Reference genome assemblies are foundational resources across the biological sciences as they begin to expose the fundamental building blocks of each species and the molecular toolkits vital for adapt...

Project has read 3000 genomes but needs billions to finish grand vision of sequencing all complex life

I reported about the Earth BioGenome Project, which aims to obtain genome sequences for all eukaryotic species known to science, when it launched back in 2018. Since then, continuing progress in technology has enabled the project to keep on its somewhat ambitious course, so it now is approaching the finish of phase I (out of three) and beginning to make detailed plans for phase II. Which means it's a good time for a new feature about the project. The focus of attention this time lies on the fact that much of the biodiversity yet to be sequenced resides in the countries of the Global South, so the project needs to build capacity where the species are found. My feature is out now: **All eukaryotes great and small** Current Biology Volume 35, Issue 20, 20 October 2025, Pages R937-R939 Restricted access to full text and PDF download (will become open access one year after publication) Magic link for free access (first seven weeks only) See also my new Mastodon thread where I will highlight all this year's CB features. My mastodon posts are also mirrored on Bluesky (starting 22.2.2025), but for this purpose I have to post them again, outside of the thread. (I think threads only transfer if the first post was transferred, so once I start a new thread it should work.) Last year's thread is here . The African BioGenome Project aims to contribute genome sequences for more than 100,000 species. (Photo: Antonius Smal/Unsplash.)

El projecte europeu s'emmarca dins la iniciativa internacional del Biogenoma de la Terra, que pretén seqüenciar tots els animals, plantes i fongs del planeta per preservar la biodiversitat.