PODCAST · science
Ask A Biologist Podcast
by Charles Kazilek (a.k.a. Dr. Biology) - School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University
You have been reading about the biologists behind the Ask A Biologist website. Now you can listen to them on our popular biology podcast show. Dr. Biology has been speaking with many biologists who 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. But wait, there's more. Many episodes also have companion content including stories, games, and activities that are available on the Ask A Biologist website to help educators integrate content from each show into the classroom. Teachers and parents of younger students can use the chapter list and transcripts to preselect segments of content from each episode for their students.
Episodes
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The Science of Learning Science - Why It Can Feel Hard (and What Helps)
From the fear of failure to the pressure of feeling like you don’t belong — what really gets in the way of success, and what can help students push through it? In this episode, Dr. Biology talks with Katelyn Cooper from Arizona State University School of Life Sciences about the powerful…
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Fast Insects, Smart Science: Tiger Beetles Rule
Tune in and get turned on to the world of tiger beetles! Dr. Biology chats with biologist David Pearson about these colorful sprinters that are not only fun to watch but also important “bioindicators” that help scientists understand the health of habitats. You’ll discover how tiger beetles…
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Sneezes, Swelling, and Smart Defenses: The Science of Allergies
Why do peanuts, pollen, or pet dander make some of us sneeze or swell up—but not others? In this episode, Dr. Biology talks with immunologist Esther Borges Florsheim from Arizona State University to explore how allergies start, why they’re becoming more common, and what’s really going on when…
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Coral Reef Checkup
Coral reefs may look like colorful rocks, but they’re actually animals living in partnership with tiny plant cells. This remarkable symbiosis powers entire ocean ecosystems. In this episode, Dr. Biology chats with Professor Liza Roger, whose Arizona State University lab is home to corals, sea...
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Biology, Books, and Movie Magic
On this podcast, we like to explore how science meets the public. In this episode, we examine the art of communication, with biologist, author, and filmmaker Randy Olson. Dr. Biology learns how Olson uses humor and creativity as powerful tools. Inspired by platforms like The Daily Show, Randy's...
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Next Gen Scientists
Can storytelling transform biology research? Join us for an engaging conversation with Kayla Burgher and Risa Schnebly, two visionary PhD students at Arizona State University. Kayla shares her research in the fishing community to protect endangered marine megafauna like sea turtles and sharks....
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Bringing Biodiversity to the City
Can a transformed 4-acre former citrus orchard become a vibrant urban wildlife sanctuary? Dr. Biology is out of the studio to explore Julie Stromberg's remarkable riparian garden. Julie, a plant ecologist and emeritus professor at Arizona State University, shares her motivations and the vital...
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Charting the Mysteries of the Mind - Unraveling Alzheimer's and Dementia
What happens when our brain fails us? As Dr. Biology, my work has never been involved with diseases that affect the mind, but I do have a personal experience with the shadowy realm of Alzheimer's and other dementias. My mother battled against this relentless adversary and I am not alone. Many...
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From Cicadas to Centrifuges - The Frugal Science Revolution
Embark on a journey through the intricate dance of nature and innovation as we welcome Saad Bhamla, a scientist at the forefront of biological engineering. Your curiosity will be rewarded as you and Dr. Biology learn about some of the smallest organisms that have sophisticated mechanisms that…
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In the Swarm's Shadow - Locust Science
Embark on a journey through the buzzing world of grasshoppers and locusts with Dr. Biology. In this episode, biologists Rick Overson and Mira Word Ries, from the Global Locust Initiative at Arizona State University dig into the world of these insects. The three delve into the methods of swarm...
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Capturing Curious Minds - Communicating Complex Science
Have you ever wondered how complex science jargon is translated into a story that captivates and educates? We've got you covered! Dr. Biology chats with James Gorman, a veteran science reporter from the New York Times, we peel back the layers of science communication, revealing how to distill...
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Monkey Tales - Learning About Stress
Dive into the behavior and physiology of two different primate species that are helping biologists explore the science of stress, aging, and immunity. Dr. Biology sits down with scientist Noah Snyder-Mackler from Arizona State University to talk about some rhesus macaques living in a seemly...
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Guardian of the Wild - A Veterinarian's Story
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…
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Secrets of the Honeybee
Robert Page's journey is as captivating as the creatures he studies. From his early fascination with entomology to his experiences while in the military and his parallel passion for photography, his journey is a rich tapestry of experiences. We chat about the contributions he has made to our...
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The Big Leap: cellular evolution
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...
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Zoo Animal Fun, Games, and Wellbeing
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...
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Adventures of a Zoo Veterinarian
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...
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Chronicles of a Zookeeper
In this episode, we begin to explore the wild and fascinating world of zoos. Our guest is none other than Bert Castro, the President and Chief Executive 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...
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An A.I. Conversation
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 (A.I.) 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...
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Breathtaking Biology – A Metabolome Adventure
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...
