--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It has taken biologists some 230 years to…" description: "\"It has taken biologists some 230 years to identify and describe three quarters of a million insects; if there are indeed at least thirty million, as Er..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42e/richard-leakey-14374_bacteria_it-has-taken-biologists-some-230-years-t_343817.jpg" --- # It has taken biologists some 230 years to identify and… ![“It has taken biologists some 230 years to identify and describe three quarters of a million insects; if there are indeed at least thirty million, as Erwin (Terry Erwin, the Smithsonian Institute) estimates, then, working as they have in the past, insect taxonomists have ten thousand years of…” quote by Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42e/richard-leakey-14374_bacteria_it-has-taken-biologists-some-230-years-t_343817.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42e/richard-leakey-14374_bacteria_it-has-taken-biologists-some-230-years-t_343817.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42e/richard-leakey-14374_bacteria_it-has-taken-biologists-some-230-years-t_343817.jpg) > “It has taken biologists some 230 years to identify and describe three quarters of a million insects; if there are indeed at least thirty million, as Erwin (Terry Erwin, the Smithsonian Institute) estimates, then, working as they have in the past, insect taxonomists have ten thousand years of employment ahead of them. Ghilean Prance, director of the Botanical Gardens in Kew, estimates that a complete list of plants in the Americas would occupy taxonomists for four centuries, again working at historical rates.” [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Insect and is a massive, ongoing task that will span centuries. **In simple terms:** Cataloguing insects will take thousands of years. Key Takeaway Support long‑term scientific projects. Themes science taxonomy patience Mood concerned determined Type academic informative When to use this quote - conservation planning - academic funding - museum curation - education outreach Key Concepts biodiversity research methodology Questions to Reflect On - How can we prioritize taxonomic research? - What technologies could accelerate species identification? A Different Perspective Limited resources may hinder progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bacteria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bacteria/) [Biologist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biologist/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Employment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employment/) [Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [Insects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insects/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plant/) [Smithsonian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smithsonian/) [Thousand years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand-years/) ## Related quotes > [ \[About a conference on Systematic Biology\] Many interesting statements were made that apply directly to the work of taxonomists. In some cases the interest… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-e-blackwelder/about-a-conference-on-systematic-biology-many-interesting-statements/) Richard E. Blackwelder > [“It is interesting to wonder whether taxonomists of the future may regret the way our generation messed around with genomes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/it-is-interesting-to-wonder-whether-taxonomists-of-the-future-may/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Zoological taxonomists in general are inclined to be practical workers rather than philosophers, if only because they face such an unending task that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-e-blackwelder/zoological-taxonomists-in-general-are-inclined-to-be-practical/) Richard E. Blackwelder > [There are seductions that should be in the Smithsonian Institute, right next to The Spirit of St. Louis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brautigan/there-are-seductions-that-should-be-in-the-smithsonian-institute/) [Richard Brautigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brautigan/) > [ After Gibbs, one the most distinguished \[American scientists\] was Langley, of the Smithsonian. ... He had the physicist's heinous fault of professing to know… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/after-gibbs-one-the-most-distinguished-american-scientists-was/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [“The telescope, in enabling us to look far out into space, also allows us to look back in time. Light travels at about 186,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-kurin/the-telescope-in-enabling-us-to-look-far-out-into-space-also-allows/) Richard Kurin > [Dr. S. Dillon Ripley, secretary of the Smithsonian Institute, believes that in 25 years, somewhere between 75 and 80 percent of all the species…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-nelson/dr-s-dillon-ripley-secretary-of-the-smithsonian-institute-believes/) [Gaylord Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-nelson/) > [ I've always wanted to visit \[Washington\]. The Smithsonian has some fantastic archival material on blues music, which I'm really into. There's a ton of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-moran/i-ve-always-wanted-to-visit-washington-the-smithsonian-has-some/) [Dylan Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-moran/) > [The mind is a vagrant thing ... Thinking is not analogous to a person working in a laboratory who invents something on company time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/the-mind-is-a-vagrant-thing-thinking-is-not-analogous-to-a-person/) [Daniel J. 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Nick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/we-want-you-to-break-into-the-smithsonian-always-a-pleasure-nick-said/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Perhaps the worst example of Smithsonian contempt for Jesus Christ is seen in its 1994 publication of a coffee-table book entitled Smithsonian Time Lines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/perhaps-the-worst-example-of-smithsonian-contempt-for-jesus-christ-is/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [Imagine foreign troops sitting idly, laughing as hooligans trashed the Smithsonian, stole the gold from Fort Knox and burned down the Department of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/imagine-foreign-troops-sitting-idly-laughing-as-hooligans-trashed-the/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [The Mothership is in the Smithsonian now. That's probably one of the biggest displays there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/the-mothership-is-in-the-smithsonian-now-that-s-probably-one-of-the/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) ## More by Richard Leakey > [I would hazard a guess that we have found fossilized human remains of at least a thousand different specimens in South and East Africa,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/i-would-hazard-a-guess-that-we-have-found-fossilized-human-remains-of/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [Sadly, I am not able to take part in the fieldwork myself so much anymore, as both of my legs were amputated following an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/sadly-i-am-not-able-to-take-part-in-the-fieldwork-myself-so-much/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [Elephants can live to an age of up to 70 or 80 years and they have a good memory. It could be they come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/elephants-can-live-to-an-age-of-up-to-70-or-80-years-and-they-have-a/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [Along the borders to Ethiopia and Somalia, anarchy reigns, the police and military have retreated quite some distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/along-the-borders-to-ethiopia-and-somalia-anarchy-reigns-the-police/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [To me it's a question of being able to look backward and give the present a root... To give meaning to where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/to-me-it-s-a-question-of-being-able-to-look-backward-and-give-the/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [I, too, am convinced that our ancestors came from Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/i-too-am-convinced-that-our-ancestors-came-from-africa/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [I have been raised to believe in freedom of thought and speech. If a minority wishes to accept that position it's their right. