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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. Be sure to subscribe using your streaming service of choice. The Ask A Biologist Podcast can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Youtube, and most podcast apps.
Check out our YouTube channel!
If you missed it, we have our own YouTube channel where we have a large collection of videos that you can watch. We list some of them under our watch section on this website, but there are many more. Be sure to check them out and just like our podcast, don't forget to subscribe!
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The Big Leap
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 130
Guest: William Ratcliff
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 to complex multicellular organisms. And we are learning all of this from a simple selection experiment involving yeast. Listen in and learn more about this long-running experiment that is giving us an idea of how single cells made the leap to multicell organisms.
Zoo Animal Fun, Games, and Wellbeing
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 129
Guest: Danielle Wong
Imagine a world where animals have the capacity to show their natural behaviors and even engineer their own environments. For this episode, we're thrilled to have Danielle Wong, the Behavioral Enrichment and Animal Welfare Coordinator at the Phoenix Zoo, who enlightens us about the importance of animal enrichment. From Chutti, the playful one-horn rhino, to Cape porcupines and birds, we're taking a deep look into how play promotes skill development, physical fitness, and stress relief among animals. Danielle also shares how zoos work together to create enriching activities and
Adventures of a Zoo Veterinarian
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 128
Guest:
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 Center for Nature Conservation. He talks with Dr. Biology about their team of dedicated professionals that not only ensures the well-being of over 3,000 animals at the Phoenix Zoo but also plays a key role in global conservation efforts. The tales of their daily challenges and the innovative solutions they
Chronicles of a Zookeeper
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 127
Guest:
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. Bert's storied career, beginning as a volunteer zookeeper at the Tulsa Zoo in 1985 to CEO of the Phoenix Zoo, has given him a wealth of knowledge and experiences which he shares with Dr. Biology. We explore the importance of zoos, and the vital role they play in research and conservation, and discuss the intricacies of running a modern zoo. Can you
An A.I. Conversation
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 126
Guest: Mina Johnson-Glenberg
Two AI bots meet in a coffee shop. This might sound like the start of a joke, but is it a joke? Today artificial intelligence (AI) is a popular topic. With new tools popping up daily it appears we are at the beginning of a brave new world. Some say the world will be amazing and others have dark predictions of human doom. Dr. Biology sits down with cognitive psychologist Mina Johnson-Glenberg to talk about A.I. and if we can really call it intelligent. But first, we need to listen in on that coffee shop conversation.
Breathtaking Biology – a metabolome adventure
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 125
Guest: Heather Bean
Take a breath and breathe out. What you just exhaled is the subject of this podcast. It is a story of over 140 thousand molecules and what we are learning about them and what a single breath might tell us about our health. Dr. Biology catches up with bioanalytical chemist Heather Bean. The two explore the world of metabolomes and metabolites, what they are, how we use them today and the future for these molecules when it comes to diagnosing and treating diseases.
Making Life Happen
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 124
Guest: Brandon Ogbunu
We hear a lot about DNA, but not as much about RNA. It is true that DNA is the encyclopedia of life or the ultimate instruction manual for living things. But what good is a book if it is not read or an instruction manual that is not used? This is where RNA comes into the story of life. It is the unsung hero, or maybe the superhero of cells. Dr. Biology has the opportunity to sit down and talk to a big fan of RNA. Computational biologist, Brandon Ogbunu talks about his early work, which he titled The Liberation of RNA, and much more in this very fun and thought-provoking episode.
The Maddest Match Around
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 123
Guest: Katie Hinde
March Madness in the past has been reserved for college basketball. But in 2013, biologist Katie Hinde and a group of scientists, writers, and other creative souls started the ultimate animal competition that expanded beyond humans – March Mammal Madness. Don’t worry, the competition is virtual. No animals are harmed. Though there might be some embarrassing defeats and even some upset fans, March Mammal Madness is all about science and learning. It is also a fun way to learn about the living world. Dr. Biology grabs a few minutes with Katie Hinde before this year’s tournament gets underway.
Drylands, Hot Topic
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 122
Guest: Heather Throop
It is surprising how much of the land on Earth is what scientists call drylands. You might think that these areas are not crucial to life on the planet, but in fact, they are. They are also some of the most challenging places to do research. Part of the challenge is what we see above ground is only a fraction of what is underground. And investigating what is going beneath the surface comes with its own set of challenges. Dr. Biology gets the inside story, what you might also say is the upside-down story of drylands from ecosystems scientist Heather Throop
Can't Live Without You
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 121
Guest: John McCutcheon
There are many types of relationships that exist in the living world. This episode dives into one special relationship that an insect has with some tiny microbes. It is a life and death story that microbiologist John McCutcheon has been exploring. Dr. Biology gets the inside story about this relationship that has been evolving for millions of years and continues to evolve today.
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Dr. Biology visits with Biologist Kate Ihle
Dr. Biology interviews research scientist Kate Ihle at Barro Colorado Island in Panama. BCI is part of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
Honey Bee Waggle Dance
Honey bees use a waggle dance to communicate the location, distance and quality of a flower to other bee workers. But what does this dance actually look like?
How to Make an Origami Protein Channel
When was the last time you folded a piece of paper to make a fun shape? Maybe you made a paper plane or tried origami to make a swan. Believe it or not, the building blocks inside your body also need to fold into the right shapes to work properly. In this activity, you can build your own protein channel from paper.
Leafcutter Ant Life
There is an endless march going on in the rainforest, as tiny farmers collect food to bring back to their fungus. Join us in the rainforests of Panama as we take a closer look at the life of the leafcutter ant.
Life in the Cold
How do animals keep warm when the temperatures drop? It is not like they can turn on heater or bundle up in a layers of warm clothes like humans do. Before you watch this video, try to think of ways animals might keep warm.
Make Your Own Pocket Seed Viewer
Step-by-step tutorial for building your own Pocket Seed Viewer. You can use it to test the effects of light, dark, temperature and gravity on seed germination and plant growth.
See DNA
Have you looked at DNA? Really, you can see DNA if you follow along with biologist Melissa Wilson. This kitchen and classroom experiment is perfect for budding biologists.
The Invisible Watery World of Plankton
When you visit a pond or the beach, what kinds of living things do you see in the water? Don’t let your eyes fool you… there’s a hidden world in water full of creatures too small to be seen!
Tiger Beetle Observations
What animal runs so fast that it temporarily goes blind? It turns out that these tiny insects are fast, but don't have enough brain power to keep up with their speed. Learn more about these tiny tigers in this video.
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