(image source: https://www.deviantart.com/hamish1512201/art/Atrociraptor-Marshalli-842072048 ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Lawrence Mack discuss Atrociraptor , a genus name so edgy that Shadow the Hedgehog would think it's too much. From the Late Cretaceous period, this 7-foot dromaeosaurid lasted until 67 million years ago, just before the big Cretaceous extinction event. It was so cool, it knew exactly when to leave. We should all aspire to be like Atrociraptor . Want to further supp...
Nov 17, 2020•21 min•Ep. 56
(image source: https://ideas.fandom.com/wiki/Palaeoloxodon_recki_(SciiFii) ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Lexi Ryan discuss Palaeoloxodon , a genus of elephant that had species ranging from the biggest land mammals of all time to miniature ones the size of large dogs. From the Late Pleistocene, this 3 to 18-foot-tall pachyderm was the closest real-life version of the mumakil from Lord of the Rings. In fact, Tolkien said in the original text that they were specifically the size of prehis...
Nov 10, 2020•27 min•Ep. 55
(image source: https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/934675/view/hallucigenia-sparsa-invertebrate-illustration ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Natasha Krech discuss Hallucigenia , the most WTF species ever featured on this podcast, and that's saying something. From the Mid Cambrian, this 1-inch invertebrate may have been a velvet worm, an early arthropod, or a more bygone creature, but one thing it certainly was is... actually, I have no idea. Seriously, what the hell is this thing?! Want t...
Nov 03, 2020•23 min•Ep. 54
(image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lystrosaurus_Assemblage_Zone ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Laura Owsley discuss Lystrosaurus , a derpy-looking thing that survived the biggest extinction of all time and at one point made up over half (!) of all life on Earth. From the Late Permian to the Early Triassic, this 4-foot synapsid was without doubt one of the most underrated badasses of all paleontology, which is really saying something, because look at this thing. It's so ugly . ...
Oct 27, 2020•21 min•Ep. 53
(image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plesiosaurus ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Christina Eilert discuss Plesiosaurus , the famous four-flippered fellow that may or may not have surviving populations in a certain Scottish lake. From the Early Jurassic, this 12-foot sauropterygid had a unique method of swimming unseen in any modern creature. Unless, of course, the Scotland thing is true. Which it isn't. Or is it?! Nah, it isn't. Want to further support the show? Sign up to our P...
Oct 20, 2020•20 min•Ep. 52
(image source: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-11/28/c_138590619.htm ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Lawrence Mack discuss Xunmenglong , a tiny dinosaur from China and the last of our Paleo Bites X-Series. From the Early Cretaceous, this 1.5-foot compsognathid is not to be confused with the similarly-named Yunmenglong , a big longneck dinosaur from a similar time and place. That's just one letter away! Like, the next letter down alphabetically. Eh, whatever. Want to further support...
Oct 13, 2020•18 min•Ep. 51
(image source: https://cooldinofacts.fandom.com/wiki/Xenoposeidon ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Lexi Ryan discuss Xenoposeidon for our Paleo Bites X-Series, a longneck that has bar none the coolest name of any dinosaur. From the Early Cretaceous, this 50-foot rebbachisaurid had its fossils first discovered in the late nineteenth century but it wasn't officially described until 2007! And I thought my procrastinating was bad. Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for e...
Oct 06, 2020•25 min•Ep. 50
(image source: https://www.careerride.com/mchoice/fossil-remains-of-xibalbaonyx-oviceps-a-prehistoric-giant-sloth-found-30773.aspx ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Natasha Krech discuss Xibalbaonyx for our Paleo Bites X-Series, a ground sloth first uncovered from an underwater cave in Mexico, which is pretty neat. From the Late Pleistocene, this 11-foot megalonychid was part of a group of sloths that island hopped all the way to North America even before it collided with its ancestral Sou...
Sep 29, 2020•23 min•Ep. 49
(image source: https://images.dinosaurpictures.org/xuanhanosaurus_01_698f.jpg ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Christina Eilert discuss Xuanhanosaurus for our Paleo Bites X-Series, a fierce predator from China that looks really cool when written out. From the Mid Jurassic period, this 16-foot metriacanthosaurid was briefly thought to be the only four-legged theropod in the fossil record, but that theory didn't last long because two-legged is way cooler and nature is all about being cool. ...
Sep 22, 2020•31 min•Ep. 48
(image source: https://www.fossilera.com/pages/xiphactinus-terror-of-the-inland-seaway ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Lawrence Mack discuss Xiphactinus for our Paleo Bites X-Series, a big and ugly fish that lived alongside mosasaurs. From the Late Cretaceous, this 21-foot predator is probably most famous for its "fish-within-a-fish" fossil, with a fish nearly half its size in its stomach. Not something I'd want to be known for, personally. I'm self-conscious enough about my diet as it i...
