The recent surge in extinction rates only made the quest more urgent, the scientists said. Knowing how many species there are and taking steps to ramp up the search and description could lead to more discoveries that benefit mankind. Humans derive huge benefits from the richness of life on the planet, from foods to medicines, to clean air and water.
Scientists have long tried to classify life on Earth and to finally figure out how many species there are but estimates have varied wildly from 3 million to 100 million. More than 1.2 million species have been formally described and named so far. The study, published in the open-access journal PLoS Biology on Wednesday, vastly increases the estimated richness of life on the planet.
A professional diver wearing a mermaid costume feeds fish inside a giant aquarium as part of celebrations for Christmas at the Sea Life Centre in the western German city of Oberhausen, December 16, 2010.
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