Common Descent
@commondescentpod.bsky.social
A podcast about paleontology, evolution, and the history of life on Earth.
Hosted by Will🐊 and David🐍
https://commondescentpodcast.com/
Hosted by Will🐊 and David🐍
https://commondescentpodcast.com/
Pinned
We're on BlueSky now!
Hello! We are Common Descent, a podcast about paleontology, evolution, and the history of life on Earth!
We release episodes every fortnight! Each one focuses on a topic requested by our audience!
commondescentpodcast.com
Hello! We are Common Descent, a podcast about paleontology, evolution, and the history of life on Earth!
We release episodes every fortnight! Each one focuses on a topic requested by our audience!
commondescentpodcast.com
News from Episode 231:
How some dung beetles evolved to eat meat
How some dung beetles evolved to eat meat
How poop-eating beetles evolved to eat rotting flesh
Analysis of thousands of fossils pushes back change in beetles’ diets by more than 37 million years
buff.ly
November 24, 2025 at 3:33 PM
News from Episode 231:
How some dung beetles evolved to eat meat
How some dung beetles evolved to eat meat
News from Episode 231:
Spine injuries maybe caused by dinosaurs climbing atop each other
Spine injuries maybe caused by dinosaurs climbing atop each other
buff.ly
November 24, 2025 at 3:32 PM
News from Episode 231:
Spine injuries maybe caused by dinosaurs climbing atop each other
Spine injuries maybe caused by dinosaurs climbing atop each other
News from Episode 231:
The oldest known fossil croc eggs, from Australia
The oldest known fossil croc eggs, from Australia
Evidence of ancient tree-climbing 'drop crocs' found in Australia
Scientists say the crocodiles hunted like leopards by climbing trees and killing prey below.
buff.ly
November 24, 2025 at 3:31 PM
News from Episode 231:
The oldest known fossil croc eggs, from Australia
The oldest known fossil croc eggs, from Australia
News from Episode 231:
Rapid ocean recovery after the Permian Extinction
Rapid ocean recovery after the Permian Extinction
Fossils of ancient marine predators have been discovered on an Arctic mountain | Natural History Museum
Life may have bounced back more quickly than expected after the worst mass extinction in history.
buff.ly
November 24, 2025 at 3:30 PM
News from Episode 231:
Rapid ocean recovery after the Permian Extinction
Rapid ocean recovery after the Permian Extinction
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.
Episode 231 – Back to the Water (Secondarily Aquatic Vertebrates)
Listen to Episode 231 on Podbean, YouTube, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts! Ever since an unusual group of fish gave rise to the first land-dwelling vertebrates, their des…
buff.ly
November 23, 2025 at 3:00 PM
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.
Next week, on Episode 231...
November 18, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Next week, on Episode 231...
We're thrilled to be an informative influence!
Also everyone go read Stealing From Wizards!
Also everyone go read Stealing From Wizards!
@commondescentpod.bsky.social also had a surprisingly big influence on my writing. If you have to make us a fantasy world, its good to know something about the evolution and ecology of the closest things to dragons that lived on earth.
The Common Descent Podcast
Paleontology, evolution, and the history of life on Earth!
commondescentpodcast.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:45 PM
We're thrilled to be an informative influence!
Also everyone go read Stealing From Wizards!
Also everyone go read Stealing From Wizards!
This year's Spook-E theme was Monsters of Nintendo, but a certain franchise was missing...
Join us in February for a special Speculative Evolution series called Pok-É!
Join us in February for a special Speculative Evolution series called Pok-É!
November 15, 2025 at 8:58 PM
This year's Spook-E theme was Monsters of Nintendo, but a certain franchise was missing...
Join us in February for a special Speculative Evolution series called Pok-É!
Join us in February for a special Speculative Evolution series called Pok-É!
Our End of the Year Q&A is coming up! Submit your question and tune in for the answers at the end of the year!
End of the Year Q&A 2025
Another year has come and almost gone, and that means it's time to answer all the questions! Ask and we shall answer in our giant-sized End of the Year Q&A! Submit a question below! One question per…
buff.ly
November 13, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Our End of the Year Q&A is coming up! Submit your question and tune in for the answers at the end of the year!
The latest episode of Briks with Bask is a LEGO tribute to one of our favorite Spook-E creations!
November 12, 2025 at 9:50 PM
The latest episode of Briks with Bask is a LEGO tribute to one of our favorite Spook-E creations!
News from Episode 230:
Incredible preservation reveals hooves and spines of Edmontosaurus, and some clues about how such fossils form.