Sep 15, 2020•22 min•Ep. 47
(image source: https://dinopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Xenosmilus ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Christina Franklin discuss Xenosmilus , the first in our X-Series on Paleo Bites where we rate creatures whose genus names begin with X. From the Late Pleistocene, this 6-foot saber-toothed cat prowled the jungles of southern USA with a pack of flying saucers at its back. Hey, it's called "alien knife," right? Give me this one. Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive...
Sep 08, 2020•22 min•Ep. 46
(image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphicyon ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Laura Owsley discuss Amphicyon , an ancestor of both bears and dogs but more dog than bear, hence the nickname "bear-dog." From the Miocene epoch, this 8-foot carnivore was probably a really good boy and would make an excellent pet. Just think of how big his doghouse would be! Who's a good boy? Yes, you are, Amphicyon ! Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon for exclusive bonus conten...
Sep 01, 2020•26 min•Ep. 45
(image source: https://www.allisleaf.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Untitled-8.png ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Natasha Krech discuss Prototaxites, a funny-looking organism that formed forests before there were trees. From the Silurian period, this 26-foot-tall fungus was the subject of a great debate between two paleontologists trying to one-up each other about classifying it. You could almost say they were trying to see whose... Prototaxites was bigger? Yeah, that works. Want to fur...
Aug 25, 2020•17 min•Ep. 44
(image source: https://images.dinosaurpictures.org/papo_brachiosaurus_2012_cf3f.jpg ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Lawrence Mack discuss Brachiosaurus , a really big longneck that wowed audiences in 1993 as much as that really big spaceship wowed audiences in 1977. From the Late Jurassic, this 70-foot sauropod browsed from the tall trees and may or may not have had a little trunk. Just a random hypothesis. Makes more sense than the crest of Parasaurolophus being a snorkel. Want to furth...
Aug 18, 2020•27 min•Ep. 43
(image source: http://animaladay.blogspot.com/2011/10/anthropornis.html ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Christina Franklin discuss Anthropornis , the biggest penguin of all time with a snicker-inducing name. From the Mid Eocene, this 6-foot-tall bird patrolled the Antarctic waters of old and probably did a lot of cool stuff back in its time. Geddit, "cool," because it lived in Antarctica? I'm sure I'm the first person to ever make that joke. Want to further support the show? Sign up to o...
Aug 11, 2020•17 min•Ep. 42
(image source: https://dinopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Quetzalcoatlus ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Ben O'Regan discuss Quetzalcoatlus , the pterosaur that stood as tall as a giraffe when on the ground, which is freaking insane. From the Late Cretaceous, this 44-foot-wingspan azhdarchid could have flown for tens of thousands of miles and picked up small dinosaurs with its beak. Seriously, everything about this thing seems too big to be real. It shouldn't exist. I'm putting my foot down, preh...
Aug 04, 2020•21 min•Ep. 41
(image source: https://images.dinosaurpictures.org/stygimolochspinifer_bd81.jpg ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Natasha Krech discuss Stygimoloch , the totally valid genus that paleontology will not take away from us no matter what all those pesky facts say. From the Late Cretaceous, this 13-foot pachycephalosaurid had big spikes on its head that apparently shrunk as it grew up, which makes no sense; you got that, Jack Horner?! Hoo boy, I really need to let this go. Want to further suppo...
Jul 28, 2020•20 min•Ep. 40
(image source: https://dinopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Castoroides ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Lawrence Mack discuss Castoroides , the largest beaver of all time and thus the biggest source of "dam" jokes. From the Pleistocene Epoch, this 6-foot beaver had bigger hind feet and a smaller paddle-tail than modern beavers and also might not have built dams, but if they did, they would've been the biggest damn dams you've ever seen! If you thought that was a bad joke, wait 'til you hear the act...
Jul 21, 2020•24 min•Ep. 39
(image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arktocara )* Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Christina Franklin discuss Ninjadelphis , a river dolphin that's high in the rankings of coolest genus names ever. From the Miocene epoch, this 7-foot cetacean is such an elusive master of stealth there's hardly any information available on it. This picture isn't even a Ninjadelphis , but it's close relative Arktocara ! Our mission is clear, people: we're gonna put this creature on the map. Unless it ...
Jul 14, 2020•18 min•Ep. 38
(image source: https://images.dinosaurpictures.org/Mosasaurus_b262.jpg ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Lexi Ryan discuss Mosasaurus , the sea monster of yore that lurked at the edge of the map, so watch out, dinosaur sailors! From the Late Cretaceous, this 56-foot squamate was in the same order of reptiles as lizards and snakes, making it the closest real life version of a giant sea serpent. I wonder how Vikings would have fared against it? Poorly, very poorly I reckon. Want to further s...
Jul 07, 2020•29 min•Ep. 37
(image source: https://dinopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Titanoboa ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Natasha Krech discuss Titanoboa , the snake with a really uncreative name that weighed as much as a car. From the Paleocene epoch, this 42-foot constrictor just missed out on dinosaurs, so all that fan art you've seen of it crushing a T. rex or whatever was total nonsense. It's a cool image though, so who cares really? Oh yeah, paleontologists. Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patre...
Jun 30, 2020•22 min•Ep. 36
(image source: https://images.dinosaurpictures.org/Edmontosaurus_BW_0c44.jpg ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Lawrence Mack discuss Edmontosaurus , the prime cannon fodder for T. rex attacks everywhere. From the Late Cretaceous, this 40-foot hadrosaur roamed in great herds across North America and had a hell of a complicated naming history. Ever heard of Anatotitan , or Anatosaurus , or Trachodon ? All this guy. Get it together, paleontologists. Want to further support the show? Sign up t...
Jun 23, 2020•27 min•Ep. 35
(image source: https://dinopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Silvacola ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Christina Franklin discuss Silvacola , the tiniest subject of the show so far, at least until we get around to discussing the first eukaryotic bacteria. From the Early Eocene, this 2-inch hedgehog lived in a great global rainforest and probably did absolutely nothing of note other than be cute. But that's all it needs! Just look at it, d'awww. Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreo...
Jun 16, 2020•21 min•Ep. 34
(image source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/783556035155570299/ ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Lexi Ryan discuss Smilodon , the famous saber-toothed tiger, except it wasn't a tiger, but then again a starfish isn't a fish either, so it's all just semantics. From the Pleistocene epoch, this 7-foot cat prowled the prairies of both North and South America as a participant of the Great American Interchange, which sounds either like some boring financial conglomerate or something far dirtier...
Jun 09, 2020•25 min•Ep. 33
(image source: https://image.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/gigantspinosaurus-3d-illustration-260nw-434607592.jpg ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Natasha Krech discuss Gigantspinosaurus , a dinosaur that unfortunately isn't an even bigger Spinosaurus like its name might suggest. From the Late Jurassic, this 14-foot stegosaurid browsed peacefully in the forests of prehistoric China while trying very hard not to get themselves stuck between two trees. Seriously, how big do those shoul...
Jun 02, 2020•21 min•Ep. 32
(image source: https://images.dinosaurpictures.org/300_lio_albertosaurus_df68.jpg ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Lawrence Mack discuss Albertosaurus , the Canadian tyrannosaur with evidence of pack-hunting, which is pretty terrifying if you ask me. From the Late Cretaceous, this 32-foot theropod utterly demolishes the image of polite Canadian culture, unless those large, sharp teeth were meant for helping other dinosaurs open beer bottles. You can't rule it out! Want to further support ...
May 26, 2020•28 min•Ep. 31
(image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunkleosteus#/media/File:Dunkleosteus_terrelli_-_MUSE.jpg ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Ben O'Regan discuss Dunkleosteus , the literally boneheaded fish that haunted the nightmares of early sharks. From the Late Devonian, this 26-foot placoderm not only preyed on anything it could get its plated teeth on, but also might have been an early example of giving live birth. So that's weird. Want to further support the show? Sign up to our Patreon ...
May 19, 2020•21 min•Ep. 30
(image source: https://images.dinosaurpictures.org/sauroniops_pachytholus_by_malvit-d5knpiu_778a.jpg ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Lexi Ryan discuss Sauroniops , servant of Morgoth and conqueror of Middle-Earth, or at least the Middle Cretaceous. From the, well, Mid Cretaceous, this 42-foot carcharodontosaurid was the one lord of the rings, and he does not share power! Well actually, he did; he lived alongside other predators like Suchomimus and Spinosaurus , so there was plenty of pre...
May 12, 2020•24 min•Ep. 29
(image source: https://dinopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Dire_Wolf?file=Direwolf1.jpg ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Natasha Krech discuss Canis dirus , the giant wolf ridden by orcs if dorky fantasy stories are to be believed. From the Late Pleistocene, this 5-foot dog hunted mastodons and ground sloths while competing with saber-toothed cats for the rank of dominant predator. Because even in prehistoric times, cats and dogs are never friends. Also, you can purchase Matthew Donald's dinosaur b...
May 05, 2020•25 min•Ep. 28
(image source: https://images.dinosaurpictures.org/vulcanodonNT_249c.jpg ) Host Matthew Donald and guest co-host Lawrence Mack discuss Vulcanodon , the dinosaur representative of the United Federation of Planets if the name is any indication. From the Early Jurassic, this 21-foot sauropod was one of the earliest true sauropods and primarily worked in the science division of the U.S.S. Enterprise... sorry, I can't help the Star Trek jokes! Live long and prosper! Or be like dinosaurs and go extinc...
Apr 28, 2020•19 min•Ep. 27