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Making Life Happen
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...
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The Maddest Match Around
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.…
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Drylands, Hot Topic
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…
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Can't Live Without You
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 tale that microbiologist John McCutcheon has been exploring. Dr. Biology gets the inside story about this...
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Living With a Stone Age Brain
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...
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The World’s Deadliest Animal
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…
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Our Amazing but Flawed Memory
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…
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Blood-sucking Science Mystery
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…
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What’s Been Cooking at SICB?
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...
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SLEAP and the Science of Movement
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...
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The Secret Scientist
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 would be 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…
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Lizard Push-ups and Jumping Spiders
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...
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Beetle Mania
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...
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Surprised at the Science Conference
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...
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Robot Snakes and Jumping Jerboas
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....
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Glowing Vomit, Cricket Serenades, and the Evolution of Communication
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...
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The Last Stand for Ice
It’s cold, it’s hard, and you might not think of it as critical for life on Earth, but there is some ice that is more important than you might know. 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…
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Shark Tales
There is something about sharks that bring out our inner fears. It is likely their teeth or their black eyes that are shown in scary movies and nature films that send chills down our back. But these animals have an important role in the health of our oceans. With over 500 species of sharks, there...
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Tiny Versus Mighty
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 the battle that has a surprise ending. Beth is also the biologist who took us along on one of...
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What Makes You, You?
Nature versus nurture is a topic you might have studied in school. But what does it mean for us? In short, it is what makes you the person you are today. However, nothing is simple and the science behind the story of you is just as complex. It is a tale that is more amazing than anything you…
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Living in Extreme Worlds
The idea of humans traveling to the moon and Mars to live has captured our imagination. But beyond the idea of going where no one has gone before, these places are hostile and extreme environments for the human body. Planning for long space travel and life on other worlds will require more than...
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Biology Explained by Cats
Beyond viral cat videos and the millions of cute pictures of our feline friends found on various social media channels, these four-legged animals might help us to better understand science. At least my guest thinks they can give us some insights into the world of bile acids, digestion…
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A Tasty Bite of Science
Dr. Biology takes a bite into the world of food science with scientist Christy Spackman from the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. The two venture into the realms of taste, smell, and texture. There is talk of burgers, some of them...
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Exploring the Dark Side of the Earth
Dr. Biology is out of the studio again and this time with his shoes off and inside the tiny, but powerful submarine named Alvin. He’s there to talk with the chief pilot of Alvin, Bruce Strickrott, about what it is like to explore the deep ocean. Listen in as we explore the living world, including...
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Superoxide, a Superhero or Supervillain?
Diving deep into the ocean is likely the most extreme place someone can set out to collect data, but sometimes that is what scientists need to do. In this show, Dr. Biology finds himself on board the research ship Atlantis in the floating laboratory of Colleen Hansel who is teaming up with the...
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High Flying Science
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…
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Why We Get Sick
What can evolution teach us about getting sick and how do we make use of what we are learning? Dr. Biology gets over a cold while visiting with Randy Nesse, Founding Director of the ASU Center for Evolution & Medicine. The two talk about why we get sick and some of the amazing things our body can...
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Virus Quest
One of the benefits of being a biologist can be travel. There are some researchers who travel the globe as part of their work. Arvind Varsani is a molecular virologist who studies viruses found around the world. Dr. Biology was able to catch Arvind between trips to talk about his work, including...
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Microbes Living Inside Us
In this episode, we talk a lot about cells. In particular plant, animal, and microbial cells. But did you know there is a world of microbes that make their home inside and on our bodies? Before you start to worry, you need to know most of these microbes are important for us to live. In fact,...
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History, Rabbits, and a Deadly Virus
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...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
You have been reading about the biologists behind the Ask A Biologist website. Now you can listen to them on our popular biology podcast show. Dr. Biology has been speaking with many biologists who 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. But wait, there's more. Many episodes also have companion content including stories, games, and activities that are available on the Ask A Biologist website to help educators integrate content from each show into the classroom. Teachers and parents of younger students can use the chapter list and transcripts to preselect segments of content from each episode for their students.
HOSTED BY
Charles Kazilek (a.k.a. Dr. Biology) - School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Ask A Biologist Podcast have?
Ask A Biologist Podcast currently has 144 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Ask A Biologist Podcast about?
You have been reading about the biologists behind the Ask A Biologist website. Now you can listen to them on our popular biology podcast show. Dr. Biology has been speaking with many biologists who are discovering new worlds and exploring new frontiers in biology. There are over 100 episodes and we...
How often does Ask A Biologist Podcast release new episodes?
Ask A Biologist Podcast publishes regularly with 144 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Ask A Biologist Podcast?
You can listen to Ask A Biologist Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Ask A Biologist Podcast?
Ask A Biologist Podcast is created and hosted by Charles Kazilek (a.k.a. Dr. Biology) - School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University.
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