The Common Descent Podcast

What did dinosaurs sound like? How did extinct animals make and use sound? Like most behaviors, noises don’t fossilize, but there is some tantalizing evidence that paleontologists have pulled together about fossil bioacoustics. In this episode, we discuss how pop-culture may have misled us, and how scientists have gathered actual clues from living animals and the fossil record – and have even made scientifically-inspired ancient audios! – to reconstruct the sounds of the past. In the news: hatchling insects, bird brains, old flowers, and dinosaur noses.   Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:04:00 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:28:30 Main discussion, Part 2: 01:15:00 There are some noises in this episode! The living and reconstructed-fossil sounds we played came from these sources: Great Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) Roger Charters/Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (ML202485) https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/202485 American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) George B. Reynard/Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (ML163792) https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/163792 Parasaurolophus sound bite by Sandia National Laboratories and the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science with Paleontologist Tom Williamson and computer scientist Carl Diegert https://www.sandia.gov/media/dinosaur.htm Katydid Stridulation from Jun-Jie Gu et al 2012. Wing stridulation in a Jurassic katydid (Insecta, Orthoptera) produced low-pitched musical calls to attract females, PNAS (Open access)  https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2012/02/02/1118372109 All the other animal noises were just made by us! Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures: http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/ Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/ PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org. Muscial Interludes are "Professor Umlaut" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Happy New Year!   Big thanks to everyone who's supported us throughout the year, and big thanks to everyone who submitted questions to our Q&A! Here's roughly two hours of Will and David answering YOUR questions - the silly and the science-y.   See you in 2019!   Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/ PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org. Muscial Interludes are "Professor Umlaut" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Many times in the history of life on Earth, reptiles have returned to the oceans. There were three famous groups of marine reptiles during the Mesozoic, and in this episode, we’re discussing the last to evolve, the shortest-lived, and the greatest (in David’s opinion, anyway) of them. We’ll tell the tale of how one group of lizards evolved to dominate waters around the world during the reign of the mosasaurs. In the news: hunting sabertooths, very strange feathers, megalodon temperature, and feathered(?) pterosaurs. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:05:00 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:39:30 Main discussion, Part 2: 01:12:30 Patron question: 01:49:30 Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures: http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/ Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/ PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org. Muscial Interludes are "Professor Umlaut" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

This episode, we take a tour of the land that takes home the prizes for oldest geologic materials, most marsupials, and (arguably) biggest island! Our trip through the history of this island-continent starts nearly at the very origin of our planet, and follows a fascinating history of shifting super-continents and shuffling ecosystems. Join us on a journey Down Under, to Australia. In the news: Gray Site peccaries, a blubbery ichthyosaur, fossil fungus, and an Australian dinosaur. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:04:30 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:29:00 Main discussion, Part 2: 01:01:00 Patron question: 01:38:00 Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures: http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/ Don't forget to submit your question for our End of the Year Q&A: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZjgAw5vghNPOYJ7e1rKJnqMA-QUn2WgYjM5F4Oj336O49gQ/viewform?usp=sf_link  Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/ PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org. Muscial Interludes are "Professor Umlaut" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

It’s no secret we love paleontology; it’s a fascinating field of study. But sometimes our favorite subject is polluted and perverted by fraud. In this episode, we’re talking about fake fossils: why they happen, how they happen, and what effect they have on the paleontological community as a whole. And then it’s story time, where we review some of history’s most famous fossil fakes. In the news: an early long-neck, tiny footprints, a huge dicynodont surprise, and the marsupial lion. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:03:00 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:31:00 Main discussion, Part 2: 01:08:30 Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures: http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/ Don't forget to submit your question for our End of the Year Q&A: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZjgAw5vghNPOYJ7e1rKJnqMA-QUn2WgYjM5F4Oj336O49gQ/viewform?usp=sf_link  Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/ PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org. Muscial Interludes are "Professor Umlaut" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

This episode, it’s back into the ocean, this time to discuss one of the most successful groups of predators on the planet. Sharks are famously “ancient,” but their evolutionary story is complex and fascinating, stretching back more than 400 million years, from their assorted bizarre ancestors to the incredible diversity we see today. In the news: nocturnal elephant birds, hadrosaur sounds, prehistoric protein preservation, and colorful dino eggs. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:03:30 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:31:00 Main discussion, Part 2: 00:58:30 Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures: http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/ Don't forget to submit your question for our End of the Year Q&A: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZjgAw5vghNPOYJ7e1rKJnqMA-QUn2WgYjM5F4Oj336O49gQ/viewform?usp=sf_link  Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/ PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org. Muscial Interludes are "Professor Umlaut" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Synapsids are a vast group of animals that includes only one living lineage: us mammals. But for about 100 million years before true mammals evolved, ancient synapsids were not only incredibly diverse, but dominant in ecosystems around the world. In this episode, we’ll explore some of this incredible variety of “proto-mammals” and track the long evolutionary transition that produced all the familiar traits that make us mammalian. In the news: a new living croc, a carnivorous herbivorous dinosaur, strange old footprints, and fish origins. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:04:30 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:34:00 Main discussion, Part 2: 01:02:30 Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures: http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/ Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/ PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org. Muscial Interludes are "Professor Umlaut" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution. It's October, so we're exploring some more speculative evolution with a spooky twist! Each week this month, we'll be choosing a creepy creature and discussing how it - or something like it - might evolve biologically, pulling inspiration from the critters of the real world. In this particularly disturbing episode, we consider mindless decomposing humans and parasitic host manipulation. How can we naturally arrive at a contagion that converts people into flesh-eating hoards? Our creature to create: Zombies. Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/ PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org.

Human culture is full of stories of marvelous creatures hiding in the wilds on the fringe of our understanding. Some are the stuff of local lore while others are world-famous, and some are even thought to be relicts of the distant past. The search for these “hidden animals” can be dramatic, sometimes controversial, and often less-than-scientific. It is the fascinating field of Cryptozoology. In the news: a tiny dino skull, a fish-bitten pterosaur, evolution in darkness, and a history of kangaroos. Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:04:00 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:29:00 Main discussion, Part 2: 01:08:30 Patron question: 01:37:00 Check out our blog for bonus info and pictures: http://commondescentpodcast.wordpress.com/ Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/ PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org. Muscial Interludes are "Professor Umlaut" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution. It's October, so we're exploring some more speculative evolution with a spooky twist! Each week this month, we'll be choosing a creepy creature and discussing how it - or something like it - might evolve biologically, pulling inspiration from the critters of the real world. This episode, we think deeply about the Creature From the Black Lagoon and other myths of amphibious humanoids. How do you evolve something with the legs and arms of a human, but the fins and gills of a fish? Our creatures to create: fish-people. Follow and Support us on: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/CommonDescentPC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commondescentpodcast/ PodBean: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast/id1207586509?mt=2 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCePRXHEnZmTGum2r1l2mduw The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org.