Incredible preservation reveals hooves and spines of Edmontosaurus, and some clues about how such fossils form.
Here's how dinosaur ‘mummies’ are helping scientists solve fossil mysteries
A new study sheds light on how these reptiles become “mummies” and paints a picture of what these ancient animals looked like.
buff.ly
November 10, 2025 at 3:32 PM
News from Episode 230:
Incredible preservation reveals hooves and spines of Edmontosaurus, and some clues about how such fossils form.
Incredible preservation reveals hooves and spines of Edmontosaurus, and some clues about how such fossils form.
News from Episode 230:
Our friends at I Know Dino wrote a kids' book!
Our friends at I Know Dino wrote a kids' book!
I Know Dino!
Get the deets on dinos and find out how we know what we know about them, from the hosts of the popular podcast I Know Dino!Dinosaurs have been extinct for
buff.ly
November 10, 2025 at 3:31 PM
News from Episode 230:
Our friends at I Know Dino wrote a kids' book!
Our friends at I Know Dino wrote a kids' book!
News from Episode 230:
A close look at alligator locomotion and insights into how history's largest reptiles moved around.
A close look at alligator locomotion and insights into how history's largest reptiles moved around.
How changing limb posture helped ancient reptiles grow
New research has revealed how more upright limb postures helped ancient reptiles overcome the biomechanical constraints of body size, paving the way for the evolution of larger sizes in archosaurs—a…
buff.ly
November 10, 2025 at 3:31 PM
News from Episode 230:
A close look at alligator locomotion and insights into how history's largest reptiles moved around.
A close look at alligator locomotion and insights into how history's largest reptiles moved around.
The dome-headed dinosaurs are some of the most iconic ancient reptiles, but they’re surprisingly unexplored compared to other dinos.
Episode 230 – Pachycephalosaurs
Listen to Episode 230 on Podbean, YouTube, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts! Among the famous groups of dinosaurs are the iconic but somehow poorly represented dome-headed …
buff.ly
November 9, 2025 at 3:00 PM
The dome-headed dinosaurs are some of the most iconic ancient reptiles, but they’re surprisingly unexplored compared to other dinos.
Our Spook-E Livestream is THIS WEEKEND! Join us for a discussion of this year's Nintendo Monsters and future plans!
November 8th at 3pm US Eastern Time!
November 8th at 3pm US Eastern Time!
Spook-E Livestream 2025!
Wrap up Spook-E Season with us! We'll chat about this year's Nintendo Monsters and future plans!
buff.ly
November 5, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Our Spook-E Livestream is THIS WEEKEND! Join us for a discussion of this year's Nintendo Monsters and future plans!
November 8th at 3pm US Eastern Time!
November 8th at 3pm US Eastern Time!
Next week, on Episode 230...
November 4, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Next week, on Episode 230...
Our End of the Year Q&A form is officially open!
Submit your question and keep your ears out for the answer at the end of the year!
forms.gle/GEpoqmuX18VD...
Submit your question and keep your ears out for the answer at the end of the year!
forms.gle/GEpoqmuX18VD...
End of the Year Q&A 2025
Another year has come and almost gone, and that means it's time to answer all the questions! Ask and we shall answer in our giant-sized End of the Year Q&A!
Submit a question below! One question per ...
forms.gle
November 1, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Our End of the Year Q&A form is officially open!
Submit your question and keep your ears out for the answer at the end of the year!
forms.gle/GEpoqmuX18VD...
Submit your question and keep your ears out for the answer at the end of the year!
forms.gle/GEpoqmuX18VD...
Loyal, curious, and ready to go! Spook-E Season wraps up today with Cute-E!
This episode, we pluck precious partners from the soil. What could be the evolutionary background of tiny and colorful workers that blend the features of plants and animals? Our creatures to create this time: Pikmin.
This episode, we pluck precious partners from the soil. What could be the evolutionary background of tiny and colorful workers that blend the features of plants and animals? Our creatures to create this time: Pikmin.
November 1, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Loyal, curious, and ready to go! Spook-E Season wraps up today with Cute-E!
This episode, we pluck precious partners from the soil. What could be the evolutionary background of tiny and colorful workers that blend the features of plants and animals? Our creatures to create this time: Pikmin.
This episode, we pluck precious partners from the soil. What could be the evolutionary background of tiny and colorful workers that blend the features of plants and animals? Our creatures to create this time: Pikmin.
