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Games and Simulations

Sometimes the best way to learn biology is by playing a game or using a simulation. For this reason some of our stories and activities include companion games. Here is list of our current collection of fun biology games. Please note that these biology games are now in HTML5 and are no longer require Flash. We hope you enjoy them.

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 stay cool in a hot situation in this game. Tackle quests, find tips, and learn about heat strategies while you keep your cool in Beat the Heat.

Also in: Español

Bee Learning Lab

Visit the Bee Learning Lab

Take a trip with us today into the Bee Learning Lab. Train bees in your very own experiment and see how you can make them learn faster or slower. Ready to get started?

Bee Waggle Dance Game

Play the Bee Dance Game

Did you know that honey bee workers tell their sisters where to find the best flowers and nectar with a dance? It is called the waggle dance. You can now learn the dance and find out if you have what it takes to be a bee.

To learn more about honey bees, visit our story Bee Bonanza.

Beetle Dissection

Explore the Beetle Dissection

The outside of beetles can be shiny, dull, or extremely colorful. But what is going on inside of beetles? Take a virtual look inside the body of a beetle with this Beetle Dissection Tool.

Explore on your own or follow our Beetle Dissection Activity. Visit Beetle Dissection Central for more.

Busy Bones

Explore the Bone Anatomy Viewer

Ever wonder what’s inside your bones? Here’s your chance to find out! Dissect a virtual bone and learn about the busy world of bones. You can saw, cut away layers, scoop, and zoom into the different parts of a bone.

To learn more, visit Busy Bones.

Cell Parts Game

Explore the Cell Viewer Game

Cells are the basic building blocks of life, but what all do cells hold? You can now look inside of cells to learn more about their parts in our Cell Viewer.

To learn more about cells and cell parts, visit Building Blocks of Life for more of the story.

Also in: Suomi

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 different than they should be? The size of the nucleus versus the size of the cytoplasm in a cell is an important measure – it can tell us if something might be wrong with that cell. Explore more about this "NC ratio" in Cell Size SIM.

To learn more about cells, visit The Building Blocks of Life.

COVID SIM Pandemic Simulation

Explore COVID SIM.

In the COVID-19 pandemic, how much does wearing masks and distancing matter? How important is it to get vaccinated? You can now explore and visualize these questions as you figure out how you could slow the pandemic.

To learn the latest about the COVID vaccines, the number of people who have been vaccinated, and more, visit our story page COVID-19 Vaccines.

Cracking CRISPR

Play Cracking CRISPR

DNA is the key to life, so it's no wonder that we've been working to crack the code. With the tool CRISPR Cas9, we've been able to efficiently edit certain DNA to have specific changes that we want. CRISPR is an important tool, so understanding how it works will be a great addition to anyone's tool belt. Learn about DNA basics, CRISPR Cas-9, and other tools that are used in the process of editing genes by playing Cracking CRISPR.

To learn even more about CRISPR, from edits to ethics, visit

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 an interconnected system in Doctor Know. Use innovative tests and treatments to heal your patients in this medicine-based game.

To learn more, visit the Doctor Know Companion Section.

How realistic is the movie Contagion?

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