Podcasts · Science

The Common Descent Podcast

Common Descent

300 episodes

Join David and Will as they explore the paleontologists’ perspective on various topics in life and earth history.

More about the show

Each episode features a main discussion on a topic requested by the listeners, presented as a lighthearted and educational conversation about fossils, evolution, deep time, and more.

Before the main discussion, each episode also includes a news segment, covering recent research related to paleontology and evolution.

Each episode ends with the answer to a question submitted by subscribers on Patreon.

New episodes with new topics every fortnight!

Episodes page 1 of 6

  1. Episode 255 - Plant Origins

    · 2 h 19 min · Episode 388

    Here on our blue-and-green planet, the green is plants. This episode, Aly joins us again to explore the beginnings of this all-important group of life. We’ll discuss which ancestors gave rise to true plants, what the…

  2. Spook-E - Andalites

    · 54 min · Episode 387

    Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution. It’s Spook-E Season! All throughout October, we pick monsters from myth and media and speculate how they – or something like them – could evolve here on Earth, pulling…

  3. Spook-E - Headcrabs

    · 1 h 11 min · Episode 386

    Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution. It’s Spook-E Season! All throughout October, we pick monsters from myth and media and speculate how they – or something like them – could evolve here on Earth, pulling…

  4. Episode 254 - Abelisaurs

    · 2 h 13 min · Episode 384

    During the Cretaceous Period, while tyrannosaurs stomped around the northern continents, the less famous abelisaurs were the top predatory dinosaurs of the south. This episode, we piece together the history and…

  5. Spook-E - Greys

    · 1 h 02 min · Episode 385

    Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution. It’s Spook-E Season! All throughout October, we pick monsters from myth and media and speculate how they – or something like them – could evolve here on Earth, pulling…

  6. Spook-E - Xenomorphs

    · 1 h 42 min · Episode 383

    Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution. Spook-E Season is back! All throughout October, we pick monsters from myth and media and speculate how they – or something like them – could evolve here on Earth, pulling…

  7. Episode 253 - Kangaroos

    · 2 h 43 min · Episode 382

    Kangaroos – and their wallaroo and wallaby cousins – are some of the most recognizable, charismatic, and impressively strange mammals on the planet. This episode, we explore the surprising diversity of this group, we…

  8. Episode 252 - The Ice Age

    · 2 h 11 min · Episode 381

    About 10% of the Earth’s land surface is currently covered in persistent glacial ice, but for most of Earth history, that number was much closer to zero. This episode, we explore what happens when ice overtakes our…

  9. Episode 251 - The Sun

    · 2 h 44 min · Episode 380

    The Sun is kind of a big deal. It is the center of our solar system, around which all other objects revolve, and its heat and light are responsible for the life-supporting conditions here on Earth. This episode, we…

  10. Episode 250 - Camels

    · 2 h 22 min · Episode 379

    Large, herbivorous mammals come in many shapes and sizes, but few are as famously unusual as camels. This episode, we explore the surprising adaptations of Old World and New World camelids, from the dromedaries of…

  11. Episode 249 - Sexual Dimorphism

    · 2 h 57 min · Episode 378

    In most animal species, there are differences in the anatomy, behavior, and lifestyle of male and female individuals. In this episode, we explore the incredible variety of these differences and the equally incredible…

  12. Episode 248 - Big Cats

    · 2 h 56 min · Episode 377

    Felines come in all shapes and sizes, but only a handful of them are large enough and in charge enough to have earned the title of “Big Cats.” This episode, we’re joined by special guest Lindsay Nikole as we take a…

  13. Snake Stuff with Ali Ashraf

    · 57 min · Episode 376

    Happy Snake Month! In this bonus episode, we're joined by friend of the podcast Ali Ashraf to talk about his research on the distribution and evolution of water snakes! This month only! Join the Snakes & Crocs Tier…

  14. Episode 247 – Vipers

    · 3 h 16 min · Episode 375

    Happy Snake Month! Some of the most fascinating, famous, and dangerous snakes on the planet belong to the family Viperidae. Vipers include some of the world’s most specialized ambush hunters, and they are one of the…

  15. Episode 246 - Gharials

    · 2 h 24 min · Episode 374

    Happy Croc Month! Most living crocodilian species look pretty similar overall – that’s why there are so many tips for telling alligators from crocodiles – but one group really stands out with their bulging eyes and…

  16. Croc Chat with Maddie Turala

    · 57 min · Episode 373

    Happy Croc Month! In this bonus episode, we're joined by friend of the podcast Maddie Turala to talk about her research on estimating body size in fossil alligators! This month only! Join the Crocs & Snakes Tier on…

