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 might help us solve our own challenges. Imagine the immense power hidden within a cicada's waste jet or the swift knot-escaping antics of a California blackworm—some might think of them as quirks of evolution, but others see them as blueprints for the future of design and technology. Our conversation does ..read more

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 prevention, from the intriguing "doughnut diet" that influences migratory behavior to the critical role of soil and crop management in making fields less welcoming to these insects. Rick and Mira bring to light the importance of global cooperation and the need for a unified attack against locust invasions ..read more

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 complex concepts into engaging narratives. Get ready to discover the tightrope walk between simplification and scientific accuracy—a balance crucial for sparking curiosity without sacrificing the research's core. The two also talk about the best way to evaluate the trustworthiness of a science story. Ima ..read more

Robert Page's journey is as captivating as the creatures he studies. From his early fascination with entomology to his experiences in the Vietnam War and his parallel passion for photography, his journey is a rich tapestry of experiences. We chat about the contributions he has made to our understanding of honeybees and his books including his newest book The Art of The Bee. Tune in and join us in celebrating the incredible role these insects play in our ecosystem and the biologist who has dedicated his life to studying them. Read more: Art of the Bee Learn more: Online course on honeybees If ..read more

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 multicellular organisms. And we are learning all of this from a simple selection experiment involving yeast. Listen in and learn more about this long-running experiment that is giving us an idea of how single cells made the leap to multicell organisms. Visit: Ratcliff Lab Experiment: Snowflake yeast kit If ..read more

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. Learn more: All About This Animal from Ask A Biologist Learn more: All About ..read more

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 the one that remains mostly unknown and ready for the next generation of scientists to take their shoes off and dive into the dark side of the Earth. If you have not already, subscribe to the podcast so you can be notified about new episodes ..read more

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 do to repair itself. All of this is part of the study and practice of evolutionary medicine. If you have not already, subscribe to the podcast so you can be notified about new episodes ..read more

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 conferen ..read more

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, without them, we would not be here. This tiny world is the focus of Rosa Krajmalnik-Brown’s research. It spans the microbes that live with us and those that are helping us clean up our environment. There is even a discussion about how poop is helping treat some people and that is something you don’t usuall ..read more