We Are Still Discovering New Species—And Faster Than Ever Before

How Quickly Are We Discovering New Species on Earth Today?

Until recently, it was widely believed that the process of discovering new life forms had slowed down significantly around the year 1900. Nothing could be further from the truth. Researchers from the U.S. and China have demonstrated that the pace of identifying new organisms has actually accelerated—particularly in recent years.

The formal process of describing living creatures began 300 years ago in Sweden, and researchers from across the globe have continuously pursued this mission ever since. While the rate of finding new animals has fluctuated over the centuries, it has seen a marked and clear increase in the last decade.

Record-Breaking Pace: Analyzing 2 Million Species

This revelation comes from scientists at institutions including Shanxi University and the University of Arizona. The team analyzed records of approximately two million already documented species. They took a particularly close look at the period between 2015 and 2020, comparing it to the entire known history of zoological discoveries.

The results of this analysis surprised even the researchers themselves.

16,000 New Types of Living Beings Annually

The study results revealed that, on average, zoologists are discovering more than 16,000 new organisms per year. This represents the highest success rate in the history of global science. The largest group—accounting for as many as 10,000 discoveries—consisted of animals, primarily arthropods and insects. Researchers also identified 2,500 new plants and approximately 2,000 types of fungi.

“Some scientists suggested that the rate of describing new species had slowed down and that this meant we were running out of new species to discover, but our results show the exact opposite. In reality, we are discovering new species at a faster rate than ever before,” said Professor John Wiens, one of the study’s authors, as quoted by the Phys.org portal.

We Only Know One in Four Creatures

Using the ongoing research, experts estimated how many total species might actually exist. According to their projections:

• There are approximately 115,000 species of fish worldwide—so far, only about 42,000 (roughly 36%) have been described.
• There are about 41,000 species of amphibians—we know only 9,000 (less than 22%).
• There are roughly 6 million species of insects—we have identified only 1.1 million (just over 18%).

When averaging this data, it turns out we are familiar with only about 25% of the planet’s organisms. Furthermore, as noted in an article published in the scientific journal Science Advances, researchers also suggest that the total number of plant species may exceed half a million.

Animal Research is Vital for Human Life

Identifying new organisms is the first critical step toward their protection. Climate change means that parts of our ecosystem could go extinct before we even realize they exist. This accelerated pace of identification may prevent such a tragedy.

Moreover, studying newly discovered organisms brings direct benefits to humanity. In the field of medicine, these discoveries can lead to the development of new drugs and treatment methods. In technology, some new species on Earth serve as inspiration for innovation—take, for example, gecko feet, whose unique structure allows for adhesion to smooth, vertical surfaces, inspiring the creation of advanced materials.

Regardless of the future fate of individual species, one thing is certain: Earth’s biodiversity still hides most of its secrets from us, and the process of uncovering them has reached a historic momentum.

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