The Common Descent Podcast

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 shaped ecosystems of the past and present. This episode, we explore the geologic history of the region and which ancient species have managed to live in and move through Beringia. In the news: early sperm whales, BC plesiosaurs, megatooth shark food, and Arctic nesting birds. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:09:10 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:35:25 Main discussion, Part 2: 01:02:15 Patron question: 01:40:40 Check out our website for this episode’s blog post and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/ [http://commondescentpodcast.com/] Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast [https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast] Some LGBTQIA+ organizations in the southeast US: Trans Aid Nashville: https://www.transaidnashville.org/ [https://www.transaidnashville.org/] Out Memphis: https://www.outmemphis.org/ [https://www.outmemphis.org/] Southerners on New Ground: https://southernersonnewground.org [https://southernersonnewground.org] Shoutout to Vic Michaelis for these links: www.instagram.com/vicmmic/ [http://www.instagram.com/vicmmic/] Got a topic you want to hear about? Submit your episode request here: https://commondescentpodcast.com/request-a-topic/ [https://commondescentpodcast.com/request-a-topic/] Lots more ways to connect with us: https://linktr.ee/common_descent The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org [http://ocremix.org] Musical Interludes are "Professor Umlaut" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0]

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 paleontologists interested in early animals on land. This episode, we explore the diversity of modern lungs and the few but fascinating insights we have into the lungs of ancient animals, from dinosaurs to the first terrestrial vertebrates. In the news: trilobite sizes, polar forests, early footprints, and cicadas. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:05:50 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:31:30 Main discussion, Part 2: 01:21:35 Patron question: 02:05:35 Check out our website for this episode’s blog post and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/ [http://commondescentpodcast.com/] Listen to our new podcast, Leaf it to Us! https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod [https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod] Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast [https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast] Got a topic you want to hear about? Submit your episode request here: https://commondescentpodcast.com/request-a-topic/ [https://commondescentpodcast.com/request-a-topic/] Lots more ways to connect with us: https://linktr.ee/common_descent The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org [http://ocremix.org] Musical Interludes are "Professor Umlaut" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0]

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 fossil mammals of all time. This episode, we explore what makes bears so distinctive and successful, and how their diversity has changed over time. In the news: ancient alligators, rattlesnake venom, late land crocs, pterosaur tracks, and Caribbean crocodiles. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:05:45 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:43:25 Main discussion, Part 2: 01:28:25 Patron question: 02:12:25 Check out our website for this episode’s blog post and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/ [http://commondescentpodcast.com/] Listen to our new podcast, Leaf it to Us! https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod [https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod] Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast [https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast] Got a topic you want to hear about? Submit your episode request here: https://commondescentpodcast.com/request-a-topic/ Lots more ways to connect with us: https://linktr.ee/common_descent The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org Musical Interludes are "Professor Umlaut" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0]

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 swarm of plankton, we’ll explore how plankton is so fundamental to biological and geological systems on Earth, and we’ll take some time to lay out some of the many ways that ancient plankton are a crucial part of the fossil record. In the news: climbing reptiles, croc extinctions, Ashfall rhinos, and ankylosaur tracks. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:05:40 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:35:15 Main discussion, Part 2: 01:23:00 Patron question: 02:00:30 Check out our website for this episode’s blog post and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/ [http://commondescentpodcast.com/] Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast [https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast] Listen to Will talk speculative evolution on the Nerd Trek Podcast https://open.spotify.com/episode/2NzdG8TMfwGLzpP8sKXHQA [https://open.spotify.com/episode/2NzdG8TMfwGLzpP8sKXHQA] And listen to David talk de-extinction on the House of Pod https://open.spotify.com/show/3z6EgP0BzaHQoXzCtxQ32t [https://open.spotify.com/show/3z6EgP0BzaHQoXzCtxQ32t] Support links: ACLU: https://www.aclu.org/ [https://www.aclu.org/] Got a topic you want to hear about? Submit your episode request here: https://commondescentpodcast.com/request-a-topic/ Lots more ways to connect with us: https://linktr.ee/common_descent The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org Musical Interludes are "Professor Umlaut" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0]

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 prequel franchise with the story of how it all got started: Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Check out our website for blog posts and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/ [http://commondescentpodcast.com/] Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast [https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast] Lots more ways to connect with us: https://linktr.ee/common_descent The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org.