The Common Descent Podcast

Dodos are probably the single most famous case of recent human-induced extinction. First documented in the late 1500s and extinct within a century, dodos have become a global reminder of the devastating potential of human activity. This episode, we review the brief history of human interactions with dodos, and we explore what recent research and fossil evidence has taught us about these birds and...

Forests are among the most widespread and diverse biomes on our planet. This episode, we’re joined by our favorite paleobotanist, Dr. Aly Baumgartner, to explore what defines a forest, how these habitats function, and how they differ around the globe. Then, we’ll take a trip into the past to discuss how paleontologists study ancient forests and how these biomes have changed over hundreds of millio...

Most vertebrate animals on land get around on all fours, but some of us have committed to two-legged locomotion. This episode, we explore the various ways animals have evolved bipedalism and the many benefits that come with it. We’ll also take a look at how we identify bipedal animals in the fossil record, and we’ll zoom in on the evolutionary story behind Earth history’s most successful bipeds. I...

Mutation. It is the key to our evolution. As our cells constantly divide and reproduce and replicate our DNA, errors and inconsistencies develop, leading to the incredible variation of life that drives evolutionary change. This episode, we explore the genetic mechanisms behind mutation and we discuss how scientists study mutations to understand the evolutionary history of life on Earth. In the new...

On the outside, shrews might seem like standard tiny mammals, but their anatomy and lifestyle are highly specialized. This episode, with help from special guest Derek den Ouden, we explore the diverse habits of shrews, the anatomical features that set them apart, and how they thrive worldwide despite being perpetually on the brink of starvation. Then, we consider the extinct diversity of shrews in...

Lizards are extremely good at becoming snake-shaped. A long body with small or absent limbs is a shape that has evolved dozens of times across nearly every major lineage of lizards. This episode, we explore the diversity of leglessness in lizards, we discuss which groups have done it and which groups have done it best, and we examine what’s known about the repeated evolution of this unexpected bod...

Today’s crocs are iconic semi-aquatic predators, but their extended family tree features lots of land-dwelling cousins. This episode, we take a tour through croc evolutionary history and explore the many times these reptiles have taken to life on dry land. We’ll examine what features these terrestrial crocs shared, which ones they didn’t, and what their fossils tell us about how the shape of crocs...

For over 100 million years, North America and Asia have been connected over the Pacific Ocean through a region called Beringia. The comings and going of plants and animals across this connection have shaped ecosystems of the past and present. This episode, we explore the geologic history of the region and which ancient species have managed to live in and move through Beringia. In the news: early s...

Take a deep breath and appreciate for a moment the organs that let you do it so efficiently. Lungs are an invaluable tool for life out of the water, and are therefore a favorite topic for paleontologists interested in early animals on land. This episode, we explore the diversity of modern lungs and the few but fascinating insights we have into the lungs of ancient animals, from dinosaurs to the fi...

Bears are among the most charismatic and impressive mammals. They have large bodies, very flexible lifestyles, and an extensive fossil record that includes some of the best-preserved and largest fossil mammals of all time. This episode, we explore what makes bears so distinctive and successful, and how their diversity has changed over time. In the news: ancient alligators, rattlesnake venom, late...

Just about every body of water on Earth, from oceans to puddles, is home to an ecosystem of tiny drifting organisms. This episode, we discuss what sorts of organisms we might expect to find in a swarm of plankton, we’ll explore how plankton is so fundamental to biological and geological systems on Earth, and we’ll take some time to lay out some of the many ways that ancient plankton are a crucial...

Silver Screen Science is our series where we explore how science is portrayed on the big screen. This year, we’re focused on one recurring franchise: Planet of the Apes! Finally, we visit the ongoing prequel franchise with the story of how it all got started: Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Check out our website for blog posts and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/ Join us on Patreon to suppor...

With several thousand living species, ferns are the second most diverse vascular plants around today, after angiosperms. Ferns are also abundant and well-known in the fossil record. This episode, Aly joins us to explore the dizzying variety of ferns and their ferny-friends, past and present. In the news: When the Earth Was Green, weird wasps, and ancient claws. And also dire wolves. Time markers:...

Silver Screen Science is our series where we explore how science is portrayed on the big screen. This year, we’re focused on one recurring franchise: Planet of the Apes! It’s the reboot of the original, a 21st-Century take on the concept – Planet of the Apes (2001). Check out our website for blog posts and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/ Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy b...

Silver Screen Science is our series where we explore how science is portrayed on the big screen. This year, we’re focused on one recurring franchise: Planet of the Apes! This episode, we begin where it began, with the original movie about a world where simian society is turned upside-down – Planet of the Apes (1968). Check out our website for blog posts and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/ J...

Evolution just loves a nice pair of oversized canines, especially on mammalian predators. Saber-toothed animals have shown up over and over again – we even have some today – but despite their similarities, not all of these toothy species were using their canines the same way. This episode, we explore the various shapes of functions of saber teeth and the disparate lineages that have sported them....

Our high-level Patreon supporters get to request a topic for their very own mini-episode! For the sixth time, we’ve put the latest bunch together for everyone to enjoy! Thank you as always to our incredible Patrons of all levels for keeping the podcast going! Intro: 00:00:00 Ambulocetus for Ambulocetus – 00:01:45 Abelisaurs for Quinn – 00:18:30 Capybaras for Melissa – 00:41:22 Pelicans for Johnath...

Leave a carcass or a log or a pile of poop out in the wild long enough and it will break down into its component parts. Decomposers are an often-overlooked but essential component of ecosystems past and present. This episode, we explore the varied processes of decomposition and how scientists study decomposers and use that information. We’ll also discuss the importance of decomposition to the foss...

After you’ve listened to the Leaf it to Us pilot episode, enjoy this follow-up discussion where Nora, Aly, and David share their thoughts about that first episode and the upcoming season of the new podcast. 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....

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 m...

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:...

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...

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...

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 tr...

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 som...