Ask A Biologist Podcast

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.

Image: James Gorman with a wolf pup.

Read more: About James Gorman
Read more: The Total Penguin
Learn More: Who Do You Trust?
Watch: ScienceTake

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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 tropical paradise and the geladas that live high in the Ethiopian mountains. Discover how these monkeys, their experiences, and their environment might illuminate the path to improving our physiological resilience.

Hear more about stress: Stressed Out | podcast
Read about stress: Why can some monkeys live high in the mountains?
Watch: 60 Minutes story on Monkey Island

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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.

Learn more: One Health Initiative

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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 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

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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

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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 animal enrichment. From Chutti, the playful one-horn rhino, to Cape porcupines and birds, we're taking a deep look into how play promotes skill development, physical fitness, and stress relief among animals. Danielle also shares how zoos work together to create enriching activities and environments for animals, making this a must-listen for all zoo animal enthusiasts.

Image: Danielle Wong with Chutti the one-horn rhino playing in the background.

Visit the Phoenix Zoo

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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 Conservation. He talks with Dr. Biology about their team of dedicated professionals that not only ensures the well-being of over 3,000 animals at the Phoenix Zoo but also plays a key role in global conservation efforts. The tales of their daily challenges and the innovative solutions they implement provide a fascinating glimpse into the world of zoo veterinary medicine.

Visit the Phoenix Zoo
Biology careers A to Z
The selfie image is Dr. Gary West with Ali the Aldabra tortoise.

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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 of the Phoenix Zoo, has given him a wealth of knowledge and experiences which he shares with Dr. Biology. We explore the importance of zoos, and the vital role they play in research and conservation, and discuss the intricacies of running a modern zoo. Can you guess how much AZA zoos and aquariums contribute every year toward conservation efforts?  Tune in to find out.

And... this is one of three episodes we recorded at the Zoo. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you do not miss our next fun and interesting guests.

Learn more: Keeping Your Cool - Thermoregulation
Visit the Phoenix Zoo

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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 predictions of human doom. Dr. Biology sits down with cognitive scientist Mina Johnson-Glenberg to talk about A.I. and if we can really call it intelligent. But first, we need to listen in on that coffee shop conversation.

Learn more: Life 3.0 podcast episode
Learn more: The World’s Deadliest Animal podcast episode
Visit: Embodied Games

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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 explore the world of metabolomes and metabolites, what they are, how we use them today and the future for these molecules when it comes to diagnosing and treating diseases.

Learn more: Human Breath Atlas
Visit: The Bean Lab

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