Classification: Organising Life on Earth
Scientists love putting things into neat categories, and classification helps us make sense of the millions of species on our planet. You'll need to remember the hierarchy: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species (King Philip Came Over For Good Soup!).
There are two main approaches to classification. Artificial classification groups organisms by obvious features like having five petals, but this can be misleading since unrelated species might look similar. Natural classification is far more reliable because it uses DNA sequencing and evolutionary relationships.
Modern classification focuses on phylogeny - the evolutionary history of organisms. By examining genetic similarities and common ancestors, scientists can create accurate family trees that show how all life on Earth is connected.
Real World Connection: DNA analysis has revolutionised classification - some organisms that look completely different are actually close relatives, whilst others that appear similar evolved separately!