Welcome to Ask A Biologist. This site has a large collection of biology learning materials that includes stories, games, activities, videos, and a podcast.

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 let your eyes fool you, though… there’s a hidden world in water full of creatures too small to be…

Everything that is alive is made of cells, but there are really only two main types of cells. Learn how these cell types became different and why they are so important to life.Also in: Español |

Most people have just one set of DNA throughout their body. But what happens to humans who are born with two sets?

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.

Also in: Español

Forget all the robots you might have seen or imagined. This biologist is making colorful coiling snakes and other robots to study animals in the wild. Dr. Biology expands his idea of what robots look like and what they can do when he meets and talks with roboticist and biologist Talia Yuki…

If you are a tobacco plant, you have a bad reputation. The link to cancer and other health related diseases is cause for any person to avoid you. But there is another side to this plant. Dr. Biology sits down with biologist Charlie Arntzen to talk about how tobacco plants are…

Biologist Bruce Hammock talks about life as a biologist, being a businessman and mountain climbing. How do these all fit together? Listen in as Dr. Biology learns how these pieces all work together in an interesting career.

Embark on a journey through the buzzing world of grasshoppers and locusts with Dr. Biology. In this episode, biologists Rick Overson and Mira Word Ries, from the Global Locust Initiative at Arizona State University dig into the world of these insects. The…

How can we fight mosquitoes? Image is an illustration of a mosquito laying eggs, with insecticide being sprayed

Managing Mosquitoes

Learn about mosquito life cycles, the dangers of mosquitoes, and how to protect yourself and reduce breeding grounds for mosquitoes around your home. Also in:
Observing ants

Collecting Ants

There are several different ways to get ants for an ant farm, depending on when you would like to start the farm and how long you would like for your ant farm to last.

Teaching Kids About Germs

Let the Germs Begin

Germs are tiny organisms that can make you feel sick and cause disease. During this activity you will illustrate the steps germs take during transmission. You will learn about the different…

Nano building game

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…

A logo with a brightly colored coral and the letters EcoChains below it.

EcoChains: Coral Futures

EcoChains: Coral Futures

In EcoChains: Coral Futures, your mission is to build and protect a thriving coral reef ecosystem. You’ll build your reef…

Cartoon of two scientists one male and one female.

Doctor Know

Play Doctor Know

Play doctor in the 21st century! Practice modern medicine by examining all dimensions of the body, from organs to molecules, as…

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…

A tablet, squash, plant, and fish

Conserving Water

Play Water Conservation Game

How can you save water? You might start by figuring out what uses the most water in your life. In this choice-…