Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution.

October is here, and that means it’s time for Spook-E! Each episode throughout this month, we’re choosing a famous monster and discussing how it – or something like it – might evolve under the rules of evolution and natural selection, pulling inspiration from organisms of the real world. This year’s theme: monster plants.

This episode, we evaluate a famous and deadly monster favored by healers and witches. How can we use nature’s toolkit to evolve a baby-shaped root with a fatal scream? Our creatures to create this time: mandrakes.

Featuring special guest, Dr. Aly Baumgartner, our favorite paleobotanist!

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The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome.