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Welcome to Ask A Biologist. This site has a large collection of biology learning materials that includes stories, games, activities, videos, and a podcast.
Going where no one has gone before sounds exciting, but are we ready to go to Mars? Traveling long distances, and living on another planet is going to be a challenge. You could say an extreme challenge because of the conditions in which we will have to live. Dr. Biology learns a bit about the…
What could possibly be the difference between a cup of dirt and a cup of soil? Dr. Biology talks with microbiologist Ferran Garcia-Pichel about why he avoids the dirty word and prefers to say soil. Could it be there is more in a cup of dirt - excuse me a cup of soil than meets…
Podcasting is new to both Ask A Biologist and an exciting new science program called Science Studio. The host of this new show, Peggy Coulombe, talks with Dr. Biology about what it has been like to start podcasting.
Most might be surprised that pollen is being used to catch thieves, illegal drug dealers, murders, terrorists, and even catching those who commit less visible crimes such as making and selling fake prescription drugs.Also in: Türk |…
A quiet western town waits for the arrival of the swarm of contestants for the 2011 Ugly Bug Contest. Who will be this year's most WANTED bug?
It's time to jump into the topic of us, or what makes you, you. Dr. Biology connects with Irene Gallego Romero via Zoom to talk about nature versus nurture and some of the amazing things our genome does for us. If you are wondering what a genome is, no worries, they cover that in…
If you spend some time hiking around the American Southwest, you might be lucky enough to spot a Gila monster. But you probably won't see one climbing a tree.
Dive into the behavior and physiology of two different primate species that are helping biologists explore the science of stress, aging, and immunity. Dr. Biology sits down with scientist Noah Snyder-Mackler from Arizona…
Catch and Sketch Plankton
Learn to focus on detail and make keen observations that could be overlooked in a picture in this lesson on scientific sketching.
Plankton Zoom Gallery (Plankton up-close)
Plankton comes in many shapes and sizes. These are just a few of the thousands of examples.
Bone Zoom Gallery (Up-close Inside Bones)
Take a look at the microscopic world of bone in our virtual bone histology lab. Just pick a microscope slide from below and click on it to view under the virtual microscope.
Tiger Beetle Zoom Gallery (Up-close with tiger beetles)
Some of the fastest animals on Earth are below. That’s right, if these tiny insects were as large as a horse they would be running 200 miles an hour.
Ants
There are so many types of ants that it's funny the animated movie about them centers on one type that doesn't exist: a male worker ant. In this story you can explore some of the types of ants…
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Desert Diggers
The digger bee is just one of about a thousand species of native bees in Arizona, many of which have females that burrow into the ground with their jaws and legs when constructing a nest.
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How Do Beetles Reproduce?
Every living thing must be able to reproduce and make offspring. Most of us are familiar with how humans and mammals make babies, but do all creatures reproduce in the same way? Do insects,…
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Big Bad Beetles
A story of blood, love, and family… Learn about one of the biggest and fanciest blister beetles anywhere. This species goes by the scientific name of Lytta magister but has also been called the…
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