Listen to the Ask A Biologist Podcast

A Biology Podcast for Everyone

You have been reading about the biologists behind the Ask A Biologist website. Now you can listen to them in our popular biology podcast show. Dr. Biology has been speaking with many of the biologists that are discovering new worlds and exploring new frontiers in biology. There are over 100 episodes and we continue to add more interviews. Each show includes a full written transcript and content log.

Want to watch some of our biologists in action? We are also building a collection of biologists in the lab and the field. Pick the "Watch" tab and pick one of the shows featuring our biologists.!

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Fiona Naughton with cap on in the snow.

Biology Explained by Cats

Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 103
Guest: Fiona Naughton

Beyond viral cat videos and the millions of cute pictures of our feline friends found on various social media channels, these four-legged animals might help us to better understand science. At least my guest thinks they can give us some insights into the world of bile acids, digestion, cholesterol, and drug therapies. Listen in as Dr. Biology learns how computational biochemist Fiona Naughton's artistic side has introduced some fun and instructive insights using cute cat illustrations.
Picture of Christy Spackman smiling at the camera.

A Tasty Bite of Science

Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 102
Guest: Christy Spackman

Dr. Biology takes a bite into the world of food science with scientist Christy Spackman from the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. The two venture into the realms of taste, smell, and texture. There is talk of burgers, some of them impossible.

Bruce Strickrott

Exploring the Dark Side of the Earth

Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 101
Guest: Bruce Strickrott

Dr. Biology is out of the studio again and this time with his shoes off and inside the tiny, but powerful submarine named Alvin. He’s there to talk with the chief pilot of Alvin, Bruce Strickrott, about what it is like to explore the deep ocean. Listen in as we explore the living world, including the one that remains mostly unknown and ready for the next generation of scientists to take their shoes off and dive into dark side of the Earth.
Colleen Hansel

Superoxide, a Superhero or Supervillain?

Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 100
Guest: Colleen Hansel

Diving deep into the ocean is likely the most extreme place someone can set out to collect data, but sometimes that is what scientists need to do. In this show, Dr. Biology finds himself on board the research ship Atlantis in the floating laboratory of Colleen Hansel who is teaming up with the deep sea submarine called Alvin to track down and capture an elusive molecule that might help us understand how corals are, or are not adjusting to the rising ocean temperature.
Greg Asner in scuba gear.

High Flying Science

Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 99
Guest: Greg Asner

For hundreds of years, scientists have explored life on Earth with their feet firmly planted on the ground. Doing research was either in the laboratory, or out in the field. But in recent years exploring our planet has taken to the air. Dr. Biology gets to spend some time with ecologist Greg Asner to learn about his flying laboratory that is giving us a new view of our planet and new insights into many of our biomes.
Randy Nesse

Why We Get Sick

Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 98
Guest: Randy Nesse

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.

Arvind Varsani in front of a world map.

Virus Quest

Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 97
Guest: Arvind Varsani

One of the benefits of being a biologist can be travel. There are some researchers who travel the globe as part of their work. Arvind Varsani is a molecular virologist who studies viruses found around the world. Dr. Biology was able to catch Arvind between trips to talk about his work, including his research in the Antarctic and the mystery about some penguins that are missing their feathers.
Rosa Krajmalnik Brown

Microbes Living Inside Us

Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 96
Guest: Rosa Krajmalnik Brown

In this program we talk a lot about cells. In particular plant, animal, and microbial cells. But did you know there is a world of microbes that make their home inside and on our bodies? Before you start to worry, you need to know most of these microbes are important for us to live. In fact, without them we would not be here. This tiny world is the focus of Rosa Krajmalnik-Brown’s research. It spans the microbes that live with us and those that are helping us clean up our environment.
Grant McFadden

History, Rabbits, and a Deadly Virus

Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 95
Guest: Grant McFadden

This is the story of wild rabbits, humans, and a virus that might lead to a treatment for cancer. It is also a lesson about learning from history and how a virus that is deadly to some rabbits could become a new cancer-fighting tool for humans. Twice humans moved wild rabbits from Europe to other parts of the world with dramatic consequences. In this episode, Dr. Biology has the opportunity to learn about the myxoma virus, its history, and the work of virologist Grant McFadden.
Joe Palca

Who Do You Trust?

Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 94
Guest: Joe Palca

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.

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Ugly Bug Contest 2008

The Ugly Bug Contest has been part of the Flagstaff Festival of Science and Mt. Campus Science Day since 1997. Ask-a-Biologist is pleased to extend the contest to the world via the Web.

2009 Ugly Bug logo icon

Ugly Bug Contest 2009

The Ugly Bug Contest has been part of the Flagstaff Festival of Science and Mt. Campus Science Day since 1997. Ask-a-Biologist is pleased to extend the contest to the world via the Web.

2009 Ugly Bug Winner icon

Ugly Bug Contest 2009 winner

And the winner of the 2009 Ugly Bug Contest is...

Ugly Bug Contest 2010

You are now entering another dimension. A dimension of insects determined to be crowned the next ugly bug champion.

Ugly Bug Contest 2010 winner

A True Bug is triumphant in the Ugly Bug Contest 2010.

Ugly Bug image

Ugly Bug Contest 2011

A quiet western town waits for the arrival of the swarm of contestants for the 2011 Ugly Bug Contest. Who will be this year's most WANTED bug? 

Ugly Bugger Winner image

Ugly Bug Contest 2011 winner

Congratulations to Seed Beetle, the 2011 Ugly Bug contest winner.

2012 Ugly Bug Contest image

Ugly Bug Contest 2012

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.

Ugly Bug Contest 2012 winner

The public has decided. Congratulations Orthoptera, you have earned your 008 status.

Ugly Bug Contest 2013

Who in this mysterious cast of characters is the ugliest? Look in the study — is it Colonel Mustard? Or is Ms. Scarlet, hiding in the library, the most grotesque? Get the clues and decide on your own.

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Which came first, the ribosome or the protein?
How did ribosomes work without proteins?
Answer >>

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