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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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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:…

You know you're sick, but what might you have? Is it bacteria, fungi, or viruses that are causing your illness? Learn about the differences between these pathogens and about how certain medicines can treat some, but not others.Also in: Español

The career path for biologist Kevin McGraw was set by a chance sighting through a window of a Costa Rican coffee shop.

Scorpions are often misunderstood. Many people say that scorpions are so aggressive they will sting themselves to death, but this is not a natural behavior of scorpions in the wild. Also in: Français |…

An interview with physicist Peter Vukusic. Dr. Biology gets the inside story about iridescent color, the science behind it, and believe it or not a link between science, surfing and snowboarding that you may not thought about.

2016 Ugly Bug video

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.

Step-by-step tutorial for building your own Pocket Seed Viewer. You can use it to test the effects of light, dark, temperature and gravity on seed germination and plant growth.

Rainforest virtual biome tour

Virtual Reality Tours of Biology

Explore our Virtual Tours. See the world of biology through virtual tours. Visit different environments, travel through time,…
a cartoon of a human and some animals showing internal body parts

Animal Physiology

Read Focusing on Physiology and then take this quiz to test your knowledge!

Feather Zoom Gallery (Feathers up-close)

There is nothing like seeing a feather up close.

Ant Gallery (Get up-close to ants)

Now is the time to check out these amazing animals from the safety of your own computer.

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.

Pollen Gallery (Pollen up-close)

Pollen comes in many shapes and sizes. These are just a few of the thousands of examples.

Ants in nest

Ant Farm

Farming ants might sound like a crazy thing to do unless you might like to eat chocolate covered ants. It turns out we can learn a lot from ants and the best way is to build your own ant farm.…

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Saguaro

Sonoran CSI

Little water, sweaty, hot summer days and frigid winter nights make the desert an uninviting place for most animals and plants. But hiding just below the surface, the desert is alive with…

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internet puzzle

How to Find What You Need on the Internet

Searching for things on the Internet can be like hunting for a needle in a large haystack. Just how large is the Internet?

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Plants we use for medicine

Nature's Medicine

Medicinal plants come in all shapes and sizes. Probably some of the weeds growing in your yard, fields, or even cracks in your sidewalk are medicinal. Who knew there was a different kind of…

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