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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.
Reading a scientific article can seem like a difficult task. To help get you started, we first discuss what all goes into a scientific article. Then, when you're ready, click on Article Dissection to see how a scientific article can be broken down into parts that are a bit easier to…
The open ocean is the largest biome on earth and it is the least understood. What undiscovered life might float in the dark, deep, depths of the sea?Also in: Français | Español
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.
Imagine you want to pull a long cylinder-shaped piece of soil (called a core) out of the ground in your backyard. What kind of tools would you need? Find out how researchers collect cores in the Frozen Arctic.
Space travel and microscopic organisms. What interest are these two things to ASU School of Life Sciences Professor and Biodesign Institute researcher Cheryl Nickerson? Tune in to find out.
An interview with biophysicistGerry McDermott of the National Center for X-ray Tomography. Dr. Biology tours the synchrotron that is also called the giant monster. Dr. Biology learns how the football sized facility is used to power a new kind of microscope.
In a world where animals, humans, and the environment are forever linked, the health of wildlife is a cornerstone for the well-being of all. In this episode, we embark on an extraordinary journey with Sara Wyckoff, a wildlife veterinarian from the Texas Parks and Wildlife…
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…
Cell Size SIM
Play the Cell Size SIMCertain cell types should have a general size and have proportionate parts. But what if those sizes and proportions are different than…
Venom!
Play the Venom! GameThe shape of a molecule is very important. It’s what makes it possible for proteins to interact with other parts of the cell. In this…
Plankton Zoom Gallery (Plankton up-close)
Plankton comes in many shapes and sizes. These are just a few of the thousands of examples.
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.
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
I Spy an Ecosystem
We hear the word ecosystems in the news and at school but just what are ecosystems? It turns out there are lots of ecosystems. You might even learn you have some inside you! Also in:…
Wordsearch | Crossword
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
How Do Beetles Reproduce?
Every living thing must be able to reproduce and make offspring. Most of us are familiar with how humans and mammals make babies, but do all creatures reproduce in the same way? Do insects,…
Wordsearch | Crossword