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How many species do we have on Earth? – Varish, 10, Michigan

June 12, 2025 melissamayer

Dear Varish,

If we count all the species that humans have described so far, it’s about 2 million. New species get added all the time—about 15,000 of them every year.

But we have no idea how many species we’ve never met. Scientists think there could be 5 million species out there. Or maybe billions.

We’ll only know for sure when we describe all those organisms.

I asked my friend Rich Zack what that means. He’s an insect scientist at Washington State University.

He told me how we identify and name a new species.

Imagine we’re in my backyard collecting insects together. We see a … » More …

Why do scientists use Latin when they name organisms? – Arielle, New York

June 5, 2025 melissamayer

Dear Arielle,

Language changes all the time. Words get new meanings. New words get made up.

I talked about it with my friend Rich Zack. He’s an insect scientist at Washington State University. He does taxonomy. That’s the science of naming and classifying living things.

The way language changes is amazing—and skibidi. It’s neat that language morphs as we use it. But that can limit how well we understand each other. Some readers might see “skibidi” and think I passed out and hit random keys.

That’s the main reason scientists use Latin or ancient Greek to name things. They’re dead languages. Nobody uses … » More …

What makes fireflies light up at night? – Asher, 7, Maryland

August 31, 2023 melissamayer

Dear Asher,

When I was a kitten, there were tons of fireflies in my grandparents’ yard. My litter mates and I loved to gently catch them and let them go.

I talked with my friend Richard Zack about how and why fireflies light up. He’s an insect scientist at Washington State University.

Those glowing insects are a kind of beetle. But we call them fireflies or lightning bugs. Their glow is a form of bioluminescence. That’s when a chemical reaction inside a living thing makes it light up.