Evolution Talk (Rick Coste)
Explore every episode of Evolution Talk
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 2020 | Dating Fossils Again | 00:12:54 | |
It's time to look at fossil dating again! The last episode mentioned two dating methods used to estimate how old the Homo Naledi bones found the Rising Star cave system might be. To do so, researchers used a Uranium-thorium method as well as electron spin resonance, or “ESR”. Let's take a brief look at what each of these entail. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 30 Mar 2021 | Artificial Selection | 00:12:11 | |
We don’t know why dogs became man’s best friend, but we have some ideas. And those ideas take us back anywhere from 10,000 to 40,000 years ago.They are perhaps the perfect visual example when it comes to witnessing the power of the gene pool and how a selection process, whether natural or artificial, can affect it. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 27 Nov 2023 | Suboptimal Design | 00:13:54 | |
Vestigial features and atavistic traits are all evidence of our past. They are glimpses into a species distant past. We have nature and evolution by natural selection to thank for it. But nature’s not perfect. It makes mistakes. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 23 May 2023 | Get 25% off the Evolution Talk Book until June 8! | 00:00:27 | |
You can get 25% off the Evolution Talk book at Amazon! The discount is good until June 8th. If you buy one let me know what you think! Have a great week! Rick Link to Evolution Talk book: https://amzn.to/3MJTJ9h | |||
| 04 Sep 2023 | Why Teach Evolution? | 00:11:48 | |
With the start of a new season of episodes, I thought it appropriate to revisit why I created this podcast in the first place with the question - "Why Teach Evolution?" Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 26 Aug 2024 | Animal Communication | 00:11:30 | |
Let's enter the fascinating world of animal communication used by different species. We'll also touch on the evolutionary aspects of these communication systems Please consider becoming a show Patron to help keep new episodes coming! Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 03 Oct 2022 | Bringing Back the Mammoth | 00:12:16 | |
Colossal Biosciences hopes to reintroduce the wooly mammoth to the world, thousands of years after the last one walked the earth. If successful they will have paved the way for a "de-extinction pipeline" for other lost species.
For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste
| |||
| 08 May 2023 | The Grand Tapestry of Macroevolution | 00:10:13 | |
In this episode, the focus is on macroevolution, which deals with larger scale evolutionary changes compared to microevolution. Macroevolutionary changes can give rise to new species, and its results can be seen in the fossil record. By piecing together fossils, researchers can observe macroevolutionary patterns, predict transitional organisms, and even locate potential fossil sites. Whales provide a compelling look at macroevolution, as their evolution from land-dwelling mammals to aquatic giants is documented in the fossil record. The journey of whales, from the wolf-sized Pakicetus to the fully aquatic Basilosaurus, showcases the power of macroevolution. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. | |||
| 10 Nov 2020 | Is Evolution Random? | 00:12:38 | |
There is more than random mutations when it comes to evolution by natural selection. You also have to look at other variables outside of a genetic mutation. Variables such as the environment the organism lives in, the challenges it has to face, and its ability to find food.
For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 15 Jan 2020 | Survival of the Fittest Part 2 | 00:12:55 | |
Consider this a 'lost episode' of Evolution Talk. In it I talk with Stephanie Keep of BiteScis.org about the origins and misconceptions around the term 'survival of the fittest'. | |||
| 05 Jun 2023 | Gene Flow: The Recipe of Life | 00:08:28 | |
When a vibrant caravan of travelers arrives with new foods, traditions, and stories, a sleepy hamlet's culinary landscape is forever altered. We explore how this 'mixing of recipes' changes the DNA menu of a population, much like the newfound dishes in Heritage Hamlet. Here's to a feast for both your mind and your curiosity. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 09 Mar 2021 | Meet LUCA | 00:11:56 | |
In this episode I want to introduce you to someone. Actually, this someone is a thing, and this thing wiggled its way through life between two to four billion years ago. Listener, meet LUCA. Your Last Universal Common Ancestor. LUCA, meet your descendant.
For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 15 Jul 2024 | What Can Educators Do? Only A Theory Pt. 2 | 00:22:01 | |
Special guest Blake Touchet from the National Center for Science Education joins the show to discuss what teachers and educators can do both in and out of the classroom. Support the NCSE Please consider becoming a show Patron to help keep new episodes coming! Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. You can also check out the new YouTube channel!
