
Free Daily Podcast Summary
by Dylan Wilmeth
This podcast starts at the beginning of Earth's prehistory and works forward through time. Bedrock will explore the first 90% of Earth’s past, a time known as the Precambrian Era. Before humans, before dinosaurs… there was the Precambrian. The Earth was an incredibly alien world, but not a dead one. Along the way, you will build a mental toolkit to see the world like a geologist. You will never look at a mountain, the moon, or pond scum in quite the same way again. Welcome to Bedrock.
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
I'm on fall break right now! (That's why the first minute sounds funky) While I'm off, enjoy an episode of Hometown Geology from our Patreon, on the house! If you like what you hear, check out Bedrock on Patreon for more- you can listen, vote, or even suggest your own topics!This episode covers two main stories: how the Hawaiian Island chain formed, then a quick tour through seven(!) volcanoes on and around the Big Island. Enjoy!
Today, we visit the three major locations for Season 3. A three-ring circus of rocks, if you will. One area is a remote desert full of ancient fossils. One area is a forested mountainland with evidence for global catastrophes. One area is our most populated region yet, full of iron mines. Dylan has visited two of these three locations, and hints at a few personal field stories that will set Season 3 apart. Check out bonus episodes on Patreon!One-off donations on Paypal
Welcome to Season 3 of Bedrock! This season will cover the Paleoarchean Era, from 3.6 to 3.2 billion years ago, or March to April on the "Earth Calendar". Get ready for more fossils and strange new rocks! In this episode, we'll see why Season 3 begins and ends when it does: an extinction? an impact? or something more random? On the way, we'll visit geology's great "Council of Time", meet a bishop who was a founder of modern geology, and make a cake on the edge of the Grand Canyon.Want bonus content? Check out our Patreon! One-off donations on Paypal
While we're on a break between seasons, and while I'm starting my new job, I figured this would be a nice palate cleanser. There's no script, just answers like I'd actually give in person.If YOU want your question to be on a future Mail Time (and listen to bonus episodes), join our Patreon here! Today, I talk about the day I fell in love with "fossil pond scum", some of my favorite field locations, and my favorite time period in Earth history. Enjoy!
Get caught up on Season 2!The Eoarchean Era covers 4 to 3.6 billion years ago, Feb 15 to March 19 on the Earth Calendar. Highlights include: the oldest rock on Earth (24), a dimmer Sun (28), the Man in the Moon (35), the oldest ash (46) the oldest uncontested(-ish) evidence for life (50), and the oldest rocks in the USA (55).While you wait for Season 3, check out patreon.com/bedrockpodcast for episodes of Hometown Geology, or bedrockpodcast.com for helpful scripts and images! Thanks for all the support!
Season 2 Finale!For 50 years, the title of "USA's Oldest Rock" was held on the prairies of western Minnesota. In 2025, that throne was usurped by a brand new study. Where is this "new" ancient location, what rocks are here, and how old are they? Stay tuned to find out!Dylan has an exciting announcement: he has a new visiting professor job at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota! Thanks to everyone for their support.Speaking of which, if you want to donate:Monthly donations on PatreonOne-off donations on Paypal
We finally end our great Greenland adventure with one final question: how did all these diverse rocks become squeezed together, 3.6 billion years ago? The answer to that question can tell us a lot about how the early Earth worked. According to some folks, plate tectonics was very similar to today. To others, Earth was a very alien world indeed. Along the way, we'll visit trenches off the coast of Japan, and turn our hands into tectonic plates.Dylan also has an exciting announcement: he has a new visiting professor job at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota! Thanks to everyone for their support.Speaking of which, if you want to donate:Monthly donations on PatreonOne-off donations on Paypal
At long last, we finish the cliffhanger from Episode 52! Last time, I introduced one of the greatest debates in paleontology and geology. Are a few little triangles on the Greenland tundra Earth's oldest visible fossils, or just some funny-looking rocks? Today, we'll discuss both sides like a court case, laying out a decade of debate. This has been an episode Dylan has waited a long, long time to produce! Click here to see images of the triangles!If you want to donate:Monthly donations on PatreonOne-off donations on Paypal
Free AI-powered daily recaps. Key takeaways, quotes, and mentions — in a 5-minute read.
Get Free Summaries →Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Listeners also like.

GEO Podcast
Explores geology fundamentals and Earth's natural wonders, from rocks and minerals to volcanoes and glaciers, for learners of all levels.

The Common Descent Podcast
Paleontologists discuss fossils, evolution, and Earth's history in a conversational format with news and listener-submitted questions.

Bedtime Astronomy
A calming exploration of cosmic wonders, sharing stories about stars, planets, and celestial phenomena to inspire curiosity before sleep.

Eons: Surviving Deep Time
Explores how long a human could survive if transported to different periods of Earth's distant past.

Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography & More
Daily explorations of history, science, geography, and culture with concise, accessible explanations of complex topics.

The Planet Earth Podcast
Behind-the-scenes stories and personal reflections from the creators and narrator of the Planet Earth documentary series.

Hostile Worlds: Exploring Space
A documentary-style podcast exploring extreme alien environments through immersive audio storytelling aboard a fictional exploration vessel.

Bloodrock Springs
A small outback town is cut off by a mysterious dust cloud, forcing residents to confront hidden horrors and survive the unknown.

Origin Stories
Traces human evolution through narrative-driven episodes that combine science and storytelling.

Behind The Song: Classic Rock Chronicles
Explores the stories and circumstances behind the creation of iconic classic rock songs.

Professor of Rock
Music historian Adam Reader examines the origins and stories of classic rock songs through interviews and detailed episode explorations.

Biosphere 2 Podcast
Aaron Bugaj
This podcast starts at the beginning of Earth's prehistory and works forward through time. Bedrock will explore the first 90% of Earth’s past, a time known as the Precambrian Era. Before humans, before dinosaurs… there was the Precambrian. The Earth was an incredibly alien world, but not a dead one. Along the way, you will build a mental toolkit to see the world like a geologist. You will never look at a mountain, the moon, or pond scum in quite the same way again. Welcome to Bedrock.
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Get key takeaways from Bedrock: Earth's Earliest History in a 5-minute read.
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Bedrock: Earth's Earliest History as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Dylan Wilmeth.
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts, any in the catalog. Basic raises that to 15, Pro to 40 and Max to 100. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
Bedrock: Earth's Earliest History publishes biweekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
Bedrock: Earth's Earliest History covers topics including Science, Life Sciences, Earth Sciences. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.