Catalog

First-of-its-kind global catalog of bird shapes yields ecological ‘gold mine’ | Science

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In 2012, evolutionary biologist Catherine Sheard started an ambitious Ph.D. project: measuring the shape of every kind of passerine, or perching bird, in the world. “I thought, ‘This is about 6000 species, that almost seems doable,’” Sheard says. It was, and her project catalyzed an international effort to measure all the world’s birds. Now, a … Read more

DNA in Air Can Catalog Hidden Insects All Around Us

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A decade ago, biologists and natural historians around the world launched ambitious goals to create inventories of our planet’s biodiversity. After all, they said, you can’t save what you don’t know exists. Even some high estimates suggest that only a quarter of Earth’s species have been described by science, raising concerns about the big picture amidst rising … Read more