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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.
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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!
We have so many great podcasts with researchers, trainees, park rangers, and more. Take a peek below to listen in.
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.
Living With a Stone Age Brain
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 120
Guest: Doug Kenrick and David Lundberg-Kenrick
Even though we live in a modern world how we act and what we do many times is controlled by our Stone Age brain. This impacts our diet, friendships, love and more. Dr. Biology sits down with authors Doug Kenrick and David Lundberg-Kenrick to get the inside story on their book - Solving Modern Problems with a Stone Age, Brain, Human Evolution and the Seven Fundamental Motives. This lively conversation can help you wrap your Stone Age brain around the challenges we face today and give you some solutions as you navigate our modern world.
The World’s Deadliest Animal
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 119
Guest: Silvie Huijben
This animal lives in almost every part of the world and kills hundreds of thousands of people each year. What might surprise you is that you certainly have had a close encounter with the world’s most dangerous creature. Dr. Biology catches up with evolutionary biologist Silvie Huijben to talk about this killer animal that is the focus of her research as well as many other scientists around the world. Be sure to make your guess about the identity of the world’s most dangerous animal before you listen to this episode.
Our Amazing but Flawed Memory
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 118
Guest: Whitney Hansen
There is more to our memory than you might think. In fact, we have three types of memory. Just how these memory systems work, and work together is the subject of this episode. We also learn that there are sometimes errors in our memory. Take a few minutes to learn how we remember things and even how to improve your memory. Dr. Biology and cognitive psychologist Whitney Hansen explore our amazing but flawed memory.
Blood-sucking Science Mystery
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 117
Guest: Charles Brown
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 acrobatic animal and how it is evolving to battle a six-legged villain. Like a good mystery, this one has yet to be fully solved.
What’s Been Cooking at SICB?
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 116
Guest: Kim Hoke, Nate Morehouse
We peek behind the curtain of SICB and the band of scientists who are investigating the world of animal communication. Scientists Kim Hoke and Nate Morehouse sit down with Dr. Biology and talk about how the Spatio-temporal Dynamics in Animal Communication group started and some of the key areas they are investigating. The two also share a little bit about their favorite study animals that use color, dance, and sound to communicate. There is even talk of real cooking and its role in science. This episode is part of a series of podcasts recorded at the Society of Integrative and Comparative
SLEAP and the Science of Movement
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 115
Guest:
No, that is not a typo in the episode title. My guests today are collaborating on the study of animal movement, including humans. Both researchers use tools to document and analyze movement in animals. One tool is a symbolic language that has been in use since 1928 and the other is a new software tool called SLEAP that uses A.I. to capture animal and plant movements. In this show, Dr. Biology gets the inside story about these tools from guests Valarie Williams and Talmo Pereira. This episode is part of a series of podcasts recorded at the Society of Integrative and
The Secret Scientist
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 114
Guest:
Changing careers can be a challenge. It can also be rewarding. And for some people it is an opportunity to fulfill a childhood dream. This is the case for John Truong who has been an artist and animator on some of the popular movies produced by Pixar, DreamWorks, and Disney. While he was and will always be an artist, he also has been hiding a secret from his friends and family. Dr. Biology sits down to talk with John about his secret that led him to his current role in a science laboratory at Caltech. This episode is part of a series of podcasts recorded at the Society of Integrative and
Lizard Push-ups and Jumping Spiders
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 113
Guest: David Clark
What does it take to attract a mate? For some animals it requires some push-ups. Other animals have a dance. And in both cases showing off some color is important. Dr. Biology catches up with biologist David Clark to learn more about his lizards and the robot lizards he has built to study these animals. The two also talk about David’s other study animal some fun jumping spiders. It turns out these eight-legged animals are fans of some movies David makes. Who knew that jumping spiders would like to watch the big screen, or in this case the tiny screen? This episode is part of a series of
Beetle Mania
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 112
Guest: Jess Kanwal
No, this episode is not about the rock band or the cute German car that people love. This show is about some curious insects that have very different relationships with ants. To be exact, this is about three species of beetles that either battle ants, live close by an ant colony, or in one case inside the ant colony. How and why these species have evolved into these different relationships with ants is part of the research of neurobiologist Jess Kanwal. In this show, Dr. Biology gets the prequel for this story. The two also talk about a familiar insect that communicates by dance. This episode
Surprised at the Science Conference
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 111
Guest: Aidan Feldman and Shawn Brush
In 1962 there was a popular Broadway musical called A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. What does this have to do with a science podcast? The thought came up because of what happened at the conference today. And what was it? It was a dance performance. In fact, there were several performances. This episode is about the unexpected, the creative, the fun, and the science that are part of the lives of more than just scientists and artists. Dr. Biology catches up with performers Aidan Feldman and Shawn Brush to talk about art and science and how they are more similar than we might
Robot Snakes and Jumping Jerboas
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 110
Guest: Talia Yuki Moore
Forget all the robots you might have seen or imagined. This biologist is making colorful coiling snakes and other robots to study animals in the wild. Dr. Biology expands his idea of what robots look like and what they can do when he meets and talks with roboticist and biologist Talia Yuki Moore. This episode is part of a series of podcasts recorded at the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology conference– also called SICB.
