Episode 253 - Kangaroos
Summary
Hosts David and Will discuss kangaroos, covering their modern diversity, evolutionary history, and notable fossil relatives. The episode also features a news segment highlighting a new study on T. rex body temperatures, a Cambrian fossil reshaping echinoderm ancestry, the first European Diplodocus find, and the discovery of a new cat species in Bolivia.
Topics discussed
Introduction to Episode 253: Kangaroos
Podcast updates, Patreon, and October specials
T-Rex body temperature via isotope paleothermometry
New fossil: Anemone-like ancestor of sea stars
Diplodocus found in Spain and trans-Atlantic links
Discovery of the new cat species Tigriino
Macropod diversity, anatomy, and physical traits
Overview of kangaroo, wallaroo, and wallaby species
Thermoregulation, diet, and methane production
Marsupial dental traits: marching molars
Hopping mechanics and energy efficiency
Pentapedal locomotion: using the tail as a limb
Evolutionary history and habitat shifts in Miocene
Fossil kangaroos: Fangaroos and predatory traits
Giant short-faced kangaroos and locomotion limits
Kangaroo trackways and swimming evidence
Combat behaviors and historical European accounts
Speculative evolution and sexual selection in color
Outro, Patreon thanks, and credits
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