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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.

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Evolutionary biologist Silvie Huijben

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.

Whitney Hansen

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.

Ecologist Charles Brown

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.

Scientists Kim Hoke and Nate Morehouse

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 Biology conference– also called SICB

Valarie Williams and Talmo Pereria

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 Comparative Biology conference– also called SICB.

John Truong - artist, animator, and ant keeper. In front of a Frozen poster.

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 Comparative Biology conference– also called SICB.
Biologist David Clark

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 podcasts recorded at the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology conference– also called SICB.,
Jess Kanwal in the lab

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 is part of a series of podcasts recorded at the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology conference– also called SICB.
Dance performers Shawn Brush and Aidan Feldman

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 think. This episode is part of a series of podcasts recorded at the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology conference– also called SICB.
Roboticist Talia Yuki Moore

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.

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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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A white and black seagull with an orange and red beak
What do the different calls of gulls mean?
Answer >>

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