Episode 252 - The Ice Age
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 cl...
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The Common Descent Podcast
Two paleontologists-turned-science-communicators chatting about the diversity of life: past and present!
Episodes
20 of 384 episodesEpisode 251 - The Sun
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 resp...
Episode 250 - Camels
Large, herbivorous mammals come in many shapes and sizes, but few are as famously unusual as camels. This episode, we explore the surprising...
Episode 249 - Sexual Dimorphism
In most animal species, there are differences in the anatomy, behavior, and lifestyle of male and female individuals. In this episode, we ex...
Episode 248 - Big Cats
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...
Snake Stuff with Ali Ashraf
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 an...
Episode 247 – Vipers
Happy Snake Month! Some of the most fascinating, famous, and dangerous snakes on the planet belong to the family Viperidae. Vipers include s...
Episode 246 - Gharials
Happy Croc Month! Most living crocodilian species look pretty similar overall – that’s why there are so many tips for telling alligators fro...
Croc Chat with Maddie Turala
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 s...
Episode 245 - Cycads
Cycads are cousins of conifers, and although they can be found throughout the modern tropics, they are often considered a visual indicator o...
Episode 244 - Sea Turtles
Most modern turtles are pretty good in the water, but only some are truly ocean-dwellers. This episode, we explore the unique and diverse li...
Episode 243 - Burrowers
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 elsew...
Leaf it to Us Season 2 Trailer
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 i...
Silver Screen Science - The Valley of Gwangi (1969)
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...
Episode 242 - Fire
Earth is a very flammable world. The combination of heat, oxygen, and burnable plants makes fire a constant feature of our planet. Many mode...
Silver Screen Science - One Million Years B.C. (1966)
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...
Silver Screen Science - Dinosaur Shorts (Gertie, Slumber Mountain, Fantasia)
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...
Episode 241 - Digestion
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 nut...
Silver Screen Science - The Lost World (1925)
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...
Episode 240 - Terror Birds
For most of the Cenozoic Era, South America was home to an incredible group of predatory birds called phorusrhacids, which included some of...