World of Biology

Read about research projects being conducted at Arizona State University. Many of the articles you find on this page are written by graduate students in the life sciences departments. The list is always growing so be sure to come back and visit often.

Ant close-up

Secrets of a Superorganism

Written by: 
Tate Holbrook, Rebecca Clark, and Brian Haney

Ants are everywhere - they thrive in forests, fields, deserts, and cities all over earth. But what is the secret behind their success? Like humans, ants are social. They live and work together in highly organized societies called colonies.
Also in: Español

The secrets of sleep

Secrets of Sleep

Written by: 
Sisi Gao and Patrick McGurrin
You sleep every night, but do you know what happens when your body sleeps or why we sleep the way we do?
Half human, half animal eye

Seeing Color

Written by: 
CJ Kazilek and Kim Cooper

Did you ever wonder why you see the colors you do or if other animals see the same colors that you see? We see light that bounces off of things around us. When the light enters our eyes, special cells tell our brains about the light.
Also in: Français

Fennec fox

Sensing the World

Written by: 
Dr. Biology

Living things need to be able to sense the world around them to avoid danger, find food, find mates, and for other important activities. Learn about the five senses used by many animals to sense the environment.
Also in: Français

Bird singing

Singing in the Rain

Written by: 
Alex Brashears

Many things change during the seasons, including the temperature and the amount of rain that falls. Plants and animals also change with the seasons.
Also in: Español | বাংলা

Eating mealworms

Six-legged Recipes

Written by: 
CJ Kazilek and Mary Liz Jameson

Food fit for a king or maybe a local pot-luck dinner. These six-legged recipes will be sure to have everyone talking. In some cases, you might end up the buzz of the meal.

Photosynthesis story

Snacking on Sunlight

Written by: 
Heather Kropp and Angela Halasey

If it weren't for plants, most of the other organisms on this planet wouldn't survive. Most plants can use energy from the sun to make their own food. Let's take a closer look at the complex process of photosynthesis that gives them this special ability.
Also in: Nederlands | Français | Español | Português | Türk | عربى | தமிழ்

Peas

Solving a Genetic Mystery

Written by: 
Sabine Deviche

The life and work of Gregor Mendel has some surprising pieces. Known as the father of genetics, his work was mostly unnoticed for 30 years after he published his famous paper. It is also possible this famous scientist suffered from test anxiety.
Also in: Türk

Saguaro

Sonoran CSI

Written by: 
Kirsten Traynor

Little water, sweaty, hot summer days and frigid winter nights make the desert an uninviting place for most animals and plants. But hiding just below the surface, the desert is alive with microbes—tiny, living things too small to see without magnification.
Also in: Français | Español

Astronaut

Spaced Out Physiology

Written by: 
Amy Shira Teitel

Being an astronaut is a cool job, but before you sign up you should know life in space isn’t all fun and games.  The lack of gravity can make our bodies act in strange ways.

Also in: Shqipe | Italiano

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