Nonfiction Podcasts

The Common Descent Podcast

Genre: Nonfiction, science

Status: Ongoing

Episode length: 90-150 minutes

Series length: Over 100 episodes

Description: Welcome to Common Descent, a podcast (and blog!) about the fascinating diversity of life, past and present!

We are David Moscato and Will Harris, paleontologists and science communicators, and we love talking about fossils, evolution, and life history! Each episode of the podcast focuses on a main topic requested by our listeners, plus some discussion about recent science news. Source

Rating: 10/10

Though the episode length and number may be daunting, The Common Descent Podcast rarely feels dragged out. Each regular episode features the latest research in paleontology and evolution before moving into its main topic, which may be a group of organisms, a feature found in many organisms, a location, or a historical figure. Every topic is covered with an enthusiastic tone and enough context to be accessible to anyone; the hosts both have backgrounds in science communication and emphasize clarity in their presentation as much as possible, including bringing in guests for topics they aren’t able to fully address on their own.

Their non-regular episodes are also a great deal of fun. Their Silver Screen Science series discusses the treatment of science and scientists in movies, such as Jurassic Park and Godzilla, and Spook-E is a series dedicated to speculative evolution of pop culture and mythological creatures. Regardless of the topic, the hosts keep up a friendly rapport that keeps the flow of information from feeling like a lecture. In my opinion, Common Descent is a must-listen for anyone with even a basic interest in prehistoric life or evolution.