Read our stories
Listen and watch
Play our games
Enjoy our activities
Welcome to Ask A Biologist. This site has a large collection of biology learning materials that includes stories, games, activities, videos, and a podcast.
Nicholas Stephanopoulos works with tiny structures so small you can only see them by using powerful microscopes. Some might say he's a builder, but he actually gets the molecules to do the building themselves.
Whether in the sands of the desert or the ice of Antarctica, viruses play a larger role in our ecosystems than you might realize. Arvind Varsani searches for these viruses, studying them in all kinds of habitats across the globe.
Tardigrades are some of the toughest animals on earth. They can survive freezing, drying up, radiation, and space, all while being smaller than the tip of a pencil.
The desert is a tough place to live – food may be tough to find, rain only comes in certain seasons, and the temperatures can be hard to handle. How does one special lizard, the Gila monster, deal with these difficulties?
In this program we talk a lot about cells. In particular plant, animal, and microbial cells. But did you know there is a world of microbes that make their home inside and on our bodies? Before you start to worry, you need to know most of these microbes are important for us to live. In fact, without…
Why do peanuts, pollen, or pet dander make some of us sneeze or swell up—but not others? In this episode, Dr. Biology talks with immunologist Esther Borges Florsheim from Arizona State University to explore how allergies start, why they’re becoming more common, and what’s really…
Journey to the Tibetan plateau in China for an interview with conservation biologist Andrew Smith. Dr. Biology learns about a cute furry animal called a Pika and how it is the key to survival for many animals that live on the plateau.
An interview with biologist Dave Pearson research professor in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University and Audubon environmental educator Cathy Wise. Dr. Biology learns from his two guests that bird watching is pretty cool and fun.
It’s a Plankton Eat Plankton World
During this activity you will learn how to create your own food web. You will also analyze the feeding relationships between marine organisms and describe the importance of plankton to the…
Using the Scientific Method: The Case of the Mystery Images
Play The Case of the Mystery Images
Looking for another detective assignment? Practice all the new detective skills you learned in the…
Cell Parts Game
Cells are the basic building blocks of life, but what all do cells hold? You can now look inside of cells to learn…
Desert Survivor
In this story-based game, you are a young rattlesnake learning to survive in a harsh desert environment. You'll search…
Cell Size SIM
Certain cell types should have a general size and have proportionate parts. But what if those sizes and proportions are…
Picking off the Peppered Moth
Get your beaks ready, it's moth-hunting time. In the Peppered Moths Game, you take on the role of the hunter and…