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

You may see advertisements for vitamins all the time. Do we really need vitamins? And if we do, how do we know which vitamins are high quality? Take a tour into the history, science, and manufacturing of vitamins.Also in: Español

Tardigrades are some of the toughest animals on earth. They can survive freezing, drying up, radiation, and space, all while being smaller than the tip of a pencil.

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:…

Does being born a son or a daughter mean your reproductive success might be different? In some societies, it does. 

Love them or hate them, something is going on with male crickets on the island of Kauai. Once evenings filled with a chorus of these tiny singers has become strangely silent. Dr. Biology talks with biologist Marlene Zuk about how things are changing fast – maybe the fastest…

It is surprising how much of the land on Earth is what scientists call drylands. You might think that these areas are not crucial to life on the planet, but in fact, they are. They are also some of the most challenging places to do research. Part of the challenge is what we see above ground is only…

Can a transformed 4-acre former citrus orchard become a vibrant urban wildlife sanctuary? Dr. Biology is out of the studio to explore Julie Stromberg's remarkable riparian garden. Julie, a plant ecologist and emeritus professor at Arizona State University, shares her motivations…

Not what you might think - the study of some grasses might unlock some important understanding to many areas of science including treatments for cancer. Dr.Biology talk with Stan Feath, professor in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University and learns what secrets…
a sea urchin

Sea Urchins

Read Sea Urchins Do Research and then take this quiz to test your knowledge!

An illustration of different cell sizes and a ruler, to measure nuclear cytoplasmic ratios

Cell Size SIM

Play the Cell Size SIM

Certain cell types should have a general size and have proportionate parts. But what if those sizes and proportions are…

a salamander

Salamanders

Read He Ain't Tasty He's My Brother and then take this quiz to test your knowledge!

Monster game

Monster Maker

Play Monster Maker

Build your own monster by decoding the monster genome in Monster Maker, a DNA game. It is not very different from what…

Four mini-illustrations of a water bottle, the sun, a child, and sun protective wear (hat, glasses, and light t-shirt)

Beat the Heat

Play Beat the Heat

Staying safe in the heat is more than just a game, it can be a life saver. Luckily, you can see if you have what it takes to…

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-…

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…