For hundreds of years the scientific community has attempted to classify and categorise every living species on Earth. (Pixabay/Brusheezy/ABC Diane Dean).
Robyn Williams, The library of life on Earth, ABC Science Show, July 2019
We’ve now described about 1.75 million species on our planet – but it’s believed there are millions more that we haven’t classified yet.
Completing an inventory of living things on Earth has been an elusive and long-running endeavour for scientists.
But researchers believe new genetic tools may hold the key to finally completing this library of life.
Those tools may also allow us to compile an encyclopedia of information about each individual species – and they’re even allowing scientists to peer back into the past.
GUESTS
Dr Mark Eldridge, Principal Research Scientist, The Australian Museum, Sydney
Dr Rebecca Johnson, Chief Scientist and Director of the The Australian Museums Research Institute, The Australian Museum, Sydney
Professor Paul Hebert, Director of the Centre for Biodiversity Genomes, University of Guelph, Canada
Professor Harris Lewin, Professor of Evolution and Ecology, and Vice Chancellor for Research, University of California, Davis
Professor Katherine Belov, Professor of Comparative Genomics, and Pro-Vice Chancellor Global Engagement, University of Sydney
Dr Kieren Mitchell, Post-doctoral researcher at the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide
Associate Professor Jeremy Austin, Deputy Director of the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide
Professor Alan Cooper, Director of the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide
Dr Laura Weyrich, Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide
