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The Common Descent Podcast

Common Descent
Paleontology
Evolution
Dinosaurs
Fungi
Fossils
Paleobotany
Natural Selection
Nintendo
Pokémon
Evolutionary Biology
Fossil Record
Conservation
Science Communication
Insects
Planet Of the Apes
Symbiosis
Chimaeras
Saber Teeth
Ferns
Mutations

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes386Founded10 years ago
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Natural SciencesEarth SciencesScience

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Latest Episodes

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 inspiration from real-world species acr... more

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 discuss how they manage to be wor... more

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 planet and how we investigate icy c... more

YouTube

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 take a close look at how the Sun ac... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Sophia Cord
Marine biologist consulted for a patron question segment
DragonCon connections (marine biology expert)
Episode: Episode 252 - The Ice Age
Steve Bursati
Dinosaur paleontologist and author of The Story of Birds
University of Edinburgh
Episode: Episode 249 - Sexual Dimorphism
Lindsay Nikole
Science communicator, YouTube creator focusing on animals and evolution
YouTube
Episode: Episode 248 - Big Cats
Ali Ashraf
Recent master's graduate; phylogeography researcher focused on the banded water snake
Valdosta State University
Episode: Snake Stuff with Ali Ashraf
Maddie Turala
Graduate student and researcher at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), focused on gray fossil site alligator/crocodilian fossils
East Tennessee State University
Episode: Croc Chat with Maddie Turala
Aly Baumgartner
Paleobotanist
Episode: Episode 245 - Cycads
Riley Black
Author of several books on paleontology, including 'When the Earth Was Green' and 'The Last Days of the Dinosaurs'
Episode: Episode 237 - The Dinosaur Renaissance
Ben Goulet Scott
Runs education programs at Harvard Forest and co-director of Let's Botanize
Harvard Forest and Let's Botanize
Episode: Episode 236 - Chalicotheres
Jacob Suiza
Assistant professor of botany and evolutionary biology at the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Episode: Episode 236 - Chalicotheres

Hosts

David Moscato
Host of The Common Descent Podcast
Will
Co-host of The Common Descent Podcast

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 2.2k ratings
  • Fun and educational

    I’ve been binging this podcast since I discovered it about a year ago. Can’t wait to be caught up!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Manny222864227
    United Statesa month ago
  • Amazing podcast!

    Recently discovered this podcast and have been learning so much! David and Will are excellent at presenting information in an engaging & understandable, but still in depth way. Thank you for this wealth of knowledge!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    NaylaSmith
    Canada2 months ago
  • Annoying

    They mostly just read Wikipedia articles while one guy chuckles and repeatedly says “YUP YUP.”

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    4foryouU
    Canada6 months ago
  • The best podcast I’ve listened to

    WONDERFUL

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Common descent
    United States7 months ago
  • This Podcast Deserves More Than Five Stars

    Super informative and fun. There are and never can be any bad episode topics. Quite scientific and detailed, which is a compliment.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dark Side Rising
    India8 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show mixes rigorous science with entertaining banter, keeping topics accessible
Some listeners feel the format is overly long, but most praise the depth and range of topics
Enthusiastic hosts explain complex ideas clearly and engagingly

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 253 - Kangaroos
Q: How does natural selection balance camouflage and display?
Camouflage and display are balanced through fitness trade-offs: successful mating can favor bright displays, while predation pressure selects for camouflage; over time, species may optimize both based on their ecology, with some displays being temporary or energetically costly, and others being strategic indicators of health or mate quality.
Episode 252 - The Ice Age
Q: Why is there a lack of fossils in New York compared to other places, given the local geology and history?
Even though New York has rich Devonian and Silurian fossil deposits, the last glaciation scoured away many upper layers, and repeated mountain-building events uplifted rocks that later sloughed away, erasing or burying earlier fossil-bearing strata. This combination of glacial scouring, uplift, and erosion means fewer accessible fossil-bearing rocks from certain periods, which is why New York fossils are not as abundant as in other regions.
Episode 251 - The Sun
Q: space related. Luke asks, alien life has been described as likely. What are your thoughts on the different ways that could play out on another planet?
The hosts argue that while there are many plausible scenarios for alien life, we currently have only Earth life as a concrete example, so any predictions should be grounded in familiar, carbon-based biochemistry in habitable-zone contexts, with openness to other possibilities but recognition that evidence is lacking for non-Earth-life forms.
Episode 250 - Camels
Q: How would a Paraserythereum have scratched its back?
They likely rubbed against trees or possibly rolled in mud, drawing on their flexible necks and capable legs to reach difficult areas, though rolling on the ground is less certain given their massive size.
Episode 249 - Sexual Dimorphism
Q: Why is horned theropod dimorphism so rare compared to crest-dominated display structures?
It may be due to predator pressures and biomechanics; horns can disrupt a streamlined predatory head, while crests and displays often evolve under social or mating considerations without compromising hunting efficiency. In theropods, display features exist but are not as consistently advantageous as in herbivores, which helps explain the pattern.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Common Descent Podcast

What is The Common Descent Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show blends layperson-friendly explanations of life's deep history with timely paleontology news and listener-driven topic requests. Episodes oscillate between in-depth discussions on topics like dinosaur evolution, reptiles, ancient plants, and fossil evidence, and lighter segments that spotlight fieldwork anecdotes, news finds, and practical methods in science. A distinctive trait is the duo's enthusiastic, approachable banter, which makes complex topics accessible without sacrificing rigor. A recurring strength is the willingness to cover a wide range of topics—from anatomy and phylogeny to ecology and conservation—while keeping the pace engaging and the dialogue inviting for both newcomers and seasoned listeners. Notable is the str... more

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These podcasts share a similar audience with The Common Descent Podcast:

1. Origin Stories
2. I Know Dino: The Big Dinosaur Podcast
3. Terrible Lizards
4. Leaf it to Us
5. Geology Bites

How many episodes of The Common Descent Podcast are there?

The Common Descent Podcast launched 10 years ago and published 386 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Common Descent Podcast?

Recent guests on The Common Descent Podcast include:

1. Sophia Cord
2. Steve Bursati
3. Lindsay Nikole
4. Ali Ashraf
5. Maddie Turala
6. Aly Baumgartner
7. Riley Black
8. Ben Goulet Scott

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