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 11 Mar 2024 | Exploring the Depths of Evolutionary Psychiatry Part 2 | 00:10:04 | |
In this episode, we continue our exploration into the realm of evolutionary psychiatry, a field that seeks to understand the ancient roots of our modern mental health challenges. Are mental disorders "glitches" in our evolutionary programming, where ancient survival strategies may not align with contemporary societal demands? Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. Music in this Episode
| |||
| 21 Nov 2022 | Speciation Pt. 1 | 00:14:20 | |
It's been awhile since we took a look at speciation and its causes. In the first of two parts we'll jump right in with Allopatric speciation.
Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com | |||
| 06 Sep 2021 | A Bit of Astrobiology | 00:12:56 | |
How do we find life in a galaxy, or galaxies, far far away while sitting here on Earth? It’s not just by looking through telescopes or sending probes. Those will tell us a few things, but not everything. We need a multi-disciplinary approach. One that combines astronomy, biology, oceanography and chemistry - and that’s just to name a few. Enter Astrobiology.
For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 15 Oct 2022 | Evolution Talk - The Book | 00:01:03 | |
Evolution Talk - the book is now available at your local bookstore! If you love the show, and have listened to the last 100 episodes this book is for you. If you’re a student, or want to learn more about evolution by natural selection it’s the perfect introduction. If you’re a teacher, your class will love it. Just like the show, it’s meant to be accessible and easy to grasp. You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. | |||
| 03 Jun 2024 | Bergson's Vitalism | 00:10:32 | |
In this episode, we delve into Charles Darwin's theory of Evolution by Natural Selection and explore the alternative philosophical perspective of Henri Bergson. While Darwin's mechanistic view emphasizes random mutations and natural selection, Bergson introduces the concept of élan vital—a creative force driving life's complexity and direction. Please consider becoming a show Patron to help keep new episodes coming! Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. You can also check out the new YouTube channel!
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 11 Dec 2023 | The Case of the Missing Chromosomes | 00:11:06 | |
Our story starts with cells. Not our cells but the cells of our closest relatives. The great apes. Within the nucleus of their cells the great apes have 24 chromosome pairs. We have 23 pairs. If we share a common ancestor, what happened to the missing chromosomes? Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 13 Feb 2023 | Hominins: Ardipithecus kadabba | 00:10:22 | |
In the last couple of episodes we’ve met two early travellers along the Hominin River. Today, we will meet yet another one. This one lived approximately 5.5 million years ago. It is know as Ardipithecus kadabba, and this is its story.
Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com | |||
| 24 Oct 2022 | Eureka Moments | 00:10:54 | |
Great idea don't spring out of a vacuum, but they do sometimes seem to. In this episode we take a look at a few.
For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 07 Nov 2022 | Orthogenesis | 00:11:16 | |
In 1893, the German zoologist Wilhelm Haacke published Design and Inheritance. In it, Haacke introduced the concept of orthogenesis. According to Haacke, changes in organisms are directed toward perfection. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 25 Mar 2024 | AI - The Next Step | 00:12:13 | |
In this episode, we dive deep into the astounding journey of technological evolution, from the Wright brothers' inaugural flight to humanity's giant leap on the moon, and onto the revolutionary frontiers of AI with ChatGPT. Let's contemplate AI's potential to become a new form of life, pondering its future impacts and the ethical dilemmas it presents. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. Figure & Open AI Collaboration: Video on YouTube Music in this Episode
| |||
| 15 May 2023 | It's All One Song | 00:09:22 | |
Using the metaphor of a simple beat evolving into a complex symphony, we explore how small-scale genetic changes within populations give rise to new species. From microevolution to macroevolution. Here, the role of natural selection is handed over to the discerning ears of different audiences to select the music that survives and evolves. From a simple beat to a grand symphony, we trace the evolution of life. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 18 Sep 2023 | Playing Dead | 00:09:37 | |
If you've ever heard the phrase "play possum", you may know it means to feign death. It's real thing. Possums do it, as do sharks, ants, and a multitude of other animals. It's a defense mechanisms shaped by evolution. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 12 Sep 2022 | Hitting Replay | 00:13:03 | |
Stephen Jay Gould once asked what would happen if the evolution of life on Earth were to take the same path if we had the ability to start it all over again? In this episode we'll ask the question again ...
