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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.
While cannibalism is fairly common among insects and crustaceans, most backboned animals avoid feeding on their own kind.
Television portrays the lives and work of forensic artists, but what is it like to really be a forensic artist? Are the tools you see on the big and little screen really used by the people who recreate the face of someone when there might only be a skull or parts of a scull to use as a starting…
Deserts can be a bit of a mystery--we picture them as hot, barren places, but that's not always true. Deserts are found in both the hottest and coldest places on Earth, and some of them have lots of plant and animal life, you just need to know where to look to find it.Also in:…
Lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers are all sources of freshwater. But there is a lot less freshwater on earth than you might think. Fall into freshwater with us to learn some new things about this near-saltless water biome.Also in: Español |…
On this podcast, we like to explore how science meets the public. In this episode, we examine the art of communication, with biologist, author, and filmmaker Randy Olson. Dr. Biology learns how Olson uses humor and creativity as powerful tools. Inspired by platforms like The…
Dr. Biology gets the skinny on our largest organ - our skin. Professor and author Nina Jablonski talks about the important ways our skin works for us each day.
Dive into the behavior and physiology of two different primate species that are helping biologists explore the science of stress, aging, and immunity. Dr. Biology sits down with scientist Noah Snyder-Mackler from Arizona…
Take a breath and breathe out. What you just exhaled is the subject of this podcast. It is a story of over 140 thousand molecules and what we are learning about them and what a single breath might tell us about our health. Dr. Biology catches up with bioanalytical chemist …
Bird Finder
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.
Heavy Water
This activity explores how the temperature of water affects its density. You will need to gather the following materials: a pencil; a small paper cup; a small-mouthed, clear-glass jar (the cup…
Bee Waggle Dance Game
Did you know that honey bee workers tell their sisters where to find the best flowers and nectar with a dance? It is called…
Bee Learning Lab
Take a trip with us today into the Bee Learning Lab. Train bees in your very own experiment and see how you can make them learn…
Give It A Shot
As our lives become more affected by viruses and bacteria that cause disease, how much does wearing masks and…
Nano Building
Play the Bionanoengineering Game
Basic building patterns can be used to think about how technologies are built at the nano-scale. Try your hand…