See this earlier CauseScience post for more information on this awesome video exhibit!

Shelf Life Episode 2 – Turtles and Taxonomy

Individual specimens may hold great beauty in the eye of the uninitiated observer, but for scientists, the real wonder lies in the connections that inspire research questions. Herpetology Curator Darrel Frost talks taxonomy—the science of classification.

For even more taxonomy and a brief (yet discerning) history of Western classification, head over to the episode website for some beautiful volumes from the Museum’s Rare Book Collection:
http://www.amnh.org/shelf-life/shelf-…

Shelf Life is a collection for curious minds—opening doors, pulling out drawers, and taking the lids off some of the incredible, rarely-seen items in the American Museum of Natural History. Over the next year, Shelf Life will explore topics like specimen preparation, learn why variety is vital, and meet some of the people who work in the Museum collections. Videos roll out monthly, and Episode 3 will premiere on January 15, 2015.