The tree of life is an ancient religious symbol in many faiths. Now, thanks to big data, you can see where every known species fits on the tree of life using Onezoom.org.
Search for your favorite animal, tree or fungus and you’ll see when it evolved and what it’s related to. The search below is for “bear.”
Red leaves indicate a species under threat of extinction, green is okay for now, and gray indicates the species status is unknown.
OneZoom was developed by Imperial College London biodiversity researcher Dr. James Rosindell and University of Oxford evolutionary biologist Dr. Yan Wong. In a paper published today in Methods in Ecology and Evolution, Drs Wong and Rosindell present the result of over ten years of work, gradually creating what they regard as “the Google Earth of biology”.
https://phys.org/news/2021-12-visually-stunning-tree-life-unveiled.html
What you can do
- Choose a hot spot or species and donate to nonprofits working to protect them.
One of my favorite, lesser-known charities is Rainforest Trust. On their website, you can choose specific species or projects so you know what your money is going toward. Can’t decide? Simply select their Conservation Action Fund or Climate Action Fund.
2. Research where your purchases come from.
Is that dining table made from certified sustainably harvested wood? Is that food item or cosmetic made with palm oil and if so is it from a sustainable source? Is your coffee shade-grown and fair trade?
Darcy Hitchcock 
Reblogged this on Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News.