News from Episode 229:
The incredible shrinking genomes of Canary Island spiders
The incredible shrinking genomes of Canary Island spiders
Island spider sheds half its genome, defying evolutionary expectations
Over a few million years, the spider Dysdera tilosensis—a species endemic to the Canary Islands—has reduced the size of its genome by half during the process of colonization and adaptation to its…
buff.ly
October 27, 2025 at 2:33 PM
News from Episode 229:
The incredible shrinking genomes of Canary Island spiders
The incredible shrinking genomes of Canary Island spiders
News from Episode 229:
These might be the first known fossil footprints of a hyrax ... and also the first known fossil butt-drag-print of anything.
These might be the first known fossil footprints of a hyrax ... and also the first known fossil butt-drag-print of anything.
World’s first known butt-drag fossil trace was left by a rock hyrax in South Africa 126,000 years ago
The first hyrax fossil tracks and traces ever to be discovered were identified on South Africa’s coast.
buff.ly
October 27, 2025 at 2:32 PM
News from Episode 229:
These might be the first known fossil footprints of a hyrax ... and also the first known fossil butt-drag-print of anything.
These might be the first known fossil footprints of a hyrax ... and also the first known fossil butt-drag-print of anything.
News from Episode 229:
A group of Neanderthal footprints on the Portugal coast reinforce the idea that these ancient humans went after marine resources.
A group of Neanderthal footprints on the Portugal coast reinforce the idea that these ancient humans went after marine resources.
Tiny Footprints of a Neanderthal Toddler Reveal the Deeply Human Story of a Family on the Move
They went to the beach 80,000 years ago, but probably not to relax.
buff.ly
October 27, 2025 at 2:32 PM
News from Episode 229:
A group of Neanderthal footprints on the Portugal coast reinforce the idea that these ancient humans went after marine resources.
A group of Neanderthal footprints on the Portugal coast reinforce the idea that these ancient humans went after marine resources.
News from Episode 229:
The oldest known fossil leeches had marine habits and were missing some essential leech-parts.
The oldest known fossil leeches had marine habits and were missing some essential leech-parts.
Before they sucked blood, leeches were ocean hunters
A 430-million-year-old fossil has rewritten leech history, showing they are at least 200 million years older than previously believed. Unlike today’s bloodsucking leeches, their ancient ancestors…
buff.ly
October 27, 2025 at 2:32 PM
News from Episode 229:
The oldest known fossil leeches had marine habits and were missing some essential leech-parts.
The oldest known fossil leeches had marine habits and were missing some essential leech-parts.
Generally speaking, it’s not a good idea to mess with ants, but some animals have made a whole lifestyle out of it.
Episode 229 – Myrmecophagy (Ant-Eating)
Listen to Episode 229 on Podbean, YouTube, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts! Generally speaking, it’s not a good idea to mess with ants, but some animals have made a …
buff.ly
October 26, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Generally speaking, it’s not a good idea to mess with ants, but some animals have made a whole lifestyle out of it.
The galaxy is not at peace! And neither is the Spook-E-Verse with these around!
This episode, we take the hunt across the stars. What biological explanation can we find for jellyfish-shaped parasites with a complex and terrifying life cycle? Our creatures to create this time: Metroids.
This episode, we take the hunt across the stars. What biological explanation can we find for jellyfish-shaped parasites with a complex and terrifying life cycle? Our creatures to create this time: Metroids.
October 25, 2025 at 4:22 PM
The galaxy is not at peace! And neither is the Spook-E-Verse with these around!
This episode, we take the hunt across the stars. What biological explanation can we find for jellyfish-shaped parasites with a complex and terrifying life cycle? Our creatures to create this time: Metroids.
This episode, we take the hunt across the stars. What biological explanation can we find for jellyfish-shaped parasites with a complex and terrifying life cycle? Our creatures to create this time: Metroids.
So they're finally here! Episode 3 of Spook-E is out now!
This time, we’re sailing with the scourges of DK Isle. What circumstances might lead to the evolution of crocodile-faced humanoid pirates? Our creatures to create this time: Kremlings.
This time, we’re sailing with the scourges of DK Isle. What circumstances might lead to the evolution of crocodile-faced humanoid pirates? Our creatures to create this time: Kremlings.
October 18, 2025 at 4:22 PM
So they're finally here! Episode 3 of Spook-E is out now!
This time, we’re sailing with the scourges of DK Isle. What circumstances might lead to the evolution of crocodile-faced humanoid pirates? Our creatures to create this time: Kremlings.
This time, we’re sailing with the scourges of DK Isle. What circumstances might lead to the evolution of crocodile-faced humanoid pirates? Our creatures to create this time: Kremlings.