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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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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…

Do you need to run five miles every day to get in shape and be healthy? Dr. Biology has a chance to sit down after a workout session to talk about exercise and kids with metabolic biologist Gabriel Shaibi. What he and a group of researchers found might surprise you.

Biologists at Arizona State University hope that by learning more about animal behavior, they will also be able to understand why people act the way they do. Also in: Español

It's time to jump into the topic of us, or what makes you, you. Dr. Biology connects with Irene Gallego Romero via Zoom to talk about nature versus nurture and some of the amazing things our genome does for us. If you are wondering what a genome is, no worries, they cover that in…
Feeling stressed out? Wonder what stress is or how to best to deal with stress? Then you might like to listen in as Dr. Biology talks with Miles Orchinik, Associate Professor in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University, about his work on stress.
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.

Dr. Biology interviews research scientist Kate Ihle at Barro Colorado Island in Panama. BCI is part of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.

an image with some lizards of different colors on it

Lizards

Read Mighty Morphing Tree Lizards and then take this quiz to test your knowledge!

A world with some climate changes

Crazy Climate

Read Crazy Climate and Wacky Weather and then take this quiz to test your knowledge!

COVID-19 game simulation

COVID SIM Pandemic Simulation

Explore COVID SIM. In the COVID-19 pandemic, how much does wearing masks and distancing matter? How important is it to get vaccinated? You can…

Virus comic book

Viral Attack

Viral Attack is the story of the human immune system and how it protects the body from attacks from harmful bacteria and viruses.

Feather Zoom Gallery (Feathers up-close)

There is nothing like seeing a feather up close.

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.

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.

Large Ants

Face to Face with Ants

Imagine being the size of an ant. Be careful - a face-to-face encounter with an ant would be scary and potentially life-threatening! But, if you avoided being eaten, you could learn a lot about…

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Microorganisms cartoon illustration

An Invisible Watery World

When you visit a pond or the beach, what kinds of living things do you see in the water? Depending on the environment, you might find fish, frogs, crabs, insects, seaweed, or lily pads. Don’t…

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Cloning Sheep

Cloning Ewe

What is cloning and do we have clones living among us today? The answers might surprise you or maybe we should say ewe.

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Birds and their Songs

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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