at http://devours.bandcamp.com

Episode 212 - Temnospondyls Mar 01, 2025

Show notes

When vertebrates first moved onto land, they gave rise to a variety of amphibious tetrapods. The most diverse and successful of these were temnospondyls, which were some of the most important species in early land and freshwater environments. This episode, we’ll explore temnospondyls’ evolutionary history, their ecological variety, and their mysterious connection to modern amphibians.

In the news: domesticating dogs, early birds, color evolution, and changing seeds.

Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:07:35
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:32:30
Main discussion, Part 2: 00:53:15
Patron question: 01:32:30

Resources:
Resources for Researchers and Scholars Under Threat in the US: https://www.nationalacademies.org/chr/committee-on-human-rights
Erin in the Morning: https://www.erininthemorning.com/

Fill out our Listener Survey here: https://forms.gle/CSoZaCbGN2DsRLTR6

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

Episode 211 - Edward Drinker Cope Feb 15, 2025

Show notes

E. D. Cope is one of the most recognizable and notorious names in paleontology history. He did some of the most important early work in vertebrate paleontology, he was one half of the dueling duo in the infamous Bone Wars, he named some of the most famous fossil animals, and he was profoundly irresponsible and unethical with his science. This episode, we’re joined by Astrid Lundberg to explore the life and legacy of Edward Cope, investigating such questions as: How did he get his start? What lasting contributions did he make to paleontology? And what was wrong with this guy?

In the news: giant small pterosaurs, plesiosaur skin, bat teeth, and African isotopes.

Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:05:50
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:44:15
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:36:10
Patron question: 02:26:30

Find Astrid as OddPride on TikTok and BlueSky and Astrid_Lundberg on Instagram and YouTube.
And you can support her at www.patreon.com/OddPride

Resources:
California Fire Foundation: https://www.cafirefoundation.org/
TransLifeline: https://translifeline.org/

Fill out our Listener Survey here: https://forms.gle/CSoZaCbGN2DsRLTR6

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

Episode 210 - Bones Feb 01, 2025

Show notes

The evolution of mineralized tissues is responsible not only for the incredible success and diversity of vertebrate animals, but also for their extraordinarily informative fossil record. This episode, we explore the detailed anatomy of bones and their deep evolutionary history, we touch on some of the ways they’re important for paleontology, and we take some time to discuss the secrets that can be found inside of ancient bones.

In the news: croc vs pterosaur, hominin diets, ears and gills, and reptile food.

Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:08:45
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:41:00
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:26:00
Patron question: 02:12:45

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

Check out our new series, Briks with Bask!
https://youtu.be/5JQEDeNwVS0

Fill out our Listener Survey here:
https://forms.gle/8h1gBtTRhgun55BZ6

Listen to us on Gaming With Science:
https://www.gamingwithscience.net/e/s2e01-holotype-paleontology/

Rewatch our 8-Year Anniversary Livestream:
https://www.youtube.com/live/N7ZJFNazP6E

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

Episode 209 - Chimaeras Jan 18, 2025

Show notes

You might know them as ghost sharks, rat fish, or spook fish. Chimaeras are close cousins of sharks and rays, equipped with distinctive and unusual features in their fins, teeth, and reproductive structures. In today’s oceans, chimaeras are rare and easy to miss, but their extended family includes some of the most diverse and iconic fish of the Paleozoic seas. In this episode, we’ll explore the traits that set chimaeras apart, we’ll take a tour through their ancient relatives, and we’ll investigate what their most famous cousins were doing with their strange spiral rows of teeth.

In the news: Baltic herrings, Cambrian arms race, pterosaur tails, and early dinosaurs.

Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:06:35
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:40:25
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:16:45
Patron question: 02:20:00

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

Episode 208 - The Karoo Supergroup Jan 04, 2025

Show notes

Southern Africa is home to an incredible sequence of geologic formations that span more than 100 million years of Earth history. These rocks, collectively called the Karoo Supergroup, are an extraordinary resource for studying evolution and extinction across the Late Paleozoic and Early Mesozoic Eras. This episode, we’ll explore the deep history of this vast geologic resource, and we’ll sample some of the discoveries that have been made there.

In the news: dormancy evolution, Pangaean amphibians, regeneration genes, and Neanderthal fossil collectors.

Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:03:55
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:36:00
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:04:30
Patron question: 01:33:30

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

End of the Year Q&A 2024 Dec 31, 2024

Show notes

Happy New Year!

Welcome back to our annual, traditional question-answering marathon!

As always, a big thank you to everyone who submitted questions for this Q&A, everyone who has listened and shared and engaged with us throughout the year, and especially to our Patrons, who make this podcast possible.

See you in 2025!

Check out our website for our 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/

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

Episode 207 - Therizinosaurs Dec 21, 2024

Show notes

Most theropod dinosaurs are sleek predators built for speedy movement and efficient hunting. Therizinosaurs are unusual. They’re slow and stocky and, in many ways, more like the famous plant-eating dinosaurs. This episode, we’ll explore the diversity of therizinosaurs, the winding path that paleontologists took to understand them, the many ways they became specialized for a diet of plants, and what was going on with those claws.

In the news: Parasaurolophus crests, Scottish bears, anglerfish evolution, and Clovis diets.

Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:07:30
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:46:45
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:14:20
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

Episode 206 - Vestigial Structures Dec 07, 2024

Show notes

Evolution involves the innovation of new features, but even more reduction of old features. Those reduced features might disappear, develop in a new direction, or just linger as a functionless evidence of deep ancestry. This episode, we explore how we identify vestigial traits, how they help us understand evolutionary history, and the various evolutionary paths vestigial structures can take.

In the news: giant worm lizards, drumstick evolution, dinosaur poop, and pterosaur transitions.

Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:04:00
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:36:45
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:22:30
Patron question: 01:56:50

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

Spotlight 2024 - Kallie, Gabriel, and Blake, Eons Dec 04, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to Spotlight 2024! In this series, we’re sitting down with our fellow paleo-podcasters to discuss Science Communication.

It’s the final episode! And we’re thrilled to be joined by Kallie, Gabriel, and Blake from PBS Eons and their podcast, Eons: Surviving Deep Time!

Find Eons here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eons-surviving-deep-time/id1610360633
https://www.youtube.com/@eons

Find Kallie online at @fossil_librarian and www.kallielmoore.com
Kallie’s book, Tales of the Prehistoric World: https://neonsquidbooks.com/books/tales-of-the-prehistoric-world/
Why Dinosaurs? https://www.whydinosaurs.com/
Find Gabriel online at @PaleoParadox and @CosplayForScience
Find Cosplay for Science at www.cosplayforscience.com
Find Blake online as @WesternDigs

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.

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