A research team led by UC Berkeley scientists has defined a new branch on the tree of life after sequencing about 800 largely unknown bacteria genomes. The researchers classified these very small ...

The discovery of two new species of organisms off the coast of Southeast Australia has completely perplexed researchers, because, according to the New York Times, they “defy all existing ...

The history of life stretches back untold eons. Today, there is a staggering array of organisms on Earth, with more species being discovered every year. The complexity of life, from the smallest ...

Fish, flies and bears, oh my! A new research breakthrough gives genetic proof of how differences in (very different) animals develop. An international team of biologists has identified the molecular ...

Humans make stuff up—including the names and classifications of living things. But those categories are still useful. In this episode of Crash Course Botany, we’ll explore how taxonomy and systematics ...

For taxonomists, days often start – and sometimes end – with the question: what’s that? Whether you’re an entomologist, staring at a new species of riffle bug from a rainforest stream, or a ...

Life is ubiquitous on Earth and appears in a diversity of forms. But what characteristics do organisms have? What makes them alive? This activity explores that question. In the first part of the ...