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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Wait - there's more! Dr. Biology and co-host Jane Rector continue their visit with Jennifer Fewell, a biologist who is exploring the world of social insects including ants. There is even some talk of how professional basketball teams could learn a thing or two…

A pregnant person's blood type is usually compatible with the fetus’s blood type. But what happens when that’s not the case?

We hear a lot about DNA, but not as much about RNA. It is true that DNA is the encyclopedia of life or the ultimate instruction manual for living things. But what good is a book if it is not read or an instruction manual that is not used? This is where RNA comes into the story of life. It is the…

An interview with biologist David Pearson, an author and expert on tiger beetles. Did you know that tiger beetles can run so fast that they go blind and just what would it be like to be hunted by these tiny, but ferocious animals? These are a few of the questions that we learn…

It's a mystery, at least until you try to guess what animal children book author Conrad Storad is describing at the beginning of this episode. Joining Conrad is physiologist Michael Quinlan. Together they give us all the gory details behind this desert dwelling…

It is surprising how much of the land on Earth is what scientists call drylands. You might think that these areas are not crucial to life on the planet, but in fact, they are. They are also some of the most challenging places to do research. Part of the challenge is what we see above ground is only…

The tiny world of nanobiology is the topic of this show. Dr. Biology sits down with nanobiologist and physicist Stuart Lindsay to learn about nanobiology and some of the cool and strange things that happen when things are so small.

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 cartoon of nerves

Nervous System

Read A Nervous Journey and then take this quiz to test your knowledge!

monarch butterflies in puzzle pieces

Monarchs

Read Migrating Monarchs and then take this quiz to test your knowledge!

nervous system in the body

A Nervous Experiment

Do you think you need the same number of nerves in every part of your body? Where in your body might you need more nerves? See for yourself! Also in:…

Cartoon of two scientists one male and one female.

Doctor Know

Play Doctor Know

Play doctor in the 21st century! Practice modern medicine by examining all dimensions of the body, from organs to molecules, as…

hand bones

Busy Bones

Explore the Bone Anatomy Viewer

Ever wonder what’s inside your bones? Here’s your chance to find out! Dissect a virtual bone and learn…

Human skeleton game

Skeleton Viewer

Explore the Skeleton Viewer

To explore the bones of the human skeleton, check out our Skeleton Viewer. Take a look further inside of a bone…

An illustration of different cell sizes and a ruler, to measure nuclear cytoplasmic ratios

Cell Size SIM

Play the Cell Size SIM

Certain cell types should have a general size and have proportionate parts. But what if those sizes and proportions are…