This could bee - yes, bee - a key to our sweet tooth and possibly a way to learn more about diabetes.
Ask A Biologist
Biology Stories
Explore the world of biology and meet some of our biologists. Here you can learn about the living world and find out what is so cool about biology that someone would do it for a living. Pick a story to read or listen to one of our podcast shows filled with guest scientists who share their experiences and passion for discovery.
Some organisms, like this fungus, are able to glow, as if they were from an alien planet. But until recently, plants couldn't glow. Learn how scientists have found a way to make plants glow here on Earth.
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 called SICB.
Growing cells outside our bodies in tiny plastic dishes might seem a bit complex. But scientists have been doing this for many years now. It has opened our eyes to the bustling life inside our tiny cells and has led to some life-saving technologies.
In a world where animals, humans, and the environment are forever linked, the health of wildlife is a cornerstone for the well-being of all. In this episode, we embark on an extraordinary journey with Sara Wyckoff, a wildlife veterinarian from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and a proud ASU alumna. Listen in and learn about her story and evolution from a hopeful wildlife biologist to a passionate wildlife veterinarian, underscoring the perseverance and dedication required to merge a love for the wild with the rigors of veterinary science.
Hacking is a word that is often tied to something bad. However, there are times when hacking can be for something good. Think of it as a tool that can be put to use for good or bad. We also think of hacking as something only done with computers, but can we hack other things? Dr. Biology has the opportunity to sit down with scientist Klaus Lackner to talk about how he is hacking the environment in order to pull carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the air. If he succeeds, it could help reduce CO2 in the atmosphere and redirect it towards better uses.
Have you wondered if it was possible to be a cyborg? Half man and half machine? Scientists are conducting experiments to see how brains control robotic limbs.
The desert is a tough place to live – food may be tough to find, rain only comes in certain seasons, and the temperatures can be hard to handle. How does one special lizard, the Gila monster, deal with these difficulties?
While cannibalism is fairly common among insects and crustaceans, most backboned animals avoid feeding on their own kind.
McGaughey (pronounced McGoy) is a researcher at Arizona State University who studies reproduction of mammals. He is a consultant at a hospital, where he is part of a team that implants fertilized eggs into the uterus of women who have not been able to conceive a baby by other methods.
Our biological sex is mainly controlled by our sex chromosomes. But sex hormones also influence what body parts and characteristics we have.
Even a toddler can recognize his mother's voice on the phone, but what parts of the brain help match voices and faces in your brain?
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.
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.
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?
What happens when the ocean gets really hot, really fast? Every few years, the El Niño pattern heats up the ocean quickly. Now global warming is also having an impact on coral reefs.
Temperature is important to all organisms, including you. Professor Angilletta studies the thermal biology of animals, which means that he investigates how different temperatures affect them.
