In our modern world, there are three major groups of mammals: placentals (that’s most of us), marsupials, and the rare and bizarre monotremes. Today’s monotremes – that’s echidnas and platypuses – are famous for their seemingly “un-mammalian” features: they lack external ears, they deliver milk without nipples, and they even lay eggs! This episode, we discuss what makes monotremes unique, the many questions still unanswered about their ancient history, and whether or not they are truly good representatives of early mammal evolution.
In the news: weird mosasaur teeth, Tibetan sabertooths, marsupial growth, and giant pliosaurs.
Time markers:
Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00
News: 00:07:50
Main discussion, Part 1: 00:38:00
Main discussion, Part 2: 01:11:40
Patron question: 02:01:10
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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
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Episode 110 - Mazon Creek Fossil Beds
Episode 109 - Hyenas
Episode 108 - Penguins
Episode 107 – Tusks
Episode 106 - Franz Nopcsa
Episode 105 - Carnivorous Plants
Episode 104 - Pinnipeds
End of the Year Q&A 2020
Episode 103 – The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum
Episode 102 - Parasites
Episode 101 - Sauropods
100 Episodes: A Look Back
Episode 100 - the Origin of Life
Episode 99 - Evolution of Insects
Spook-E - the Sirens
Spook-E - the Leviathan
Episode 98 - Species and Speciation
Spook-E - Sea Serpents
Spook-E - the Kraken
Episode 97 - Venom and Poison
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