The Biologic Podcast

Welcome to Episode 97! Today we'll be exploring the evolution of the animal lineage, starting way back over a billion years ago with the ancesetral Opisthokonta. We'll look at how the earliest multicellular creatures formed the first animals, and the first lineages of animals that really took off and successfully colonized the worlds oceans, with descendents still swimming around to this day.

In this final episode on our phylogenetic exploration of the deutereostomes and the vertebrates, we'll take a look at the taxonomy and biodiversity of the mammals. The clade is the least species-rich of all the vertebrates, but their size and abundance make them key shapers of terrestrial, and many aquatic, ecosystems. 

In this exciting episode of the podcast, we'll explore the taxonomy and biodiversity of the surviving descendants of the dinosaurs; the modern birds. 

Hello and welcome to Episode 94! Today we'll be exploring the taxonomy of the reptiles, those sturdy tetrapods that diverged from their amphibian ancestors, during the warmer, drier period after the collapse of the Carboniferous rainforests. 

Welcome to Episode 93! Today we follow the vertebrates as they evolve out of the water, by exploring the taxonomy and phylogeny of the amphibians. 

Welcome to Episode 92! Today we will be exploring the taxonomy and phylogenetics of the most basal vertebrate clade; the fish. 

Welcome to Episode 91! Today we'll introduce the Deuterostome animals, and explore the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships within the most basal extant branch; the Echinoderms.

Welcome to Episode 90! This will be an exploration of the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of the largest and most biodiverse animal clade on the planet; the Insects.

Welcome to Episode 89! Today we'll be exploring the enormous diversity of the crustaceans, from the tiniest arthropods that make up the zooplankton, to the largest crabs and lobsters.

Welcome to Episode 88! We'll dig into the earth to explore the terrestrial world of the millipedes, the centipedes, and all the tiny symphylans and pauropods.

Welcome to Episode 87! Today we'll begin an adventurous exploration of the arthropods, starting with the oldest arthropod lineage that has survived into the modern day: the arachnids!

Welcome to Episode 86! Enjoy a brief overview of each major clade, and the evolutionary relationships, within the Mollusk phylum. 

Welcome to Episode 85, which will explore all the worms and worm-like creatures that live across our planet, in all habitats, in all ecological niches.

Very early in the evolutionary history of animals, there was a divergance that would ultimately lead to the creation of two major divisions in the Kingdom Animalia; the Protostomes & Deuterostomes. In this episode, we'll explore this ancient evolutionary split, the physiological differences between the two clades, and the modern descendant species that represents them today.

The animal endocrine system is a complex decentralized chemical communication network that coordinates growth and homeostasis across the whole organism. Hormones are a critical component of this system, and we'll explore the many forms they can take. And while we're on the topic of glands, we'll also cover the basics of the exocrine system.

Today we'll examine the chemistry, anatomy, and physiology of the animal nervous system, from action potentials to neural circuits to animal behavior.

In this episode, we'll explore the complex dynamics of the defensive system that protects animals from the countless microbes and pathogens they encounter every day: the immune system!

In this episode, we'll explore both the chemistry and physiology of animal respiration. This will also involve a brief exploration of the cardiovascular system, which is integral to the function of the respiratory system.

The subtle but foundational relationship between form and function can be seen at all levels of biological organization, from cells to tissues to organs to limbs and body plans.

The ability to move, freely & autonomously, is one of the defining characteristics of all but the most basal animals, distinguishing them from the stationary plants, and the creeping fungi. 

Animals are some of the most complex and dynamic organisms on Earth, and their mechanisms for reproduction are just as varied and complex.

An animal uses its senses to perceive and engage with the world around it, which is critical when you can move around an environment, searching for prey, and escaping predators.

All animals must eat food to survive, but how an animal eats, how often, and what it eats, play a fundamental role in the animal's evolution.

Water is critical for life. So how does the animal body use its water? How does it maintain a healthy osmotic balance, to sustain life?

Compared to plants and fungi, the animals have the most complex bodies, with the most complex body systems. Today, we'll explore the process of development that creates this complex animal body.

Today we'll be exploring the diverse and exciting ways in which Humans have used the many fungal species that share our planet.

The basidiomycota are one of the most advanced and diverse groups of fungi, including all the puffballs, conks, and traditional mushrooms.

The ascomycota are one of two major divisions with the 'higher fungi'. Along with the basidiomycota, they have come to dominate the fungal kingdom, and have spread across all Earthly habitats.

Hidden in the soil, the glomeromycota fungi seek out and fuse with the roots of plants, to engage in a symbiosis that sustains the worlds forests.

The mysterious origin of the fungal lineage generated a diversity of fungal protozoa, which would give rise to the earliest true fungi.

