Welcome to Ask A Biologist. This site has a large collection of biology learning materials that includes stories, games, activities, videos, and a podcast.

Read our stories

Listen and watch

Enjoy our activities

View zoom galleries

Solve puzzles

Like humans, bats are mammals. They are warm-blooded, covered in hair, have live young, and nurse their young (called pups). Unlike humans, bats have wings, which allow them to fly.Also in: Nederlands | Français |…

Could fire be important for life on Earth? Would Earth be the same without fire? These are just a few of the many questions we have for fire researcher Stephen Pyne about fire and its role with life. Did we also mention his battle with a dragon? If you have a burning desire to…

Most of us don’t think of the sewers as an exciting place. But these and other waterways are where Rolf Halden is finding and solving many mysteries.

We are often taught that germs are bad, but what if exposure to germs or other microorganisms has long-term positive effects? Recent studies show that certain microbes in our environment might actually offer a protective effect against Alzheimer’s Disease.

An interview with mathematicians Cassie Pawling and Genevieve Toutain from the ASU Department of Mathematics and Statistics. A show filled with fun math tricks and even a bit of mind boggling mind reading.
Have you ever wondered where plants get their mass? All those leaves and branches have to come from somewhere, but where?
An interview with arachnologist Norman Platnick. Learn about the animal that has become famous through his Marvel Comics and movie action hero.

Dr. Biology interviews research scientist Kate Ihle at Barro Colorado Island in Panama. BCI is part of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.

a sun giving light to some plants

Snacking on Sunlight

Read Snacking on Sunlight and then take this quiz to test your knowledge!

bee dance

Bee Waggle Dance Game

Play the Bee Dance Game

Did you know that honey bee workers tell their sisters where to find the best flowers and nectar with a dance? It is called…

grassland biome

Grasslands Biome

Read Grasping Grasslands and then take this quiz to test your knowledge!

Dr biology looking at some ants

Collecting Ants

Read Collecting Ants and then take this quiz to test your knowledge!

Ant Gallery (Get up-close to ants)

Now is the time to check out these amazing animals from the safety of your own computer.

Pollen Gallery (Pollen up-close)

Pollen comes in many shapes and sizes. These are just a few of the thousands of examples.

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.

Plankton Zoom Gallery (Plankton up-close)

Plankton comes in many shapes and sizes. These are just a few of the thousands of examples.

Mouse and snail taxonomy

Linnaeus and the World of Taxonomy

Have you ever wondered how animals and plants get their names? People give them names, lots of different names! That was how it used to be before Carl Linnaeus created the world of taxonomy.…

Wordsearch | Crossword
Birds and their Songs

Birds and Their Songs

We see them practically everywhere. They are found flying in the high mountains and soaring along the thermal winds in the low deserts. There are those that are reclusive and others you can…

Wordsearch | Crossword
Darwin and Mendel's Afternoon Tea

Darwin and Mendel's Afternoon Tea

An imaginary conversation between two great thinkers, Charles Darwin and Gregor Mendel. While the monk, Mendel, had read Darwin’s publications - Mendel's work only came to be known later. We…

Wordsearch | Crossword
Monarch butterfly

Metamorphosis – Nature’s Ultimate Transformer

Transforming robots are favorites of television and movies, but nature has some of the best transformers. Animals that can change in ways that almost seem unbelievable. Also in:…

Wordsearch | Crossword