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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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Here's the 2012 crop of Ugly Bug candidates. You can help elect the insect that will be the winner and perhaps the next 00 secret agent. Who knows - James Bond might need a few extra hands or legs - like maybe 6.…

A tiny creature that flies and swims at the same time caught the attention of Arizona State University Professor Richard Satterlie a few years ago.

Did you ever wonder why you see the colors you do or if other animals see the same colors that you see? We see light that bounces off of things around us. When the light enters our eyes, special cells tell our brains about the light. Also in: Français…

Wait - there's more! Dr. Biology and co-host Jane Rector continue their visit with Jennifer Fewell, a biologist who is exploring the world of social insects including ants. There is even some talk of how professional basketball teams could learn a thing or two…

No, that is not a typo in the episode title. My guests today are collaborating on the study of animal movement, including humans. Both researchers use tools to document and analyze movement in animals. One tool is a symbolic language that has been in use since 1928 and the other is a new…

Imagine a day at work where your clients range from tiny reptiles to massive elephants, each with their own unique health needs. That's a regular day for our guest in today's episode, Dr. Gary West, the Senior Vice President of Animal Health and Living Collections at the Arizona…

Have you ever wondered how evolution operates at a cellular level? Dr. Biology has a conversation with evolutionary biologist William Ratcliff in an episode that investigates the process of how single cell mutations can make the leap to coordinated groups of cells and ultimately…

Yes! You can do science at home and in your classroom. Biologist Melissa Wilson walks you through a fun experiment with proteins.
a sea urchin

Sea Urchins

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

Dog Personality

Your Dog's Personality

How well do you know your dog? You'll find out lots more about your pet's personality by answering the questions in this chart.

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.

Plankton Zoom Gallery (Plankton up-close)

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

Pollen Gallery (Pollen up-close)

Pollen 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.

Two illustrated bats

Bats

Like humans, bats are mammals. They are warm-blooded, covered in hair, have live young, and nurse their young (called pups). Unlike humans, bats have wings, which allow them to fly.Also in:…

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Two ants carrying a puzzle piece

Ants

There are so many types of ants that it's funny the animated movie about them centers on one type that doesn't exist: a male worker ant. In this story you can explore some of the types of ants…

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Endangered animal list

Making the List

By the time the first endangered species list was made, many species had already gone extinct.  Some species, like whooping cranes, were almost extinct at that time.  But the US…

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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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