The story of fungal evolution is shrouded in mystery, but what little evidence there is, suggests an incredibly long history that fundamentally influences all life on Earth.

The fungal organism engages with its community and environment in countless ways; without the fungi, much of life on Earth would not be possible.

Among all the branches on the tree of life, the fungi have perhaps the most complex, diverse, and exotic means of reproducing, both sexually and asexually.

Fungi sense the world with a variety of cellular and chemical structures, giving them a unique perspective of reality.

The fungal lifestyle is built upon the diverse array of chemicals they can produce to engage in symbioses with other organisms, to break down detritus food, to parasitize other organisms, and to defend themselves from various threats.

Fungi do not have mouths to eat their food, nor do they have roots like plants. There's the mystery: how exactly do fungi acquire the nutrients they need to stay alive?

Welcome to the world of fungi! We will begin our exploration of this exotic branch on the tree of life, with fungal development & physiology.

Plants are fundamental to human existence. Without them, we would not, and could not, exist. This episode will explore the deep relationship between humans & the vegetable world.

The angiosperms are all those plants equipped with the most revolutionary development in floral reproductive capacity; the flower. The angiosperms and their colorful flowers have radically influenced Earths ecosystems for tens of millions of years.

The gymnosperms are the mighty seed plants that, like the dinosaurs, once dominated the biomes of the planet. Though less dominant today, the gymnosperms retain a global presence, and a heavy influence in regional ecology.

The ferns are an unassuming branch of the Kingdom Plantae; they prefer the shade under the canopy, they unfurl their leaves with the elegance of a violinist, and they quietly dominate the undergrowth of forests around the world.

The bryophytes are an ancient lineage of simple plants, so simple they don't even have true vasculature systems. These small plants have a subtle but influential role in their ecology, and they serve as an evolutionary bridge between the simple algae, and more complex plants.

The green algae the most primitive of all the photosynthetic organisms in the plant lineage. They are the root of the family tree, the origin of the green vegetables, and the living legacy of the plant transition from water to land.

Photosynthesis is a process through which plants capture the energy in sunlight to synthesize sugars, but more fundamentally, its the process by which light energy is converted into chemical energy, which sustains the entire chemical superreaction known as 'life'.

Throughout their evolutionary history, plants have evolved diverse and complex means of reproduction, including spores and pollen grains, cones and flowers, and a wide range of symbiotic animal pollinators.

The plants use a variety of mechanisms to sense the world around them; they can feel and respond to the water content of the soil, the temperature & humidity, and even to the presence of herbivores.

Plants derive their nutrients from both the ground and the air; mineral nutrients are absorbed from the soil in which the roots are growing, and carbon is absorbed from the leaves as they sway in the air.

Due to the nature of their physiology, plant hydration involves a number of variables with disproportionate ecological impact, from the roots holding the soil together, to the evaporation influencing the climate.

A brief introduction to the basics of plant physiology, covering basic plant development from young seed to mature adult.

The tropical forests are some of the most biodiverse regions on the planet, dense with vegetation, and home to a breath-taking abundance & variety of exotic creatures.

The temperate forests account for a colossal portion of the Earths landmass, carpeting vast swathes of land with trees, ferns, flowers, and all manner of fauna.

The boreal forests are the conifer-heavy woodlands in the northern reaches of the world; these forests endure brutally long, cold winters, and short summers with heavy sunlight. Beyond the forests lies vast expanses of tundra, and beyond that, the icy pole.

The deserts are an extreme biome, characterized by scorching heat during the day, freezing cold at night, and an ever-present lack of water that dominates the very evolution of the organisms that live here.

The wetlands are an incredibly complex and ecologically vital transitional zone between the bodies of water like rivers, lakes, and oceans, and the dry land itself.

The Earth's oceans are the largest biomes on the planet, and the womb of all Earth's life. From the emergence of the first cells, to the emergence of land-based organisms, the oceans have always been a fertile and fruitful place.

Biodiversity is the raw variation in the living things that inhabit some region of the world. Some habitats are barren, with low biodiversity, but other habitats are nutrient-rich & fruitful, populated by a wide diversity of organisms and characterized by the associated ecological complexity.

B

The ecosystem is the consummate totality of a regions ecology, including not just all the organisms & their interactions, but also their interactions with the physical environment, and the geochemical cycling that sustains it all. The biosphere is the totality of all ecosystems on the planet; it is the thin layer of life that clings to the cooling crust of our world.

When countless individuals and populations live in a certain habitat, it creates a diverse biological community, consisting of numerous species of plant, fungi, arthropod, and vertebrate.

When individuals live together, their collective behavior has a larger, meta-effect on the environment, quickly entangling the population into the larger ecological web that sustains their habitat.

The actions of an individual can have far-reaching effects. Behavioral ecology seeks to understand how individual organisms behave in their social and geophysical environment, and in turn, how the behaviors of the individual effect the world around them.

