Science Common Sense

478 - How do we categorize living organisms in science?

In science, we categorize living organisms using a system called taxonomy. It's like a big filing system to help us group similar living things together.

We start with the biggest group, called a 'Domain', and then break it down into smaller groups:

1. Domain (biggest group): There are three domains - Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya.
2. Kingdom (next smaller group): Examples are animals, plants, fungi, and more.
3. Phylum (next smaller group): These are groups within a kingdom.
4. Class (next smaller group): Example, mammals or birds.
5. Order (next smaller group): Example, carnivores or primates.
6. Family (next smaller group): Example, cats or humans.
7. Genus (next smaller group): This is the Latin name for a group of living things, like 'Felis' for cats.
8. Species (smallest group): This is the scientific name for a specific living thing, like 'Felis catus' for domestic cats.

This system helps scientists understand relationships between different living organisms.