Look who's back - our favorite paleobotanist, Aly Baumgartner! And that means it’s time for more plants! As you may have noticed, the world around you is absolutely full of flowers. Angiosperms have dominated nearly every terrestrial ecosystem on the planet, but the story of their early evolution is a famous conundrum. Darwin called it an “abominable mystery,” but there are some tantalizing clues as to how this group of plants got their start and then evolved to the incredible diversity we see t...
Mar 24, 2019•1 hr 55 min•Season 1Ep. 81
In April 2018, we hosted this Sloth Chat Livestream! Following up from Episode 24 (Sloths), we were joined by sloth scientists Ryan Haupt and Robert McAfee to answer audience questions about sloths, living and extinct! For anyone who didn't (or doesn't want to) watch it on YouTube, here it is in audio format for your listening pleasure! You can also still watch the original recording on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qirqw5ei45U Find Ryan: https://ryanhaupt.com/ Twitter: @haupt Find Ro...
Mar 20, 2019•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 80
One of the main themes of this podcast is the evolutionary history of life. This concept is familiar to all of us today, but our current understanding of evolution is the culmination of a very long history of scientific inquiry. In this episode, we’ll introduce you to some of the biggest names in this story, from Aristotle to Darwin, as we explore the evolution of evolutionary theory. In the news: tiny frogs, an ancient nesting ground, algae evolution, and a tusked sea cow. Time markers: Intro &...
Mar 10, 2019•1 hr 46 min•Season 1Ep. 79
Usually, when we talk about mass extinction, we’re referring to events long past. But scary levels of extinction are a fact of our current world, as well. So much so that current events have been labeled the "Sixth Extinction.” In this episode, we discuss just how bad our current ecological crisis is, what’s causing it, and whether or not it truly deserves to be called a mass extinction. We also discuss what’s already being done – and what we can all do – to counteract catastrophe. It’s a depres...
Feb 24, 2019•2 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 78
Happy Darwin Day! Last year around this time, we were joined by Dr. Sarah Bray to discuss the life and times of Charles Darwin. This time, Sarah joins us again to discuss his colleague and natural selection co-discoverer, Alfred Russell Wallace. In 1858, the year before Darwin published his famous book, he received a letter from a young, adventurous, sometimes tragic man in the throes of illness in southeast Asia. To Darwin’s shock, the letter included precisely the same biological insights he h...
Feb 10, 2019•2 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 77
It's been called the most diverse of all bones. It comes in an incredible variety of shapes and sizes, living and fossil, scattered across the mammalian family tree. It's called the baculum, the os penis, and in this episode we discuss what it does, who has it, what it means for paleontologists, and the evolutionary processes that made it what it is today. In the news: whales eating whales, pregnant plesiosaurs, robo-tetrapods, and the first American dogs. Time markers: Intro & Announcements...
Jan 27, 2019•1 hr 49 min•Season 1Ep. 76
What did dinosaurs sound like? How did extinct animals make and use sound? Like most behaviors, noises don’t fossilize, but there is some tantalizing evidence that paleontologists have pulled together about fossil bioacoustics. In this episode, we discuss how pop-culture may have misled us, and how scientists have gathered actual clues from living animals and the fossil record – and have even made scientifically-inspired ancient audios! – to reconstruct the sounds of the past. In the news: hatch...
Jan 13, 2019•1 hr 52 min•Season 1Ep. 75
Happy New Year! Big thanks to everyone who's supported us throughout the year, and big thanks to everyone who submitted questions to our Q&A! Here's roughly two hours of Will and David answering YOUR questions - the silly and the science-y. See you in 2019! Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/ PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/ iTune...
Dec 31, 2018•2 hr 21 min•Ep. 73
Many times in the history of life on Earth, reptiles have returned to the oceans. There were three famous groups of marine reptiles during the Mesozoic, and in this episode, we’re discussing the last to evolve, the shortest-lived, and the greatest (in David’s opinion, anyway) of them. We’ll tell the tale of how one group of lizards evolved to dominate waters around the world during the reign of the mosasaurs. In the news: hunting sabertooths, very strange feathers, megalodon temperature, and fea...
Dec 30, 2018•2 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 74
This episode, we take a tour of the land that takes home the prizes for oldest geologic materials, most marsupials, and (arguably) biggest island! Our trip through the history of this island-continent starts nearly at the very origin of our planet, and follows a fascinating history of shifting super-continents and shuffling ecosystems. Join us on a journey Down Under, to Australia. In the news: Gray Site peccaries, a blubbery ichthyosaur, fossil fungus, and an Australian dinosaur. Time markers: ...
