• Leaf it to Us Season 2 Trailer
    May 1 2026

    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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    2 mins
  • Silver Screen Science - The Valley of Gwangi (1969)
    Apr 30 2026

    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.

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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • Episode 242 - Fire
    Apr 26 2026

    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

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    2 hrs and 30 mins
  • Silver Screen Science - One Million Years B.C. (1966)
    Apr 23 2026

    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.

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    1 hr and 20 mins
  • Silver Screen Science - Dinosaur Shorts (Gertie, Slumber Mountain, Fantasia)
    Apr 16 2026

    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.

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    1 hr and 18 mins
  • Episode 241 - Digestion
    Apr 12 2026

    The world is full of food, but in order to make the most of it, living organisms need to be able to break it down and extract the useful nutrients. This episode, we explore the fundamental process of digestion and the many, many ways that life has adapted this process to various diets. And we’ll take a look at what the fossil record has to tell us about ancient diets and the evolutionary history of digestive systems.

    In the news: predator bites, coelacanth lungs, Cambrian claws, and squid evolution.

    Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:05:55 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:38:10 Main discussion, Part 2: 01:23:30 Patron question: 02:06:50

    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

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    2 hrs and 20 mins
  • Silver Screen Science - The Lost World (1925)
    Apr 9 2026

    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 start things off with the great grand-daddy of dinosaur movies: The Lost World (1925).

    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.

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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • Episode 240 - Terror Birds
    Mar 29 2026

    For most of the Cenozoic Era, South America was home to an incredible group of predatory birds called phorusrhacids, which included some of the largest carnivorous birds of all time. With their giant axe-like beaks and powerful clawed legs, these giants have gained the nickname “terror birds.” This episode, we explore what makes these birds unique, how they varied across their diversity, and what exactly they were doing with all those terrifying tools.

    In the news: a bitten plesiosaur, wildflower adaptation, a new croc, and dinosaur parents.

    Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:06:25 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:51:30 Main discussion, Part 2: 01:29:30 Patron question: 02:30:05

    Some helpful links mentioned in the Announcements: The Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ The National Immigrant Justice Center: https://immigrantjustice.org/ Pal Humanity: https://chuffed.org/project/122818-support-north-gaza-rebuilding-lives-restoring-hope-with-pal-humanity?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio

    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

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    2 hrs and 42 mins