Map of undiscovered species created by scientists

[Still Waters]

Less than a decade after unveiling the "Map of Life," a global database that marks the distribution of known species across the planet, Yale researchers have launched an even more ambitious and perhaps important project—creating a map of where life has yet to be discovered.

For Walter Jetz, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Yale who spearheaded the Map of Life project, the new effort is a moral imperative that can help support biodiversity discovery and preservation around the world.

"At the current pace of global environmental change, there is no doubt that many species will go extinct before we have ever learned about their existence and had the chance to consider their fate," Jetz said. "I feel such ignorance is inexcusable, and we owe it to future generations to rapidly close these knowledge gaps."

The new map of undiscovered species was published March 22 in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. A browsable version is available at mol.org/patterns/discovery .

https://phys.org/news/2021-03-undiscovered-life.html

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-021-01411-5

https://news.yale.edu/2021/03/22/yale-researchers-create-map-undiscovered-life

[+OverSword]

Did I ever read that headline incorrectly. 

[jethrofloyd]

Quote

''For instance, large animals with wide geographical ranges in populated areas are more likely to have already been discovered. New discoveries of such species are likely to be rare in the future''

https://phys.org/news/2021-03-undiscovered-life.html

Poor odds for the bigfoot to exist.

[Tom1200]

"Yale researchers stating the bleedin' obvious" state the bleedin' obvious.

In a bewildering display of mind-numbingly mundane pointlessness, Yale researchers told us stuff we've understood for centuries.  "Maybe people don't know this, but some animals are big and others are small," explained Yale researcher Phyllobates Terribilis.  "If you want to see big ones you can go to a zoo but if you want to see little ones you might need a magnifying glass."

"That's absolutely right Phyllobates," grovelled Yale researcher Heracleum Mantegazzianum obsequiously.  "Big animals are easier to spot than little ones because they are big, whereas little ones are little."

"Thank you Heracleum," replied Phyllobates.  "Without your incisive inputs we might never have made this hugely important breakthrough.  Here is Yale researcher Conepatus Humboldtii to explain how we are going to grub for more grant money, by blaming this hugely important breakthrough on climate change, or maybe covid."

[L.A.T.1961]

I thought it might be attempting something more adventurous, a bit like with periodic tables, where they can be used to predict new elements.

Or in this case new life forms, which it isn't.  

 

  

[Twin]

UM- What? Did they make a map of Big Foot territory?