Dec 16, 2018•1 hr 44 min•Season 1Ep. 72
It’s no secret we love paleontology; it’s a fascinating field of study. But sometimes our favorite subject is polluted and perverted by fraud. In this episode, we’re talking about fake fossils: why they happen, how they happen, and what effect they have on the paleontological community as a whole. And then it’s story time, where we review some of history’s most famous fossil fakes. In the news: an early long-neck, tiny footprints, a huge dicynodont surprise, and the marsupial lion. Time markers:...
Dec 02, 2018•1 hr 51 min•Season 1Ep. 71
This episode, it’s back into the ocean, this time to discuss one of the most successful groups of predators on the planet. Sharks are famously “ancient,” but their evolutionary story is complex and fascinating, stretching back more than 400 million years, from their assorted bizarre ancestors to the incredible diversity we see today. In the news: nocturnal elephant birds, hadrosaur sounds, prehistoric protein preservation, and colorful dino eggs. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00...
Nov 18, 2018•1 hr 32 min•Season 1Ep. 70
Synapsids are a vast group of animals that includes only one living lineage: us mammals. But for about 100 million years before true mammals evolved, ancient synapsids were not only incredibly diverse, but dominant in ecosystems around the world. In this episode, we’ll explore some of this incredible variety of “proto-mammals” and track the long evolutionary transition that produced all the familiar traits that make us mammalian. In the news: a new living croc, a carnivorous herbivorous dinosaur...
Nov 04, 2018•1 hr 41 min•Season 1Ep. 69
Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution. It's October, so we're exploring some more speculative evolution with a spooky twist! Each week this month, we'll be choosing a creepy creature and discussing how it - or something like it - might evolve biologically, pulling inspiration from the critters of the real world. In this particularly disturbing episode, we consider mindless decomposing humans and parasitic host manipulation. How can we naturally arrive at a contagion that converts people into fle...
Oct 27, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 68
Human culture is full of stories of marvelous creatures hiding in the wilds on the fringe of our understanding. Some are the stuff of local lore while others are world-famous, and some are even thought to be relicts of the distant past. The search for these “hidden animals” can be dramatic, sometimes controversial, and often less-than-scientific. It is the fascinating field of Cryptozoology. In the news: a tiny dino skull, a fish-bitten pterosaur, evolution in darkness, and a history of kangaroo...
Oct 21, 2018•1 hr 43 min•Season 1Ep. 67
Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution. It's October, so we're exploring some more speculative evolution with a spooky twist! Each week this month, we'll be choosing a creepy creature and discussing how it - or something like it - might evolve biologically, pulling inspiration from the critters of the real world. This episode, we think deeply about the Creature From the Black Lagoon and other myths of amphibious humanoids. How do you evolve something with the legs and arms of a human, but the fin...
Oct 20, 2018•49 min•Season 1Ep. 66
Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution. It's October, so we're exploring some more speculative evolution with a spooky twist! Each week this month, we'll be choosing a creepy creature and discussing how it - or something like it - might evolve biologically, pulling inspiration from the critters of the real world. This episode, we contemplate the evolution of aggressive predators that spread madness with their bite and get particularly nasty when the moon is full. How might evolution produce the l...
Oct 13, 2018•43 min•Season 1Ep. 65
252 million years ago, the Earth experienced what might be the worst extinction event of all time, so dramatic that it brought an end to the entire Paleozoic Era, that it resulted in the rise of entirely new types of ecosystems, and that it has come to be known as “The Great Dying.” This episode, we discuss the tragedy, the chaos, and the aftermath of the Permian Extinction. In the news: the oldest animal, giant elephant birds, mammal jaw evolution, and one really big tree. Time markers: Intro &...
Oct 07, 2018•1 hr 39 min•Season 1Ep. 64
Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution. It's October, so we're exploring some more speculative evolution with a spooky twist! Each week this month, we'll be choosing a creepy creature and discussing how it - or something like it - might evolve biologically, pulling inspiration from the critters of the real world. This episode, how do you evolve large-bodied nocturnal sanguivores that can spread their condition to normal humans? How can biology arrive at the most iconic children of the night? Our ...
Oct 06, 2018•44 min•Season 1Ep. 63
Will and David recently attended SciFest: Rock, Fossil, Quake! This was an event held at the St. Louis Science Center in collaboration with the Washington University School of Medicine. The event brought scientists and science enthusiasts face-to-face to talk about geology, earthquakes, and - most exciting for us - fossils (mostly dinosaurs)! In this episode, we recount some of our impressions and favorite parts of the event, and include interviews with six dinosaur paleontologists who attended ...
