A new estimate pegs the number of species on Earth at 8.7 million

Scientists have used a novel analytical technique to narrow down their estimate of the number of species on Earth to 8.7 million. This number used to range from 3 to 100 million because it was based on guesses and opinions. The research team included Alastair Simpson, a Fellow in CIFAR’s Integrated Microbial Diversity program. They were able to refine their estimate by identifying patterns in the taxonomic classification system – used to group forms of life. The team’s calculation reveals that 6.5 million species inhabit land and 2.2 million dwell in the ocean. Read more