For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 14 Nov 2022 | One Cell's Junk | 00:12:25 | |
For decades, ever since we first began to study and understand our cell’s biology and the coding sequences of DNA, we saw bits and pieces that didn’t seem to make sense. Strings of DNA that didn’t appear to do anything at all. It appears, they do quite a lot. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 24 Nov 2020 | Evolution Does Not Produce Perfection | 00:11:23 | |
Natural selection isn't perfect. It only cares that something works. If it works and is not harmful to its host, then that something is passed on.
For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 27 Feb 2023 | Hominins: Lucy and the Australopithecus | 00:15:21 | |
We’ve come quite a long way along the Hominin River. We’ve passed tributaries and navigated some pretty large bends. On the way we’ve heard rumors about what was ahead. A name actually. You’ll recognize her name because she's been mentioned on this show more than once. She’s perhaps the most famous ancestor(?) of all. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com
Music in this Episode:
| |||
| 21 Jan 2020 | Denisovans | 00:08:41 | |
Caves hide many things. Be it shards of glass, arrowheads... or bones. It's to whom these bones might have belonged to which often leads us on a path to great discoveries... and forgotten 'cousins'. | |||
| 23 Jan 2023 | Hominins or Hominids | 00:05:34 | |
When talking about our ancient anscestors the question often comes up over how we refer to them. Are they hominins or hominids? It's a good question and it depends on how it is being used and what "hominid" branch is being discussed. Over the next few episodes we'll be looking at some of those ancestors, so it's a good idea to address this terminology and what will be used going forward to avoid confusion. It might also answer some questions!
Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com | |||
| 29 May 2023 | The Bone Wars | 00:14:02 | |
Discover "Fossils, Feuds, and Fantastical Creatures: The Cope and Marsh Saga." Journey back to 1863 Berlin, where Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh kickstart a rivalry for the ages. Originally friends, their bond fractures at a New Jersey fossil quarry, escalating into a public spat that seizes the paleontological world. Tune in for this thrilling ride into history, dinosaurs, and the power of human rivalry. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 22 May 2023 | Our Reptilian Brain? | 00:10:07 | |
From the quiet roads of New Hampshire, where snapping turtles are more common than lizards, to the depths of our evolutionary past, we'll grapple with the idea that we may still carry a piece of our reptilian ancestors within us. But don't be too quick to believe popular pop-psychology. We'll explore what the Triune Brain model tells us about our so-called "reptilian brain" and how it shapes our instinctual responses. We'll question if there's a lurking Allosaurus within our minds or if it's just an oversimplification of a complex organ. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 03 Apr 2023 | What They Ate | 00:13:08 | |
Our diet has a direct impact on our quality of life, and this fact is not new. Throughout the evolution of our species, food availability and our diet have been influential factors. The Hominin River has provided insights into the dietary habits of our predecessors and how it affected their brain size and ability to walk on two legs. The transition from herbivores to omnivores, as well as learning how to cook food, caused a reduction in teeth size and gut size. Despite not documenting their meals or counting calories, our ancient hominin ancestors were keen on experimenting with what they ate. Their primary concern was avoiding predators, so we rely on archaeological findings to understand their diet. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. | |||
| 20 Sep 2021 | A Selection Strategy | 00:09:54 | |
If you were somehow in control of repopulating and regenerating an area that had essentially been wiped clean of life, how would you do it? With limited resources at your disposal would you decide to throw all your effort into producing as many offspring as possible, as quickly as possible? Or would you take a different tactic and produce a one or two offspring, protecting and nourishing them until they can take care of themselves? Both strategies might work. And that’s what nature had to do. It had two strategies to chose from. They are known as the r and K selection estrategies.
For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com | |||
| 09 May 2022 | Love is Like... Hydrogen? | 00:08:34 | |
It has long been believed that an early oxygenation even gave rise to the eukaryotes. Perhaps oxygen had nothing to do with it. A castle deep beneath the ocean waves might hold the answer. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com | |||
| 26 Jun 2023 | Summer Break | 00:00:55 | |
It's time for a summer break. There will be some exciting new video content coming up as well. You can keep up to date on all that is happening at Evolutiontalk.com ! Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. | |||
| 26 Sep 2022 | A Gut Feeling | 00:11:48 | |
Evolution by Natural Selection has assisted many amazing symbiotic relationships. Here's one you may not be familiar with, and which you're a participant in. It involves your gut microbiome.
