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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.
Whether coming up with new methods for microscopes, or finding out new things about photosynthesis, Petra Fromme loves the process of discovery.
A tiny creature that flies and swims at the same time caught the attention of Arizona State University Professor Richard Satterlie a few years ago.
When you think of the Arctic, you might picture mostly empty ice. But the Arctic ecosystem is home to many organisms, from microscopic bacteria to large animals like whales and polar bears. Much of this life in the Arctic depends on tiny organisms called plankton which make up the base of the…
Professor Ferran Garcia-Pichel sweats the small stuff. The really, really small stuff to be exact. The easygoing Arizona State University-based microbiologist loves to look beyond the surface to explain what is happening in the tiny world of microbes.Also in: …
One of the benefits of being a biologist can be travel. There are some researchers who travel the globe as part of their work. Arvind Varsani is a molecular virologist who studies viruses found around the world. Dr. Biology was able to catch Arvind between trips to talk about his…
An interview with arachnologists Eileen Hebets and Lisa Taylor. Two women that defy the convention that women are all afraid of spiders. Listen in as Dr. Biology learns there are no Miss Muffets in this show.
What could possibly be the difference between a cup of dirt and a cup of soil? Dr. Biology talks with microbiologist Ferran Garcia-Pichel about why he avoids the dirty word and prefers to say soil. Could it be there is more in a cup of dirt - excuse me a cup of soil than meets…
Cooperation is something that humans and animals are known to do. It turns out that the 30 trillion cells in our body also need to cooperate. Like some humans, there are cells that are cheaters when it comes to cooperation. They do not do their share of the work and cause a lot of other problems.…
Ugly Bug Contest 2008
The Ugly Bug Contest has been part of the Flagstaff Festival of Science and Mt. Campus Science Day since 1997. Ask A Biologist is pleased to extend the contest to the world via the Web.…
Mysterious World of Dr. Biology
Science is full of mysteries and unknowns waiting for you to discover. Beyond their usual research, there have been some unusual things happening in Dr. Biology's laboratory and they need your…
Pollen Gallery (Pollen up-close)
Pollen comes in many shapes and sizes. These are just a few of the thousands of examples.
Plankton Zoom Gallery (Plankton up-close)
Plankton comes in many shapes and sizes. These are just a few of the thousands of examples.
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.
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.
Birds and Their Songs
We see them practically everywhere. They are found flying in the high mountains and soaring along the thermal winds in the low deserts. There are those that are reclusive and others you can…
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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…
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Desert Diggers
The digger bee is just one of about a thousand species of native bees in Arizona, many of which have females that burrow into the ground with their jaws and legs when constructing a nest.
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Perfect Python Parenting
Being a parent is hard work. Though a snake might not seem comforting to you, pythons are actually very dedicated moms that take good care of their kids.Also in:…
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