Bedrock: Earth's Earliest History cover art

Bedrock: Earth's Earliest History

Bedrock: Earth's Earliest History

By: Dylan Wilmeth
Listen for free

About this listen

 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. For transcripts, visuals, and references, check out https://www.bedrockpodcast.comCopyright 2025 Dylan Wilmeth Biological Sciences Earth Sciences Science
Episodes
  • 43: Postcards From the Edge

    43: Postcards From the Edge
    Aug 13 2025

    In 1971, two geologists traveled to the edge of Greenland's ice sheet. What they found were the oldest rocks known at the time, 3.8-3.7 billion years old.

    Shockingly, they were in decent condition, sparking a half-century of geology stories. Today we'll begin our tour of Isua, the final destination of Season 2. Along the way, we'll meet a Holocaust survivor who landed on top of the world, visit an iron mine surrounded by glaciers, and start to meet the highest-quality rocks of this season.

    Extra Credit: Eat some candy, some shrimp, or some Indian food.

    Donate to support the show- anything is appreciated!
    Show More Show Less
    30 mins
  • Audience Survey Results

    Audience Survey Results
    Jul 30 2025

    Two months ago, I made an audience survey focusing on one topic: how would you like to support the show?

    Many folks answered, and here's what you said about donations, Patreon, ads, and merch.

    If you want to give your own opinion, take the survey here, put a comment below, or send a message to bedrock.mailbox@gmail.com.

    If you'd like to give a donation, you can click here- any amount is appreciated!
    Show More Show Less
    11 mins
  • 42: The Question of Life

    42: The Question of Life
    Jul 16 2025

    Nearly 30 years ago, one paper claimed to find the oldest evidence for life on Earth. How does that evidence hold up in 2025? Are these fossils or duds? Don’t panic, we’ll answer these questions to life, the universe, and everything in due time. Along the way, we’ll meet the most abundant mineral in the human body, an important fertilizer, and finish a trilogy of intense debates over a small Greenland isle.

    Extra Credit: Read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, eat cake with sprinkles, and make sure to floss afterwards.

    Donate to support the show- anything is appreciated!

    Click here for the audience survey!

    Click here to read Dylan's Nature paper!
    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
All stars
Most relevant  
Dylan has a pleasing voice and manner of explaining complicated topics in a comprehensive manner.

Detailed and understandable

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.