Looking for the legacy site? Click here

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

Read our stories

Listen and watch

Enjoy our activities

View zoom galleries

Solve puzzles

Did you know the westerly winds in the Southern Ocean have been helping to keep our planet livable? Yes, they have been responsible for soaking up half of the human-made carbon dioxide (CO2) along with a whole lot of excess heat. Dr. Biology has the opportunity to talk with geoscientist

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…

Have you ever noticed that most people do not drink alcohol while pregnant? Let’s learn about why doing that is so important.

For biologist Kate Ihle the rainforest holds the secret of her favorite insect. Wearing their their irredesent greens and blues, orchid bees are slowing sharing their story of life in the jungle. Also in: Nederlands | Español

Professor Susanne Neuer from the ASU School of Life Sciences talks about her research and how a person in the southwest desert can be studying deserts in the oceans. Yes, we said deserts in the ocean. Listen in to find out why.

Part of what makes science fun and challenging is solving puzzles and investigating mysteries. For this episode, Dr. Biology sits down with ecologist Charles Brown and the two talk about his 40-year journey of discovery and rediscovery. This is a curious story that involves an…

Welcome to an exciting journey that takes you through the wild and fascinating world of zoos. Our guest for this episode is none other than Bert Castro, the President and Chief Exective Officer of the Arizona Center for Nature Conservation.…

Dr. Biology travels to the Tres Rios wetlands, a place where all types of living things can be found. He talks with local biologists about many of the species and also gets a chance to sit down and talk with Quentin Wheeler who is starting a new Institute that will be exploring…

Some bacteria and antibiotics

Antibiotics vs Bacteria

Read Antibiotics vs Bacteria: An Evolutionary Battle and then take this quiz to test your knowledge!

a cartoon of the rainforest biome

Tropical Rainforest Biome

Read Revealing the Rainforest and then take this quiz to test your knowledge!

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…

Pollen Gallery (Pollen up-close)

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

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.

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.

Two green salamanders

He Ain't Tasty He's My Brother

While cannibalism is fairly common among insects and crustaceans, most backboned animals avoid feeding on their own kind.

Wordsearch | Crossword
Itty Bitty Beasts

Itty Bitty Beasts

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.

Wordsearch | Crossword
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…

Wordsearch | Crossword
Bird puzzle

Feather Biology

Almost everyone has wished at one time or another to be able to fly like a bird. Just the thought of soaring above your city or town without any mechanical device gives us a reason to envy…

Wordsearch | Crossword