For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 28 Nov 2022 | Speciation Pt. 2 | 00:08:30 | |
In this continuation of the look at speciation we began in the last episode, we will tackle some more "not so obvious" causes.
Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com | |||
| 26 Dec 2022 | The Eclipse: A Watchmaker | 00:09:56 | |
In Part 4 of a 4 Part Series on "The Eclipse of Darwinism", we take a look at William Paley's watch analogy and how it evolved into another explanation for the abundance and intricacies of life around us. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com | |||
| 02 Jan 2023 | A Spandrel in the Works | 00:10:50 | |
In 1979 Stephen Jay Gould and genetecist Richard C. Lewontin presented the paper “The Spandrels of San Marco and the Panglossian Paradigm: A Critique of the Adaptationist Programme”. What do spandrels have to do with evolution and biology? Sometimes, things are there simply because they are.
Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com | |||
| 26 Feb 2024 | The Foundations of Evolutionary Psychiatry Part 1 | 00:11:20 | |
Let's dive deep into the fascinating world of Evolutionary Psychiatry, building on our previous exploration of Evolutionary Psychology (from 100 episodes ago!). In that episode we compared the brain to an information processing device shaped by eons of evolution? Today, we venture further from the shore, exploring how our mental software, which evolved for ancient challenges, copes in our modern world. We'll unravel the mysteries of mental disorders through the evolutionary lens, questioning why traits beneficial in our past might be problematic today.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 29 Aug 2022 | Jaws! | 00:08:46 | |
Just what does the act of chewing have to do with brain size and evolution? Perhaps nothing or everything. A team of researchers is helping us to understand exactly how much energy is involved when we use our jaws.
For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 16 Jan 2023 | Walk This Way | 00:10:55 | |
When did our ancestors descend from the trees and walk on two legs instead of four? How exactly did bipedalism develop? We have some ideas but that's all they are - ideas. We may never know, but we can certainly have some fun hypothesizing!
Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com | |||
| 05 Jan 2021 | The Cosmic Calendar | 00:11:55 | |
Many years ago, in 1977, astronomer and author Carl Sagan offered us the concept of a “Cosmic Calendar” in his book The Dragons of Eden. It’s a fun thought experiment in which you take the entire history of the universe, from the Big Bang until now, and represent it as calendar year. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 31 Oct 2022 | Gone Forever | 00:08:32 | |
Consider this episode a memorial to the millions of extinct animals that once walked the earth long before we inherited it. Like fragments of novels and poems that have been found over the years, hinting at what might have been, we have fossils and shards of bones to tell us what once was. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 09 Jan 2023 | Return of the Naledi | 00:12:12 | |
Our study of the Homo Naledi continues to surprise us. In December 2022, Professor Lee Berger announced yet another insight into the mystery surrounding the presence of the Naledi in the Rising Star Cave System.
Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com | |||
| 06 May 2024 | The Evolution of Consciousness - Part 3 | 00:14:03 | |
Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. You can also check out the new YouTube channel!
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 05 Sep 2022 | The Joy of Mutation | 00:09:50 | |
Imagine a world without mutants. I don’t mean those super-powered heroes that populate the comics and movies from Marvel. I’m talking about you, me, and everyone else we know. We are all mutants trying to survive.
For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 09 Sep 2024 | Deception | 00:11:52 | |
Challenging Mark Twain's assertion that "man is the only one that lies.", we discover that deception is a widespread evolutionary strategy employed by various species for survival and reproduction. Please consider becoming a show Patron to help keep new episodes coming! Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 13 Nov 2023 | About Those Fingerprints | 00:13:35 | |
When it comes to personal IDs, we have many. There’s your driver’s license, passport, online username, among other human-made forms of proving who you are. Then there are those that nature gave you that’s yours and yours alone. Like your DNA. And then there are your fingerprints. Other than leaving incriminating evidence behind if you’ve committed a crime and weren't careful enough to wipe them away or wear gloves, what are fingerprints good for? Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 27 Mar 2023 | Hominins: The End of the Hominin River | 00:13:14 | |
Our journey down the Hominin River in search of our ancestors and the evolution of our species has been extensive. Homo sapiens began exploring the world 300,000 years ago, and anatomically modern humans appeared 200,000 years ago. We, also known as Homosapiens sapiens, are the last surviving species of the Hominin family. However, as we speed along the river, we may overlook a significant change - the river is now narrower, with its tributaries gone. This river, which has been around for over 6 million years, may be nearing its end sooner than we anticipate. With millions of years behind us, we might only have a few centuries left to navigate. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 03 Nov 2020 | Series 2 Update | 00:01:57 | |
Please join me for a brief update on the show, it's future, and what you can do to help. | |||
| 28 Jan 2020 | The Human Eye | 00:09:12 | |
Evolution by natural selection can build complex features through small, incremental changes. But can it build an eye? | |||
| 13 Mar 2023 | Hominins: Homo habilis | 00:13:54 | |
In 1959, a significant event took place when teeth were discovered at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania. These teeth were identified as belonging to a hominin species known as Homo habilis, which for decades held a special place as the first hominin to be given the title of Homo and considered as our earliest Homo ancestor. However, as more evidence and research emerge, the question arises: is Homo habilis truly the first Homo species, or is there more to the story? Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 05 Dec 2022 | The Eclipse of Darwinism | 00:10:22 | |
After Charles Darwin's death, the period from the 1880s to the 1920s is known as "The Eclipse of Darwinism". Coined by Julian Huxley, it was a time where alternative theories to explain evolution sought to push Natural Selection aside.
Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com | |||
| 12 Aug 2024 | Island Laboratories | 00:12:32 | |
The wonderful thing about islands is they continue to provide insights into the processes that shape life on Earth, reminding us of the incredible adaptability of life and the importance of preserving these unique ecosystems. They demonstrate how isolation, limited resources, and unique environmental pressures can drive the evolution of extraordinary adaptations. Please consider becoming a show Patron to help keep new episodes coming! Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 30 Oct 2023 | What's Old is New Again | 00:10:53 | |
Attics aren’t the only places you’ll find old secrets from the past, begging to be rediscovered or let out. You have them in you as well. I’m not talking about the the type of secrets you keep to yourself and only tell close friends. I’m talking about those like the ones you’ll find in old attics. Secrets you don't even know are there. These secrets are locked in your DNA. Every once in a while, those secrets come back to haunt us. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 01 Jul 2024 | Only A Theory Revisited - Part 1 | 00:21:45 | |
Blake Touchet from the National Center for Science Education joins me to discuss the age-old phrase that evolution is "Only a Theory". Please consider becoming a show Patron to help keep new episodes coming! Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. You can also check out the new YouTube channel!
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 06 Feb 2023 | Hominins: Orrorin tugenensis | 00:10:01 | |
We continue with our exploration into hominin history by introducing one who once walked the earth six million years ago - the Orrorin tugenensis. It was bipedal, a mix of ape-like and human-like traits, and may be a direct ancestor... of us!
Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com | |||
| 17 Jun 2024 | The Evolution of Venom | 00:12:10 | |
From ancient Conodonts to modern-day rattlesnakes, venom has independently evolved in a diverse array of creatures including snakes, spiders, scorpions, and even mammals like the platypus. Discover how venom serves as both a weapon for predation and a defense mechanism, and learn the crucial differences between venomous and poisonous animals. Please consider becoming a show Patron to help keep new episodes coming! Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. You can also check out the new YouTube channel!
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 08 Jan 2024 | From A Warm Pond... | 00:11:10 | |
Sagan once pondered, "How did the molecules of life arise?" This question, echoing through the annals of scientific history, brings us to today's episode. We've long understood the mechanics of evolution, but the origin of life itself remains a captivating mystery. From Darwin's elegant theory of natural selection to the curious idea of Spontaneous Generation, we'll dive deep into the evolution of thought on life's beginnings. We'll also unravel the groundbreaking Miller-Urey experiment, which mimicked Earth's early conditions to create organic molecules.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 12 Dec 2022 | The Eclipse: Neo-Lamarkism | 00:11:11 | |
In Part 2 of a 4 Part Series on "The Eclipse of Darwinism", we take a look at "Neo-Lamarkism" as proposed by Jean-Baptiste Lamark. Proponents hoped it would push Darwinian evolution aside as the principal force behind the evolution of species. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com
| |||
| 10 Oct 2022 | The Eggplant of Life | 00:12:38 | |
What came first, the chicken or the egg? It's an age old question. How about another one? What stored genetic information first? DNA or RNA?