Glowing Vomit, Cricket Serenades, and the Evolution of Animal Communication
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 109
Guest: Niko Hensley
The life of a biologist may not be what you expect. It is not all white lab coats and microscopes. There are remote islands, makeshift shacks that serve both for sleeping and a field laboratory. For this guest, it also includes cricket serenades and nighttime scuba dives in the ocean filled with glowing displays for shrimp vomit. Really, vomit! Dr. Biology sits down with biologist Niko Hensley to learn about his research into the world of animal communication. This is the first episode in a series of podcasts recorded at the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology conference– also
The Last Stand for Ice
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 108
Guest: Stephanie Pfirman
Summer ice. Besides being cold and hard, it turns out to be critical for life on Earth. But what is it about this ice that makes it more important than other ice? Dr. Biology sits down with scientist Stephanie Pfirman to talk about summer ice and how the amount we see is shrinking rapidly. This ice is important to more than the animals and native people who depend on it to survive. It turns out it has an impact far beyond its cold edges.
Shark Tales
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 107
Guest: James Sulikowski
There is something about sharks that bring out our inner fears that sends chills down our back. But these animals have an important role in the health of our oceans. There are over 500 species of sharks, which means there is a lot to be learned about them. Like, did you know some sharks do not have any teeth. Dr. Biology catches up with James Sulikowski, a biologist and shark expert. The two talk about what we know and don’t know about these amazing animals.
Tiny Versus Mighty
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 106
Guest: Beth Pringle
It's tiny versus the mighty and a battle for an acacia tree. Dr. Biology catches up with Beth Pringle a biologist exploring the savanna of Kenya. The two talk about two animals that seem mismatched for battle that has a surprise ending. Beth is also the biologist who took us along on one of her research trips to Kenya. You can go along too in our virtual savanna trip.
What Makes You, You?
Ask A Biologist Podcast, Vol. 105
Guest: Irene Gallego Romero
It's time to jump into the topic of us, or what makes you, you. Dr. Biology connects with Irene Gallego Romero via Zoom to talk about nature versus nurture and some of the amazing things our genome does for us. If you are wondering what a genome is, no worries, they cover that in this fun discussion that takes place with the two of them over 8,000 miles apart.
We have some great videos for you to watch. Find illustrated introductions to biology subjects, tours of research labs, tours of field sites, and more.
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.
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.
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 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 Bug Contest 2011 winner
Congratulations to Seed Beetle, the 2011 Ugly Bug contest winner.
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.
Ugly Bug Contest 2013 winner
The 2013 Ugly Bug Contest has come to an end and all the clues point to a single suspect.
Ugly Bug Contest 2014 Winner
A city saved and thanks to a last minute 100 Ugly Bug Contest votes, an amazing win for the Astonishing Treehopper.
Ugly Bug Contest 2016
2016 Ugly Bug video
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