What is Biological Classification?
Biological classification is a system which is used to organize and codify all life on Earth. There are a number of goals to biological classification, in addition to the obvious need to be able to precisely describe organisms. Creating a system of classification allows scientists to examine the relationships between various organisms, and to construct evolutionary trees to explore the origins of life on Earth and the relationship of modern organisms to historical examples. You may also hear biological classification referred to as “taxonomy.” Humans have been naming organisms for a very long time, and they have been trying to organize life on Earth into understandable categories for almost as long. A variety of systems have been developed at various points in time, with various drawbacks and bonuses. The system of biological classification used today was developed by Linnaeus, an 18th century scientist, although it has been refined extensively over the centuries to reflect new informa