For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 17 Apr 2023 | The Galapagos & Adaptive Radiation | 00:10:05 | |
On September 15, 1835, the Galapagos Islands welcomed the arrival of a ship that had traversed South America, offering a strikingly different landscape. The vessel, HMS Beagle, still had just over a year before it would return to England. Aboard the ship was a young naturalist named Charles Darwin, who was unaware that his brief five-week exploration of the Galapagos Archipelago would ultimately inspire him to pen a world-altering book. This work would revolutionize our comprehension of the origins and diversity of the countless species that have existed and continue to exist on Earth. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. | |||
| 06 Mar 2023 | Hominins: Paranthropus | 00:10:40 | |
Thomas Plummer, an archaeologist, had received information about the discovery of stone tools on the Homa Peninsula hillsides in Kenya. In an attempt to gain more knowledge, he initiated an excavation. However, instead of discovering more stone tools, he and his team came across numerous fossils of various animals such as crocodiles, antelopes, horses, and hippos. The fossils were accompanied by stone tools. But who made them? Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Music:
| |||
| 02 Feb 2021 | Cro-Magnon | 00:13:42 | |
As a kid I was fascinated by the idea of cavemen. Of course, all I had to go on were a few poorly produced movies that depicted cavemen battling dinosaurs, which of course never happened. I even owned an early plastic model of a Cro-Magnon man and woman. To me the Cro-Magnon were indistinguishable from the Neanderthals. As far as I knew they both lived in caves, wore skins of the animals they slaughtered and fought with spears. Spoiler alert - we really don’t refer to them as Cro-Magnon anymore. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 12 Jun 2023 | Nature's Halloween Party | 00:10:38 | |
Dive into the mysterious world of Batesian mimicry, where harmless creatures masquerade as dangerous ones to survive. Journey with us from Britain’s south coast, where hoverflies fool predators with wasp-like outfits, to the deceptive bands of the scarlet kingsnake in southeastern US. Marvel at the daytime antics of clearwing moths, mistaken for bees, and question the taste of the Viceroy butterfly, a monarch look-alike. As the lines between disguise and reality blur, we explore the intriguing dance of adaptation and survival in the animal kingdom. It’s nature’s never-ending Halloween party. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 23 Aug 2021 | Carrion My Wayward Plant | 00:08:43 | |
A friend of mine recently posed a question on his podcast about carrion plants. If you don't know what one is, the carrion plant emits an odor that is very similar to rotting flesh.This odor attracts flies which serve to pollinate the flower. The question posed on my friend’s show was how? How does the plant know to do this? For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 08 Apr 2024 | The Evolution of Consciousness - Part 1 | 00:10:59 | |
Please consider becoming a show Patron to help keep new episodes coming! Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 20 Mar 2023 | Hominins: Homo erectus and the Mystery of the 5 Skulls | 00:14:00 | |
The discovery of a Homo erectus skull in 2005, known as Skull 5, marked a significant archaeological find. Among the five skulls found, estimated to be approximately 1.8 million years old, Skull 5 stands out as the most complete hominin skull ever uncovered. Remarkably, it had remained hidden within a cave for nearly two million years before its discovery. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 19 Dec 2022 | The Eclipse: Mutationism | 00:11:48 | |
In Part 3 of a 4 Part Series on "The Eclipse of Darwinism", we take a look at "Mutationism". Can a new species evolve in a single step or is it a series of gradual, accumulated changes as Darwinian evolution suggests?
Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com | |||
| 20 May 2024 | The Law of Superposition | 00:10:11 | |
Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. You can also check out the new YouTube channel!
