Science intends to tag/document ALL of Life.

[Dover]

Science intends to tag all life
By Jonathan Amos
BBC News science reporter



Science is engaged in a huge stocktaking exercise
Scientists are to establish a giant catalogue of life - to, in effect, "barcode" every species on Earth, from tiny plankton to the mighty blue whale.

Initial projects will focus on birds and fish, recording details in their genetic make-up that can be used to tell one life form from another.

The initiative was launched in London at the International Conference for the Barcoding of Life.

Researchers concede it will take many years to complete the task.

"About 1.7 million species are known - we suspect there are anything from 10-30 million species on Earth," explained Dr Richard Lane, director of science at London's Natural History Museum.

"We have discovered that it is quite possible to have a short DNA sequence that can characterise just about every form of life on the planet." ...cont'd

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4251309.stm

[rzemanfl]

1. What? Just before Bush ends it. What for? n/t

[Maple]

2. Great idea!

It's about time we did inventory with a lot of things, and this is a good start.

[htuttle]

3. Just so that they don't miss the forest for the trees, so to speak

While we're (as a species) busy disassembling everything in sight to see how life works, we should look up now and again to see how life on Earth all fits together, too.