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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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Have you ever noticed that most people do not drink alcohol while pregnant? Let’s learn about why doing that is so important.
Test drive our Bird Finder tool based on our virtual bird aviary of the southwest. A great way to learn about birds in your own backyard. Image of Northern Cardinal above by Robert Shantz.

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…

Understanding evolution doesn't just help us figure out how humans evolved...it also helps us understand why we have the health problems we do in today's society. Evolutionary medicine can help us understand our health, why we get sick, and how we can better prevent and treat disease.Also in…

And the winner of the 2009 Ugly Bug Contest is...

What would life be like on other planets? This is just one of many questions that Biochemist and author Nick Lane talks about while visiting with Dr. Biology. Listen in as Nick explores not only life on our Earth, but also what it might be like on other planets. Nick also reads…

Very strange things have been taking place lately. Dr. Biology and his team need your help to solve the mystery and piece together what's been happening in the lab.

Ants doing math? Could this be possible? Stephen Prattt from the ASU School of Life Science gives Dr. Biology a lesson about ant problem solving.
a salamander

Salamanders

Read He Ain't Tasty He's My Brother and then take this quiz to test your knowledge!

a fig and a wasp

Fig Wasps

Read Life and Death of a Fig Wasp and then take this quiz to test your knowledge!

some ants carrying puzzle pieces with food on them

Ants

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

Zoomed in picture of assassin bug

Ugly Bug Contest 2010

Ugly Bug Contest 2010

Pollen Gallery (Pollen up-close)

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

Feather Zoom Gallery (Feathers up-close)

There is nothing like seeing a feather up close.

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.

Ant Gallery (Get up-close to ants)

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

Bird puzzle

Feather Biology

Almost everyone has wished at one time or another to be able to fly like a bird. Just the thought of soaring above your city or town without any mechanical device gives us a reason to envy…

Wordsearch | Crossword
Two-headed kingsnake

The Tale of the Two-Headed Lampropeltis getula californiae

A Common Kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula californiae, but this snake was anything but common. From the title of our story, you may have guessed that our snake, or maybe we should call it snakes…

Wordsearch | Crossword
Leafhopper

True Bugs

Not all insects are bugs, but all bugs are insects. How can this be? Learn about some particular insects that biologists call true bugs. Also in: Español…

Wordsearch | Crossword
Wacky Weather

Crazy Climate and Wacky Weather

Climate is a hot topic in the news and on internet websites and blogs. But what exactly is climate? And how do we know it is changing?Also in:

Wordsearch | Crossword