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 08 Dec 2020 | Homo Naledi 2020 | 00:13:27 | |
Quite a few episodes back, I produced a show that looked at a new hominin species discovered in 2013. This history-changing discovery happened when paleoanthropologist Lee Berger, assisted by cavers Rick Hunter and Steve Tucker, explored the Rising Star Cave in the Cradle of Humankind, South Africa. I thought it’s about time we revisited that earlier hominin species. Think of it as an update on what science has to say about them now. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 23 Sep 2024 | Mutation Celebration Day | 00:09:29 | |
Charles Darwin's revolutionary observations of Galapagos tortoises and finches, explored how natural selection allows species to adapt over time. From the discovery of the hawk moth in Madagascar, predicted by Darwin, to the groundbreaking discovery of DNA by Rosalind Franklin, Francis Crick, and James Watson, we look at how genetic changes drive evolution. Please consider becoming a show Patron to help keep new episodes coming! Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 16 Oct 2023 | The Ants Have It | 00:10:31 | |
Ants have mastered the art of cooperation. They have highly organized social structures, caste systems, and with everything they do, they do for the colony. They are in a sense, a superorganism with each ant contributing to benefit of colony, like cells in a functioning body. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 19 Jun 2023 | Did the Homo Naledi Bury Their Dead? | 00:12:25 | |
The Homo Naledi have been intriguing scientists since their discovery in 2013, challenging our understanding of early human life. In this episode, we explore the burning question: how did they end up in the incredibly difficult-to-reach Dinaledi chamber? From the possibility of using fire to lighting their way to the evidence of intentional burial, we are slowly uncovering the secrets Homo Naledi left behind. We delve into their potential cognitive abilities, including abstract thinking and symbolic thought, and what their burial rituals could mean about their understanding of mortality. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 22 Apr 2024 | The Evolution of Consciousness - Part 2 | 00:13:26 | |
Do our thoughts serve a purpose, or are they just a byproduct of something deeper? Consciousness studies bridge the realms of philosophy and science. Are we truly aware, or is it all just an illusion? Please consider becoming a show Patron to help keep new episodes coming! Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 02 Oct 2023 | Reading, Writing, & Evolution | 00:15:31 | |
Evolution by natural selection is not perfect, nor does it strive to be. It doesn't strive to be anything at all. An adaptation that is beneficial under one set of circumstances may be a detriment under another. There are also some wonderful by products - like reading and writing. Did we evolve to read and write? Once again, imperfection reigns. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 01 May 2023 | The Dance of the Alleles | 00:10:08 | |
The constant dance of microevolution is driven by alleles, different versions of genes that determine traits. Sexual reproduction results in organisms inheriting a unique combination of genetic material from both parents, creating genetic diversity within a population. New alleles can appear through mutations or gene flow between populations. The dance of alleles will continue, introducing new traits and variations in the ongoing story of evolution. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. | |||
| 29 Jul 2024 | Symbiosis | 00:09:05 | |
Imagine a world where different species live in close partnerships, essential for their survival. Tune in for a journey through millions of years of evolutionary cooperation, proving that in nature, no species is an island. Please consider becoming a show Patron to help keep new episodes coming! Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy.
Music in this Episode
| |||
| 19 Sep 2022 | The Immortal Gene | 00:09:44 | |
In 1976, British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins published The Selfish Gene. It made exactly the splash he’d intended, but people were confused. How can genes be selfish?
For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 30 Jan 2023 | Hominins: Sahelanthropus tchadensis | 00:09:02 | |
We begin our exploration into hominin history with an introduction to what is arguably the oldest hominin fossil yet found. Does Sahelanthropus tchadensis represent our earliest hominin ancestor or is it something else?
Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com | |||
| 15 Aug 2024 | New Season - New Shows! | 00:00:56 | |
The new season is about to kick and I’m really excited about it. I’m always looking for ways to expand the show’s reach and science education, and to do so, I’ll need your help. I’d love to go back to a weekly show, be able to fully kick off a supplemental video channel, and provide materials for schools. I’ve also always wanted to bring the newsletter back. The show will always be free for all to enjoy. To find out how you can help the show achieve it’s goals financially, please visit evolutiontalk.com/support.
| |||
| 10 Apr 2023 | Fact & Theory | 00:12:38 | |
It can be straightforward to confuse facts and theories, but they remain distinct entities. Asserting that evolutoion by natural selection is not a fact does not diminish its significance as a theoretical framework. The theory is founded on empirical evidence and provides a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Scientific theories evolve over time as new evidence and discoveries emerge. They continue to be refined and expanded as our knowledge of the natural world grows. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. | |||
| 27 Oct 2020 | The Second Law of Thermodynamics | 00:11:07 | |
Evolution by Natural Selection is a beautiful theory. But as wonderful a theory as it is, it does have its detractors. One argument states that evolution violates the second law of thermodynamics. Is this true?
For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com Written, Produced, & Narrated by: Rick Coste | |||
| 20 Feb 2023 | Hominins: Ardipithecus ramidus | 00:13:21 | |
Between 1992 and 1994, working in the Awash region of Ethiopia, the same region that Ardipithecus kadabba would be found a few years later, paleoanthropologist Tim White unearthed well over 100 specimens of something new. What was it?
Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. For show notes and more, please visit https://EvolutionTalk.com
Music:
| |||
| 24 Apr 2023 | Where There Is No Light | 00:10:14 | |
In 2015,a spelunker named Joachim Kreiselmaier discovered a troglobite, a species that lives in underground environments, in the Danube-Aach cave system in South Germany. This small, pale fish had an elongated body, large nostrils, and minuscule, non-functional eyes. It was the first species of cave fish found in Europe and was related to loaches from the nearby Danube River. These cave fish lost their eyesight and pigmentation not because they stopped needing them, but due to evolution by natural selection. Evolution Talk is also a book! You can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others on the front page of EvolutionTalk.com, or call your local bookstore and ask them to order a copy. | |||
| 27 Apr 2015 | Survival of the Fittest? | 00:13:22 | |
The term 'Survival of the Fittest' was unleashed on the world in 1864 by Herbert Spencer when he published his work Principles of Biology. It was later picked up by Charles Darwin who used it himself in the fifth edition of On the Origin of Species five years later. But is it fair to say that the term "Survival of the Fittest" is synonymous with evolution by natural selection? In this episode of Evolution Talk we explore this very question. | |||
| 04 May 2015 | Altruism | 00:18:06 | |
Where does altruism come from? How did it evolve in a world ruled by 'selfish genes'? | |||
| 11 May 2015 | Non-Overlapping Magisteria | 00:17:43 | |
In 1997 Professor Stephen Jay Gould published an essay in Natural History which also appeared in his book Rocks of Ages. This essay was titled ‘Non-Overlapping Magisteria’. It’s commonly referred to as NOMA. The concept behind NOMA is that science and religion operate in two different, non-overlapping, realms. | |||
| 18 May 2015 | Genetic Drift | 00:12:39 | |
Frog populations remained pretty much the same in Podville until the Great Fire of 2015. After the fire the population of blue frogs increased. Welcome to genetic drift, the subject of this week's episode of 'Evolution Talk'. | |||
| 25 May 2015 | The Neanderthal | 00:13:59 | |
In the Neander valley, limestone miners found something which shocked them. They had found bones which they first thought belonged to a bear. Once Professor Schaafhausen had seen the bones he recognized them for what they were. Shortly after that the Neanderthal Man stepped into the spotlight. Were Neanderthals our early ancestors or were they a separate species? | |||
| 01 Jun 2015 | Neanderthalis Extinctus | 00:15:52 | |
In the last episode we came face to face with the Neanderthal. What happened to the Neanderthal? Did they die on the battlefield or did they live out their lives in a quiet struggle for survival while modern humans settled around them? Was they killed... or assimilated? | |||
| 22 Sep 2014 | On the Origin of Species | 00:17:47 | |
On November 24, 1859, "On the Origin of Species" was published. To say that it made a splash would be an understatement. It changed the world. | |||
| 08 Jun 2015 | Darwin’s Bulldog | 00:13:48 | |
On June 30, 1860 a great debate took place at the Oxford University Museum. This debate helped to launch Thomas Huxley's career as 'Darwin's Bulldog". | |||
| 15 Jun 2015 | The Piltdown Man | 00:18:06 | |
In the late 19th century, Europe was having a grand old time when it came to fossils of ancient hominids. The problem was - nothing was being discovered in England. Germany had the Neanderthal and France had the Cro-Magnon. In the summer of 1912 all of that changed. | |||
| 22 Jun 2015 | Punctuated Equilibrium | 00:11:04 | |
In 1972 Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldridge published a paper that immediately went viral among biologists. Gould and Eldridge pointed out, using the fossil record as evidence, that evolution by natural selection worked in a series of starts and stops. There were periods of stasis where no changes occurred. They called this theory Punctuated Equilibrium. | |||
| 29 Jun 2015 | Having a Laugh | 00:14:14 | |
It’s probably safe to say that everyone enjoys a good laugh. But where did it come from? What is it about laughter that gave us an advantage over our ancient competitors? | |||
| 06 Jul 2015 | The Anthropocene | 00:18:10 | |
The Cretaceous period ended 65 million years ago as did the reign of the dinosaurs. According to the International Union of Geological Sciences, we are currently in the Holocene. The Holocene has seen a number of changes. It’s seen us cultivate the land, store food, and build long standing shelters. It’s also seen us craft tools to shape the world around us. Some scientists have proposed calling this era the Anthropocene. | |||