ShareClassify - How Many Kingdoms Are There?
Classification,
like almost everything in science is continually changing. You may be
familiar with the modern classification system. This system arranges
organisms into Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species.
This system has not always existed. It was developed by Carolus Linnaeus
in the 1700s.
How
many Kingdoms of living things are there? You may have read in a textbook
that there are six: Archaebacteria, Eubacteria, Protists, Fungi, Plants,
and Animals. If you look at a textbook from ten or so years ago, you
will likely only find five kingdoms. This method was used earlier in
Sci-ber text in Unlocking the Mysteries! If you look at an even older textbook, you will only find two (plants
and animals). What if you look at a textbook ten years from now? You
may see even more kingdoms! Some scientists argue that Viruses should
be included with living things and that they should have their own Kingdom.
This would bring the number of kingsoms up to seven. Perhaps it will
increase with new scientific discoveries.
Let’s
back up more than 2000 years to the time of Aristotle. He was the first
person we know about to come up with a classification system. His system
was very simple compared with the one we currently use. He divided living
things into plants and animals. The plants were then divided into three
groups: herbs, bushes, and trees. Animals were also divided into three
groups: land, water, and air animals. We now know that this classification
system is too simple. It, however, was a good way to start the process
of classification.
Why so much change over time? Well, as we learn more and more about organisms, we have to adapt the classification systems to better fit the new information. Will the classification system change again? By the time you are as old as your science teacher, you will certainly see more changes. DNA research is providing new information about living things. Based on the new information, scientists may change how organisms are classified.
When
do you think that classification will stop changing? When we know everything!
Actually, we will probably never be able to know everything because
as plants and animals evolve and change, there will be new things to
learn. We may also find new living things to study as we continue to
explore space and discover new planets. Who knows, you may become famous
by discovering a new species!
Congratulations, you have reached the end of Sci-ber text! You may review any part of Sci-ber text by using the links at the bottom of this page. Look forward to using Sci-ber text next year as part of your studies in eighth grade.
