Episode 244 - Sea Turtles

More from The Common Descent Podcast

1. 

   E374 · 21 Jun 2026 · 2 hr 24 min

   Episode 246 - Gharials

   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:…

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   E373 · 17 Jun 2026 · 57 min

   Croc Chat with Maddie Turala

   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!www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast This year, our donations are going toward:The Crocodile Research Coalitionhttps://crocodileresearchcoalition.org/Save the Snakeshttps://savethesnakes.org/The Natural Resources Defense Councilhttps://www.nrdc.org/…

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   E372 · 7 Jun 2026 · 2 hr 15 min

   Episode 245 - Cycads

   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:Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00News: 00:10:35Main discussion, Part 1: 00:41:00Main discussion, Part 2: 01:25:55Patron question: 02:00:45 Check out our website for this…

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   E370 · 10 May 2026 · 2 hr 23 min

   Episode 243 - Burrowers

   A lot of life on Earth happens underground. This episode, we sample the species that have taken to a life of digging in the dirt – and elsewhere – why they do it and what physical adaptations help them along the way. Then, we’ll take a tour of burrows in the fossil record and explore what clues paleontologists can use to determine which ancient critter constructed a given burrow. In the news: malaria history, false octopus, pterosaur tracks, and giant octopus. Time markers:Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00News: 00:05:55Main discussion, Part 1: 00:45:05Main discussion, Part 2: 01:17:55Patron…

5. 

   E369 · 1 May 2026 · 2 min

   Leaf it to Us Season 2 Trailer

   Leaf it to Us Season 2 is coming! Episode 1 drops on May 7th! You can find Leaf it to Us on any podcast platform! Consider supporting Leaf it to Us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leafittouspod And connect with the community in these places: https://linktr.ee/leafittouspod The Leaf it to Us theme song is “Late Bloomer” by Devours. Find more from Devours at https://devours.bandcamp.com/

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   E368 · 30 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 12 min

   Silver Screen Science - The Valley of Gwangi (1969)

   Silver Screen Science is our series where we explore science on the big screen and beyond. This year, we’re taking a tour through cinematic history with Old School Dinosaurs! This episode, we’re wrapping things up with a tale of cowboys and dinosaurs in The Valley of Gwangi! Check out our website for blog posts and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/ Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: 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…

7. 

   E385 · 10 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 3 minNew

   Spook-E - Greys

   Welcome ... to Spookulative Evolution. It’s Spook-E Season! 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 across our planet’s history. This year’s theme is Aliens! This episode, we explore the mysterious beings (supposedly) in our own backyard! What evolutionary path can we devise for round-headed, eerie beings lurking just beyond our understanding? Our creatures to create this time: Greys. Join the Common Descent Discord server for more Spook-E discussion!…

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   E383 · 3 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 42 min

   Spook-E - Xenomorphs

   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 across our planet’s history. This year’s theme is Aliens! Where better to begin than with the quintessential big screen terrors from beyond the stars? How might Earth-based evolution produce a human-hunting monster that’s equal parts predator and parasitoid? Our creatures to create this time: Xenomorphs. Join the Common Descent Discord server for…

9. 

   E382 · 27 Sep 2026 · 2 hr 43 min

   Episode 253 - Kangaroos

   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 world’s pre-eminent hoppers, and we delve into some of their unexpected fossil relatives. In the news: warm tyrannosaurs, sea star ancestors, traveling dinosaurs, and new cats. Time Markers:Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00News: 00:06:35Main discussion, Part 1: 00:50:30Main discussion, Part 2: 01:36:40Patron question: 02:32:45 Join us on Patreon to…

10. 

    E381 · 13 Sep 2026 · 2 hr 11 min

    Episode 252 - The Ice Age

    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:Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00News: 00:05:35Main discussion, Part 1: 00:40:35Main…

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