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: 00:00:00 News: 00:10:35 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:41:00 Main discussion, Part 2: 01:25:55 Patron question: 02:00:45

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

Most modern turtles are pretty good in the water, but only some are truly ocean-dwellers. This episode, we explore the unique and diverse lifestyles and anatomy of modern sea turtles, then we take a tour of turtles through time, visiting the surprising number of ancient lineages that have taken to the seas and the surprising forms some of them have taken.

In the news: twisted jaws, early centipedes, Ediacaran microbes, and Neanderthal teeth

Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:04:45 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:43:50 Main discussion, Part 2: 01:30:10 Patron question: 02:14:60

Happy World Turtle Day! https://worldturtleday.org/

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

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: 00:00:00 News: 00:05:55 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:45:05 Main discussion, Part 2: 01:17:55 Patron question: 02:12:45

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

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/

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 Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org.

Earth is a very flammable world. The combination of heat, oxygen, and burnable plants makes fire a constant feature of our planet. Many modern ecosystems thrive in the presence of fire, and lots of plant and animal species have adapted to avoid or take advantage of the flames. This episode, we explore the diverse topic of fire ecology, and we take a tour through the deep history of fire on Earth.

In the news: Triassic crocs, anglerfish lures, behavior and evolution, and synapsid babies.

Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:06:30 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:48:25 Main discussion, Part 2: 01:35:05 Patron question: 02:17:55

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

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 visit a classic of mid-century caveman-versus-dinosaur cinema, with One Million Years B.C.

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 Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org.

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 compile and compare a handful of dino-themed short films from the early days of dinosaur movies: Gertie the Dinosaur, The Ghost of Slumber Mountain, and the Rite of Spring segment from Disney’s Fantasia.

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 Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org.