  17. Episode 245 - Cycads

    · 2 h 15 min · Episode 372

    Cycads are cousins of conifers, and although they can be found throughout the modern tropics, they are often considered a visual indicator of prehistory. This episode, Aly joins us to explore what sets cycads apart…

  18. Episode 244 - Sea Turtles

    · 2 h 28 min · Episode 371

    Most modern turtles are pretty good in the water, but only some are truly ocean-dwellers. This episode, we explore the unique and diverse lifestyles and anatomy of modern sea turtles, then we take a tour of turtles…

  19. Episode 243 - Burrowers

    · 2 h 23 min · Episode 370

    A lot of life on Earth happens underground. This episode, we sample the species that have taken to a life of digging in the dirt – and elsewhere – why they do it and what physical adaptations help them along the way.…

  20. Leaf it to Us Season 2 Trailer

    · 2:05 · Episode 369

    Leaf it to Us Season 2 is coming! Episode 1 drops on May 7th! You can find Leaf it to Us on any podcast platform! Consider supporting Leaf it to Us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod And connect with…

  21. Silver Screen Science - The Valley of Gwangi (1969)

    · 1 h 12 min · Episode 368

    Silver Screen Science is our series where we explore science on the big screen and beyond. This year, we’re taking a tour through cinematic history with Old School Dinosaurs! This episode, we’re wrapping things up…

  22. Episode 242 - Fire

    · 2 h 30 min · Episode 367

    Earth is a very flammable world. The combination of heat, oxygen, and burnable plants makes fire a constant feature of our planet. Many modern ecosystems thrive in the presence of fire, and lots of plant and animal…

  23. Silver Screen Science - One Million Years B.C. (1966)

    · 1 h 20 min · Episode 366

    Silver Screen Science is our series where we explore science on the big screen and beyond. This year, we’re taking a tour through cinematic history with Old School Dinosaurs! This episode, we visit a classic of…

  24. Silver Screen Science - Dinosaur Shorts (Gertie, Slumber Mountain, Fantasia)

    · 1 h 18 min · Episode 365

    Silver Screen Science is our series where we explore science on the big screen and beyond. This year, we’re taking a tour through cinematic history with Old School Dinosaurs! This episode, we compile and compare a…

  25. Episode 241 - Digestion

    · 2 h 20 min · Episode 364

    The world is full of food, but in order to make the most of it, living organisms need to be able to break it down and extract the useful nutrients. This episode, we explore the fundamental process of digestion and the…

  26. Silver Screen Science - The Lost World (1925)

    · 1 h 16 min · Episode 363

    Silver Screen Science is our series where we explore science on the big screen and beyond. This year, we’re taking a tour through cinematic history with Old School Dinosaurs! This episode, we start things off with the…

  27. Episode 240 - Terror Birds

    · 2 h 42 min · Episode 362

    For most of the Cenozoic Era, South America was home to an incredible group of predatory birds called phorusrhacids, which included some of the largest carnivorous birds of all time. With their giant axe-like beaks and…

  28. Episode 239 - Nocturnality

    · 2 h 14 min · Episode 361

    Creatures of the night! The world is a different place in the dark, and a whole array of organisms have adapted to being most active outside of daytime hours. This episode, we’ll explore the regular traits that allow…

  29. Pok-É – Kyogre, Groudon, and Rayquaza

    · 1 h 07 min · Episode 355

    Welcome ... to Pok-É! This year is the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise, so we’re picking some of our favorite Legendary Pokémon and speculating upon how they – or something like them – might evolve in real…

  30. Patron Mini-Episode Compilation #7

    · 2 h 24 min · Episode 359

    One of the benefits our Patrons can receive is a personalized mini-episode on an animal of their choice! Every now and then, we throw them together into a compilation for all to enjoy! As always, an enormous thanks to…

  31. Episode 238 - Osteoderms (Skin Bones)

    · 2 h 36 min · Episode 360

    Some bones are only skin deep! In many species of reptiles, mammals, and amphibians, bones called osteoderms develop within the skin, serving as body armor, additional muscular support, display features, or any number…

  32. Pok-É – Koraidon and Miraidon

    · 1 h 06 min · Episode 354

    Welcome ... to Pok-É! This year is the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise, so we’re picking some of our favorite Legendary Pokémon and speculating upon how they – or something like them – might evolve in real…

  33. Pok-É – Zygarde

    · 1 h 03 min · Episode 353

    Welcome ... to Pok-É! This year is the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise, so we’re picking some of our favorite Legendary Pokémon and speculating upon how they – or something like them – might evolve in real…