A brief introduction to ecology, including the relationship between  organism & physical environment, the relationships between organisms, and the geochemical nutrient cycling that sustains the biosphere.

The viruses are pathogenic conglomerations of biomolecules, existing somewhere in the ambiguous void between true life, and unliving physical chemistry. Some say the viruses are not alive, others say they are the oldest branch on the tree of life...

The animals are dynamic biochemical superstructures; they are mobile food-processing tubes, equipped with a variety of appendages and morphologies adapted to a particular habitat & ecological niche.

The fungus are the quiet decomposers, playing a critical role in the recycling of biomatter. Without fungus to break down dead biomass and return those nutrients to the wild, the biosphere would collapse.

The plants are photosynthetic organisms, capable of turning the raw energy in sunlight into biological chemicals, which then sustains the entire food chain with carbon & nutrients.

The protista are a diverse group of organisms, including both single celled and multicellular species. From an evolutionary perspective, they are the bridge between bacteria, and complex macroscopic life.

A brief introduction into the diversity of life, beginning with the oldest lineages on Earth; the Archaea & Bacteria.

In the presence of Human development and pollution, and extreme climate change, what does the future hold for the evolution of Earth life?

The Holocene marks the most recent ~10,000 years of natural history, including the rise of Human civilization and the wholesale transformation of the Earths surface.

The Cenozoic Era began with the destruction of the dinosaurs, and would see the rise to dominance and wild diversification of the birds and the mammals, including the emergence of a curious primate species.

The Mesozoic Era saw the evolutionary emergence and rise to dominance of the dinosaurs, and the emergence of early bird and mammal ancestors.

The Paleozoic Era saw the rapid emergence of increasingly complex life forms that filled the sea and the land, but they would all face extinction during the events known as the Great Dying.

Life on Earth is billions of years old. This ancient natural history comes to us in the form of fossils and genetic relationships, revealing the incredible story of the evolution of life.

All populations are subject to perpetual evolution, and Humans are no exception; peer into our distant past and observe the evolutionary history of the Human species.

As all living things are fundamentally related, phylogenetics is the study of these genetic relationships, and the evolutionary history of the many diverse lineages of Earthly life.

When populations groups diverge, whether they're separated geographically, temporally, or behaviorally, they find themselves on the pathway to speciation.

Besides natural selection, evolution is influenced by mechanisms like gene flow, the random walk of genetic drift, and the novelty-generating phenomenon of genetic mutations.

The forces of natural selection remove from the gene pool those lineages too unfit to survive in a given habitat, while those with good health survive to make healthy offspring, and their lineages tend to perpetuate.

A brief introduction to evolution, including its mechanisms, selective pressures, runaway effects, and the fundamental importance of evolution as a guiding force for the perpetuation of life.

Genetic information is complex; there's the gene sequence, the regulation of gene expression, and there are even mechanisms to modify genes, allowing a single gene to produce multiple different proteins.

The gene itself encodes raw information, but this is just the beginning of gene expression, which is a complex, highly-regulated, and tightly-coordinated process.

New DNA molecules are generated through a complex replication process, and mutations can be repaired with a variety of mechanisms.

The genome encodes information to 'build' the organism; the process of transcription encodes the DNA information into RNA, and translation encodes the information into polypeptide chains, which form proteins.

Meiosis is a specialized form of cellular replication, which creates many haploid daughter cells, each possessing a single copy of the genome.

A brief introduction to genetics, including the structure of DNA and RNA, gene expression, genome replication, and more.

As organisms a born, grow, reproduce, and die, so too do cells. The cell cycle is the pattern of cellular growth & replication that sustains life.

The cell is one among many; all cells in a tissue, or an organ, or an organism, have relationships with other cells, and these relationships help to sustain life.

Cellular respiration is a perpetual cycle of energy generation that sustains not just the cell, but the life of the organism it's a part of.

Enzymes are among several diverse groups of chemicals that participate in the metabolic pathways that keep the cell alive.

The cell perpetuates itself with a variety of organelles, metabolic pathways, and biochemical subsystems.

A brief introduction to the cell, including its structure, physiology, metabolism, and replication.

The lipids are fundamental building blocks of life, as they can store energy for the long-term, and they compose the cellular membrane.

The carbohydrates are carbon-rich molecules that can do many things, from storing energy, to supplying carbon atoms for molecular synthesis.

The nucleic acids are fundamental building blocks of life, forming the basis for countless derivative compounds, and the monomers of DNA.

The proteins are an incredibly diverse group of organic chemicals, whose structural & enzymatic capacities are critical for life.

Living things are chemical superstructures; what kinds of chemicals compose the stuff of life?

A brief introduction to the science of biology; what it is, how it's developed, and why it's important.