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 conditions of the distant past, and we’ll take a close look at the most recent (and ongoing) global climate event that we commonly call the Ice Age.

In the news: distant space objects, snake embryos, Jurassic chirps, and polar dinosaur nests.

Time Markers:

Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast

Check out our website for this episode’s blog post and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/

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

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 actually works and what makes it different from other stars. Then, we track the lifetime of the Sun, exploring how it originally formed, how it has changed over its lifetime, and how it will eventually burn out.

In the news: carnivorous plants, ancient burrowers, live birth, and reptile metabolism.

Time Markers:

💗

Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast

Check out our website for this episode’s blog post and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/

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

Large, herbivorous mammals come in many shapes and sizes, but few are as famously unusual as camels. This episode, we explore the surprising adaptations of Old World and New World camelids, from the dromedaries of Middle Eastern deserts to the llamas of the Andean highlands. Then, we take a tour through their fossil record to investigate the many forms this family took on the way to our modern diversity.

In the news: stomach stones, aquatic reptiles, tiny dinosaurs, and a Poop Explosion.

Time Markers:

Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast

Check out our website for this episode’s blog post and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/

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

In most animal species, there are differences in the anatomy, behavior, and lifestyle of male and female individuals. In this episode, we explore the incredible variety of these differences and the equally incredible blurry areas between the sexes, we investigate the evolutionary processes behind these features, and we examine the constant and confounding discussion about whether or not we can spot sexual dimorphism in the fossil record.

In the news: The Story of Birds, early snakes, and early archosaurs.

Time Markers:

Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast

Check out our website for this episode’s blog post and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/

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

Felines come in all shapes and sizes, but only a handful of them are large enough and in charge enough to have earned the title of “Big Cats.” This episode, we’re joined by special guest Lindsay Nikole as we take a tour through the surprising diversity of the “official” and “unofficial” big cats, and we explore how their evolutionary past has shaped this impressive assortment of apex predators.

Find more of Lindsay here: https://www.youtube.com/@LindsayNikole

In the news: giant sharks, early movements, Cretaceous fruits, and snake venoms.

Time Markers:

Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast

Check out our website for this episode’s blog post and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/

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

Happy Snake Month! 

In this bonus episode, we're joined by friend of the podcast Ali Ashraf to talk about his research on the distribution and evolution of water snakes!

This month only! Join the Snakes & Crocs Tier on our Patreon to receive a Snake Month sticker and to contribute to charitable donations toward reptile and other wildlife conservation!

This year, our donations are going toward:

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

Happy Snake Month!

Some of the most fascinating, famous, and dangerous snakes on the planet belong to the family Viperidae. Vipers include some of the world’s most specialized ambush hunters, and they are one of the most diverse and successful groups of snakes. This episode, we take a tour through the many visages of vipers, we explore their unique adaptations from head to tail, and we investigate the deep history that led them to their incredible modern success.

In the news: colorful crocs, pregnant mussels, tiny migration, and surprising snakes.

Time markers:

With the help of our Patrons, we’ll be donating this year to:

Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast

Check out our website for this episode’s blog post and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/

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

Happy Croc Month!

Most living crocodilian species look pretty similar overall – that’s why there are so many tips for telling alligators from crocodiles – but one group really stands out with their bulging eyes and remarkably slender snouts. This episode, we explore the various features and habits that make gharials unique among crocs, and which have caused no end of confusion for scientists trying to sort out their evolutionary history. And, of course, we’ll take a trip into the fossil record to visit some of the most extraordinary long-snouted crocs of the distant past.

In the news: hagfish eyes, dinosaur arms, fungal spores, and fishing dinosaurs.

Time markers:

With the help of our Patrons, we’ll be donating this year to:

Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast

Check out our website for this episode’s blog post and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/

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

Happy Croc Month! 

In this bonus episode, we're joined by friend of the podcast Maddie Turala to talk about her research on estimating body size in fossil alligators!

This month only! Join the Crocs & Snakes Tier on our Patreon to receive a Croc Month sticker and to contribute to charitable donations toward reptile and other wildlife conservation!

This year, our donations are going toward:

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

Cycads are cousins of conifers, and although they can be found throughout the modern tropics, they are often considered a visual indicator of prehistory. This episode, Aly joins us to explore what sets cycads apart from other plants, what we know of their deep history, and whether they truly deserve their reputation as dinosaur food.

In the news: toothless crocs, Arctic mammals, turtle relations, and crater life.

Time markers:

Check out our website for this episode’s blog post and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/

Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: 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