Sep 30, 2018•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 62
Welcome to our Spotlight Series! We’re talking paleo-science with some paleo-people! In this 5-part series, we’ve interviewed 5 different invertebrate paleontologists about their research and other work. We wrap up this series by chatting with Ranjeev Epa about his research on the best animals ever (according to him), bivalves - that is, clams, oysters, etc. - and what preyed upon them in the distant past, and also about the paleo-PhD experience Find Ranjeev in these places: Twitter @RanjeevEpa ...
Sep 29, 2018•44 min•Ep. 61
It's a movie about a giant prehistoric shark that eats a bunch of people. Let's talk science! In this "science review," we're discussing The Meg (2018) - the portrayal of megalodon, the tropes of the scientists, and the movie's general relationship with real-world science. Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/ PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbea...
Sep 28, 2018•49 min•Season 1Ep. 60
In this episode, we tackle the fascinating – and confusing – subject of hybridization. What are hybrids? Why are hybrids? And if organisms can breed across subspecies and species boundaries, what does that mean for our understanding of important topics like evolution, speciation, and conservation? In the news: saber-tooth footprints, a Cambrian filter-feeder, false extinctions, and an ancient pet trade. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:06:00 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:...
Sep 23, 2018•1 hr 46 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Welcome to our Spotlight Series! We’re talking paleo-science with some paleo-people! In this 5-part series, we’ve interviewed 5 different invertebrate paleontologists about their research and other work. It's Episode 4, and this time we have Dr. Chris Mah with us to explain the science of studying sea stars - past and present - and what it takes (or at least, what it has taken him) to run a science blog! Find Chris in these places: Twitter: @echinoblog The Echinoblog, echinoblog.blogspot.com If ...
Sep 22, 2018•56 min•Ep. 58
Welcome to our Spotlight Series! We’re talking paleo-science with some paleo-people! In this 5-part series, we’ve interviewed 5 different invertebrate paleontologists about their research and other work. In Episode 3, our guest is Dr. Alycia Stigall, sharing with us her research on the best animals ever (according to her), brachiopods! And also discussing what it’s like to run a whole lab of paleontologists. Find Alycia in these places: http://www.alyciastigall.org/ Twitter: @alycia_stigall If y...
Sep 15, 2018•53 min•Ep. 57
For tens of millions of years, North and South America were separate sisters across the sea, each with their own unique ecosystems. But around 3 million years ago, the Isthmus of Panama brought the landmasses together and kicked off an incredible mass migration of life between the continents. Some species thrived, others suffered, and in the end the very ecosystem structure of both continents was drastically altered, setting the stage for the American wildlife we know today. In the news: prehist...
Sep 09, 2018•1 hr 42 min•Season 1Ep. 56
Welcome to our Spotlight Series! We’re talking paleo-science with some paleo-people! In this 5-part series, we’ve interviewed 5 different invertebrate paleontologists about their research and other work. It’s Episode 2, and we’re chatting with Adriane Lam to discuss her work exploring ancient oceans through tiny foraminifera (not technically invertebrates, we know…) as well as her efforts bringing scientists and science education to the public with Time Scavengers! Find Adriane and Time Scavenge...
Sep 08, 2018•38 min•Ep. 55
Welcome to our Spotlight Series! We’re talking paleo-science with some paleo-people! Across this 5-part series, you’ll get to know some paleontologists as we interview them about their research and their lives as scientists. Our theme for this series is Invertebrate Paleontology. In this first episode, we sit down with Dave Marshall to chat about his research on eurypterids (sea scorpions!) and his work creating and running Palaeocast, the Virtual Natural History Museum, and more! Find Dave in t...
Sep 01, 2018•53 min•Ep. 54
It's a dinosaur episode! With their croc-like faces, their weird ornamentation, and their curious fondness for water, the spinosaurs are among the most bizarre and fascinating of all dinosaurs. In this episode, we introduce Spinosaurus and the gang and discuss why these dinos are so cool - and so controversial. In the news: secrets of regeneration, a new pterosaur, a really old animal, and giant hunting insects. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:08:00 Main discussion, Pa...
Aug 26, 2018•1 hr 57 min•Season 1Ep. 53
There have been several times in evolutionary history where a land-dwelling group has transitioned to life in the water, but few have done it so successfully as the cetaceans. Not only are modern whales diverse and fascinating, but their ancestors have left behind an incredible fossil record of their transition into the sea. All that and more as we discuss the Evolution of Whales. In the news: the evolution of ant castes, the strange skulls of aye-ayes, really old worms (maybe), and a shark turn...
Aug 12, 2018•1 hr 46 min•Season 1Ep. 52
