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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.

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What happens when a person wants to have a baby, but after years of trying, it just doesn’t happen? A lot of people want to become pregnant, but let’s learn about what may prevent pregnancy.
Dr. Biology sits down to learn from two of the best science journalists in the world. Listen in as he gets some pointers from Pauline Davies and Robyn Williams.

Imagine you are on a sailing ship in 1747. You left England only a couple of months ago and you felt fine. Now you are so tired you can barely walk. Dr. Lind wants to discover what is causing you so much pain that you can't work.

Where in the world is Kazakhstan (Ka-zakh-ston)? This may be a puzzling question to some, but no longer. This story we will help put the pieces together.

Congratulations to Seed Beetle, the 2011 Ugly Bug contest winner.

Biology, butterflies, and violin ballads are just a few of the things Dr. Biology talks about with ASU School of Life Sciences Professor Ron Rutowski.

Robert Page's journey is as captivating as the creatures he studies. From his early fascination with entomology to his experiences in the Vietnam War and his parallel passion for photography, his journey is a rich tapestry of experiences. We chat about the contributions he…

Looking into the past can be strange and exciting. To understand a past that goes back millions of years, we often depend on the stories told by fossils. Dr. Biology talks with anthropologist Donald Johanson about Lucy, a fossil of human ancestors that has taught us some…

a sea urchin

Sea Urchins

Read Sea Urchins Do Research and then take this quiz to test your knowledge!

An illustration of three monsters with different features, like number of horns

Monster Inheritance

In this lesson, with a few rolls of a die, our Monster Maker game, and a presentation, you will learn a bit about how traits are inherited. Explore the activities for the basics, or dive in further…
Poppy flower

Composting

Microorganisms in action! Turn a pile of grass clippings into an experiment.

Feather Zoom Gallery (Feathers up-close)

There is nothing like seeing a feather up close.

Ant Gallery (Get up-close to ants)

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

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.

crystallography

Making Life Crystal Clear

Much like a mechanical watch, living things only work when all the gears work together. Some of the tiniest of gears are proteins. Learning about the shape and size of these proteins is the job…

Wordsearch | Crossword
Sea Urchin

Sea Urchins Do Research

No, urchins are not indigenous to the desert. The usual home for Strongylocentrotus purpuratus is the ocean's rocky floor for grazing along the intertidal and subtidal areas. Also in:…

Wordsearch | Crossword
Astronaut

Spaced Out Physiology

Being an astronaut is a cool job, but before you sign up you should know life in space isn’t all fun and games.  The lack of gravity can make our bodies act in strange ways.

Also in…

Wordsearch | Crossword
Scorpion with laser beams

Not So Scary Scorpions

Scorpions are often misunderstood. Many people say that scorpions are so aggressive they will sting themselves to death, but this is not a natural behavior of scorpions in the wild. Also in:…

Wordsearch | Crossword