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/i-have-been-raised-to-believe-in-freedom-of-thought-and-speech-if-a/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [One should not forget that there are very few surviving items from this period, often just single, small bones, a tooth, a sliver of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/one-should-not-forget-that-there-are-very-few-surviving-items-from/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [For fossils to thrive, certain favorable circumstances are required. First of all, of course, remnants of life have to be there. These then need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/for-fossils-to-thrive-certain-favorable-circumstances-are-required/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [The language of art is powerful to those who understand it, and puzzling to those who do not. What we do know is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/the-language-of-art-is-powerful-to-those-who-understand-it-and/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [We are bipedal apes, and it should not be surprising to see that fact reflected in the way our ancestors lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/we-are-bipedal-apes-and-it-should-not-be-surprising-to-see-that-fact/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [The land is not in the least bit fertile and yet the cattle herds grow larger and larger. A cow represents capital investment here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/the-land-is-not-in-the-least-bit-fertile-and-yet-the-cattle-herds/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [The world's five thousand extant languages are products of our shared ability, but the five thousand cultures they create are separate from each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/the-world-s-five-thousand-extant-languages-are-products-of-our-shared/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [We hope to find more pieces of the puzzle which will shed light on the connection between this upright, walking ape, our early ancestor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/we-hope-to-find-more-pieces-of-the-puzzle-which-will-shed-light-on/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [I can't think of any other region in the world which is such a vast source of fossils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/i-can-t-think-of-any-other-region-in-the-world-which-is-such-a-vast/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) [Explore all 47 Richard Leakey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) ## More Bacteria quotes > [“Bacteria and viruses were the most effective allies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-hughes-galeano/bacteria-and-viruses-were-the-most-effective-allies/) [Eduardo Hughes Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-hughes-galeano/) > [...The large majority of those infectious microbes that cause us so much illness and pain are ANAEROBIC...a big word that means they live and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccabe/the-large-majority-of-those-infectious-microbes-that-cause-us-so-much/) [Ed McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccabe/) > [You can't just boss bacteria around like that," said the younger Mrs. Hempstock. "They don't like it." "Stuff and silliness," said the old lady.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-t-just-boss-bacteria-around-like-that-said-the-younger-mrs/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are more microbes per person than the entire population of the world. Imagine that. Per person. This means that if the time scale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/there-are-more-microbes-per-person-than-the-entire-population-of-the/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [“Drinking lots of alcohol makes the gut leakier, allowing microbes to more readily influence the brain. Could that help to explain why alcoholics often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/drinking-lots-of-alcohol-makes-the-gut-leakier-allowing-microbes-to/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) > [“According to pioneering microbiologist Lynn Margulis, "fully 10 percent of our own dry body weight consists of bacteria, some of which, although they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-bjornerud/according-to-pioneering-microbiologist-lynn-margulis-fully-10-percent/) Marcia Bjornerud > [Plants with leaves no more efficient than today's solar cells could out-compete real plants, crowding the biosphere with an inedible foliage. Tough omnivorous bacteria…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-eric-drexler/plants-with-leaves-no-more-efficient-than-today-s-solar-cells-could/) [K. Eric Drexler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-eric-drexler/) > [Nineteen hundred and three will bring great advances in surgery, in the study of bacteria, in the knowledge of the cause and prevention of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/nineteen-hundred-and-three-will-bring-great-advances-in-surgery-in/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Most people are surprised when they hear my somber figures: we know of 2 million species of plants, animals and microorganisms, and we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/most-people-are-surprised-when-they-hear-my-somber-figures-we-know-of/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [Harmful bacteria, viruses, calcium-forming micro-organisms, and candida are part of our world. Unfortunately, so are toxic chemicals, including everything from pesticides to car pollution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wolfe/harmful-bacteria-viruses-calcium-forming-micro-organisms-and-candida/) [David Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wolfe/) > [With one linear centimeter of your lower colon there lives and works more bacteria (about 100 billion) that all humans who have ever been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/with-one-linear-centimeter-of-your-lower-colon-there-lives-and-works/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“Eighty-five percent of recorded species live in the terrestrial realm, and the majority of these, some 850,000, are arthropods (that is, insects, spiders, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-e-leakey/eighty-five-percent-of-recorded-species-live-in-the-terrestrial-realm/) Richard E. Leakey > [As far as I am concerned, LGBT can only stand for leprosy, gonorrhea, bacteria, and tuberculosis, all of which are detrimental to human existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-jammeh/as-far-as-i-am-concerned-lgbt-can-only-stand-for-leprosy-gonorrhea/) [Yahya Jammeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-jammeh/) > [There are about 250,000 different species of fossil plants and animals known . . In spite of this large quantity of information, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-raup/there-are-about-250-000-different-species-of-fossil-plants-and/) [David M. Raup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-raup/) > [Human health should now be thought of as a collective property of the human-associate d microbiota, as one group of researchers recently concluded in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/human-health-should-now-be-thought-of-as-a-collective-property-of-the/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) [Browse all 285 Bacteria quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bacteria/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It has taken biologists some 230 years to identify and describe three quarters of a million insects; if there are indeed at least thirty million, as Erwin (Terry Erwin, the Smithsonian Institute) estimates, then, working as they have in the past, insect taxonomists have ten thousand years of employment ahead of them. 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