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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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!...

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,...

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...

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 ...

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

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...

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

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...

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...

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

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...

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

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

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...

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 explian 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