Bonobos and chimpanzees look a lot alike and they use similar gestures or movements to communicate. But do the same gestures always mean the same thing?
Ask A Biologist
Biology Stories
Explore the world of biology and meet some of our biologists. Here you can learn about the living world and find out what is so cool about biology that someone would do it for a living. Pick a story to read or listen to one of our podcast shows filled with guest scientists who share their experiences and passion for discovery.
People always seem to get the flu more often during the colder months. Scientists set out to investigate why the flu virus is more common when it's cold outside.
Insects are found in both rural and urban environments, but do they have a preference? Scientists are studying how urban environments affect an insect's chances of survival.
Viruses are everywhere, and most are harmless, but that isn’t the case for the SARS coronavirus. Where did this virus come from?
Where in the world is Kazakhstan (Ka-zakh-ston)? This may be a puzzling question to some, but no longer. This story we will help put the pieces together.
Humans change the world around us in many ways, cutting down trees, building roads, using resources. But what happens when we try to restore some of the things an area has lost? And should we try to do so?
The evening news, your local paper, online websites, blogs, twitter, Facebook, and yes podcasts all are communicating the latest science news. In this mix of messages are often conflicting stories about what is good and bad for you. It also seems that every other day there is a cure for cancer or some other disease. With all this messaging, who do you trust? Dr. Biology has a chance to talk with Joe Palca, a longtime science correspondent, about who we should trust and science communication.
Do we really need to sleep? What about other animals? Scientists examine whether sleep is really necessary, and what happens when animals do sleep.
Imagine you are on a sailing ship in 1747. You left England only a couple of months ago and you felt fine. Now you are so tired you can barely walk. Dr. Lind wants to discover what is causing you so much pain that you can't work.
Ever wonder how our arms and legs know how fast and how long to grow? So have scientists.
When we start talking about turtles crossing roads, you may think it's a joke. But crossing roads and highways is serious business for reptiles and many other animals. Is there any way to keep them safe?
Head injury in humans and other animals are bad news. So how is it that woodpeckers can peck wood all day without injuring their brains?
What would life be like on other planets? This is just one of many questions that Biochemist and author Nick Lane talks about while visiting with Dr. Biology. Listen in as Nick explores not only life on our Earth, but also what it might be like on other planets. Nick also reads from his book, The Vital Question, and weighs in on the question of viruses - are they living or non-living?
What can evolution teach us about getting sick and how do we make use of what we are learning? Dr. Biology gets over a cold while visiting with Randy Nesse, Founding Director of the ASU Center for Evolution & Medicine. The two talk about why we get sick and some of the amazing things our body can do to repair itself. All of this is part of the study and practice of evolutionary medicine.
An interview with biologist Raul Gutierrez. Dr. Biology and his co-host Taylor Cheatham learn about some very cool desert plants and some non-desert plants that are just wicked.
Our biological sex determines a lot about the way our bodies look and function. But what determines our biological sex?
Listen in as young women scientists, CG Schultz and Jessica Mathews, talk about their work and interview ASU ecologist Kiona Ogle. Pauline Davies hosts the show as Dr. Biology is still exploring the Panama rainforest to bring back fun and exciting stories. We hope he is not lost.
Listen in as young women scientists, Farah Eltohamy, Amanda Benedetto and Sarah Sakha talk about their work and interview ASU biologist Susan Holechek. Pauline Davies hosts the show as Dr. Biology is exploring the Panama rainforest to bring back fun and exciting stories.
So you think zombies are only on television and in the movies, think again. Dr. Biology learns the details of a nasty fungus and something called the "death grip" from biologist David Hughes. It turns out there are real live, well maybe not live, zombies. The good news is this fungus attacks ants and not humans.
Do zombies really exist? The do... at least in the world of ants. Learn how some ants are made into zombies and find out what ants can do to avoid being zombified.