The Common Descent Podcast

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://link...

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...

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...

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...

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 – e...

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 i...

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 cont...

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: gian...

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 enjo...

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! This time, we’re exploring the monster sharks and suspicious science of a 90s shark classic – Deep Blue Sea. Check out our website for blog posts and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/ Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus co...

This group of predatory dinosaurs includes such famous names as Deinonychus, Microraptor, and Velociraptor, and they’re among the most well-studied and popular dinosaurs of all time. This episode, we’ll discuss what sets these dinosaurs apart, as well the much-discussed and -debated questions surrounding their relationships to birds, their distinctive claws and wings, and their hunting strategies....

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! This episode, we’re examining the newest installment in the film series about giant monster ancient sharks – Meg 2: The Trench. Check out our website for blog posts and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/ Join us on Patreon to support the podcast...

Welcome to Spotlight 2024! In this series, we’re sitting down with our fellow paleo-podcasters to discuss Science Communication. It’s episode two, and our guests are the hosts of Palaeo After Dark: James, Amanda, and Curtis! Find Palaeo After Dark at their website: www.palaeoafterdark.com Connect with Common Descent: https://linktr.ee/common_descent Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and en...

An animal eating another member of its own species might sound like a rare and abnormal occurrence – and it is often portrayed that way – but cannibalism is actually extremely widespread and common in nature. Some animals are occasional cannibals, while some go so far as to rely on this behavior to fuel proper growth and development. In this episode, we’ll discuss some of the varieties of cannibal...

Among the most spectacular of animal behaviors is migration, the habit of many species to undertake massive journeys, sometimes traveling thousands of kilometers to access food or breeding grounds. This episode, we explore the incredible diversity of migratory behaviors, we examine the functions and adaptations that make migration happen, we discuss how migration is defined, and we investigate som...

Welcome to Spotlight 2024! In this series, we’re sitting down with our fellow paleo-podcasters to discuss Science Communication. In this first episode, our guest is Adele Pentland, host of Pals in Palaeo! Find Adele and Pals in Palaeo in these places: https://adelepentland.com/ https://palsinpalaeo.com/ https://www.instagram.com/palsinpalaeo/ https://www.instagram.com/palaeodel/ Connect with Commo...

Owls are among the world’s most iconic and charismatic birds, and they’re also among the most effective aerial predators. This episode, we’ll take a tour of the amazing adaptations that have allowed owls to achieve their modern diversity and worldwide range, and we’ll explore what we know – and what we don’t – about their evolutionary history. In the news: snake evolution, ancient polar life, dino...

Cacti are famous for their spine-shaped leaves, their water-retaining tissues, their green stems, and especially for being among the most well-adapted organisms on Earth for dry environments. This episode, we’re joined by Dr. Aly Baumgartner to discuss the diversity of cacti, their unique adaptations for an unusual lifestyle, and their mysterious evolutionary past. In the news: Stone Age jewelry,...

A familiar name to modern biologists and paleontologists, Sir Richard Owen is famous for his pioneering work in the fields of paleontology and comparative anatomy, his contributions to public appreciation of biological sciences, and his often antagonistic relationships with contemporary scientists. This episode, we’ll explore Owen’s major scientific contributions and his long-standing reputation a...

Feathers are among the most diverse and complex forms of animal integument. Today, they’re exclusive to birds, where they can be found in a dizzying variety of forms and functions, and incredible fossils reveal even more diversity of feathers on ancient dinosaurs. This episode, we explore the features of modern feathers, the mysteries of feather origins, and the much-discussed question of which an...

Blending in with the surroundings is an incredibly useful habit. Even without evidence, this fact would be obvious from the sheer variety of organisms that do it and the vast diversity of strategies and adaptations they use. This episode, we look at what camouflage is and how it works in its many forms, and we explore how we can spot camouflage – and what we can learn from it – in the fossil recor...

Happy New Year! It’s time again for our annual answering-your-questions marathon episode! Thanks to all our askers for a great set of questions! And as always, a huge thanks to all of you who have supported the podcast this year, whether you’re a top-tier Patron or a newcomer who’s just a couple episodes in. You make Common Descent possible. Now sit back and enjoy several hours of us rambling abou...

Dragonflies and damselflies are incredible insects. They are arguably the world’s most skilled fliers, arguably the world’s most successful predators, and arguably the best insects (so says David). Not only that, they and their ancient cousins have been abundant and successful aerial predators for over 300 million years. This episode, we discuss what sets these bugs apart from all the rest, we exp...

Filter feeding is among the most widespread dietary strategies in the world. From tiny bivalves to massive basking sharks, animals have developed a vast array of convergent strategies for filtering tiny food particles out of the water. This episode, we discuss what it takes to be a filter feeder, why it’s so common, the various methods animals employ to make it happen, and how we try (sometimes su...

Mini-episodes are rewards for our high-level supporters on Patreon, each one focusing on a requested topic for a specific Patron. From time to time, we combine a bunch of these and release them as a bundle for all our listeners to enjoy. Enjoy! A huge thanks as always to our Patrons for their kind and generous contributions to our education efforts. Intro: 00:00:00 Icarosaurus for Elizabeth - 00:0...