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Discovering Life on a Living Planet Discovering Life on a Living Planet
| Scientists have identified, analyzed, and classified more than 1
million animal species, and theycontinue to discover new ones. The goals of
taxonomy--the science of classifying organisms--are to reveal the
relationships among living things and to illuminate the history of life on
our planet.
Taxonomy provides us with the foundation of our biological knowledge and permits us tounderstand better our place in relation to other organisms. Since its beginning, the Smithsonian has been a center for taxonomic research. Its collections contain over 60 million specimens. Viewed as a whole or in part, they stimulate our sense of wonder at the natural world's complexity, order, beauty, and mystery. |
Insects
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