The Common Descent Podcast

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 habi…

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…

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 driv…

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 divers…

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 …

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 …

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…

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 paleontolog…

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 foss…

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 swar…

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…

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…

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 origin…

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 …

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 similar…

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 inc…

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 …

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 p…

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…

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…