  34. Episode 237 - The Dinosaur Renaissance

    · 3 h 08 min · Episode 358

    In the mid-to-late 20th Century, dinosaurs received a major makeover in their scientific and popular image. This episode, Riley Black takes us through the timeline of the Dinosaur Renaissance. We discuss some of the…

  35. Pok-É – Giratina

    · 51 min · Episode 352

    Welcome ... to Pok-É! This year is the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise, so we’re picking some of our favorite Legendary Pokémon and speculating upon how they – or something like them – might evolve in real…

  36. Pok-É – Lugia

    · 58 min · Episode 351

    Welcome ... to Pok-É! This year is the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise, so we’re picking some of our favorite Legendary Pokémon and speculating upon how they – or something like them – might evolve in real…

  37. Episode 236 - Chalicotheres

    · 2 h 02 min · Episode 357

    The Cenozoic Era was home to many unusual ancient mammals, but few so strange as the “gorilla-horses,” the ungulates that swapped their hooves for claws, chalicotheres. This episode, we discuss the features that make…

  38. Episode 235 - Aquatic Plants

    · 2 h 38 min · Episode 356

    All plants need water, but some take it to the extreme. This episode, Dr. Aly Baumgartner joins us to explore the many life strategies of plants that live in the water. We’ll discuss the adaptations that allow them to…

  39. Episode 234 - Snails and Slugs

    · 2 h 24 min · Episode 350

    From deep-sea trenches to your home garden, gastropods (snails and slugs) are among the most diverse and successful groups of animal life in Earth history. This episode, we’ll explore what makes these animals…

  40. End of the Year Q&A 2025

    · 5 h 52 min · Episode 349

    Happy New Year! Please enjoy our annual question-answering marathon, now longer than ever! Thank you so much to everyone who listens, shares, and supports the podcast. Check out our website blog posts and more:…

  41. Episode 233 - Flies and Mosquitoes

    · 2 h 42 min · Episode 348

    Of all the highly successful and capable flying insects in the world, few are as successful or capable as those in the order Diptera. This episode, we’re joined by special guest Brandon Strauss to discuss the…

  42. Episode 232 - Vertebrate Origins

    · 2 h 16 min · Episode 347

    Today, bony animals are some of the most diverse organisms on Earth, but it wasn’t always that way. This episode, we explore what features distinguish vertebrates from their closest relatives, and we dive into the…

  43. Episode 231 - Back to the Water (Secondarily Aquatic Vertebrates)

    · 2 h 43 min · Episode 346

    Nearly 400 million years ago, an unusual group of fish gave rise to the first land-dwelling vertebrates. Since then, their descendants have repeatedly moved back into the water. This episode, we explore the many ways…

  44. Episode 230 - Pachycephalosaurs

    · 2 h 16 min · Episode 345

    The dome-headed dinosaurs are some of the most iconic ancient reptiles, but they’re surprisingly unexplored compared to other dinos. This episode, we explore what makes these dinosaurs unique, what limits our…

  45. Silver Screen Science - Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025)

    · 1 h 39 min · Episode 344

    In this special guest episode of Silver Screen Science, we're joined by Sabrina and Garret of I Know Dino to discuss the science and scientists of the newest installment in the Jurassic franchise: Jurassic World:…

  46. Cute-E – Pikmin

    · 59 min · Episode 338

    Welcome … to Cute-E! During our Spook-E series, we speculate on the evolution of monsters from myth and popular media, but we leave out fiction’s more adorable creatures. In Cute-E, we choose cuddlier critters and…

  47. Episode 229 - Myrmecophagy (Ant-Eating)

    · 2 h 21 min · Episode 343

    Generally speaking, it’s not a good idea to mess with ants. But several lineages of animals have evolved to be ant-eating specialists. This episode, we discuss anteaters, the suite of adaptations that allow them to…

  48. Spook-E – Metroids

    · 1 h 09 min · Episode 337

    Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution. Spook-E Season is back! All throughout October, we pick monsters from myth and media and speculate how they – or something like them – could evolve here on Earth, pulling…

  49. Spook-E – Kremlings

    · 1 h 03 min · Episode 336

    Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution. Spook-E Season is back! All throughout October, we pick monsters from myth and media and speculate how they – or something like them – could evolve here on Earth, pulling…

  50. Episode 228 - Dinosaur Provincial Park

    · 1 h 55 min · Episode 342

    Located in southeastern Alberta is a stretch of gorgeous badlands that are home to some of the world’s absolute best Late Cretaceous fossils. This episode, we explore how Dinosaur Provincial Park earned its designation…

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