# Episode 245 - Cycads

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast-466591/episode-245-cycads
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast-466591/episode-245-cycads.md
Podcast: [The Common Descent Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-common-descent-podcast-466591)
Published: 2026-06-07T00:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://commondescentpodcast.podbean.com/e/episode-245-cycads/
Audio file: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/3c3ihj2pnnt9w837/Episode_245_Cycads.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-common-descent-podcast-466591/episodes/episode-245-cycads
Duration seconds: 8096

## Resource

Cycads are cousins of conifers, and although they can be found throughout the modern tropics, they are often considered a visual indicator of prehistory. This episode, Aly joins us to explore what sets cycads apart from other plants, what we know of their deep history, and whether they truly deserve their reputation as dinosaur food. In the news: toothless crocs, Arctic mammals, turtle relations, and crater life. Time markers:Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00News: 00:10:35Main discussion, Part 1: 00:41:00Main discussion, Part 2: 01:25:55Patron question: 02:00:45 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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## Transcript

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