Buy a New Species Name for a Loved One
[via Metafilter]
If you are interested in sponsoring a species, BIOPAT will consider giving it the name of your choice. Not sure about the legitimacy of this organization, but I can understand the impetus. Funding for taxonomy is pretty scarce. However, it is kind of contrary to the ideal of noble science. Still, binomial classification is increasingly becoming antiquated anyway.
By making a minimum donation of Euro 2,600, you officially assume the status of sponsor. You are then given a receipt which indicates the charitable nature of the donation and is therefore usable for tax-deduction purposes. At the same time, you receive a provisional certificate designating you as the sponsor of the new species you have selected.
- offers donors the opportunity of sponsoring a newly discovered animal or plant species and of giving this a scientific name of their own choice
- agrees sponsors’ choice of names with the researchers responsible for identifying the new species
- maintains a scientific Advisory Council that verifies the bona fides of the co-operating researchers and issues recommendations as to whether a particular species should be included in the BIOPAT sponsorship scheme. The Advisory Council is made up of staff from various research institutes. External specialists dealing with particular taxonomical groups may be brought in to help with the appraisal process.
- ensures that the names suggested by donors are allocated in a scientifically sound and formally correct manner
- provides sponsors with documentary proof of their personal choice of name for the new species in question
Tags: Taxonomy
April 9th, 2007 at 11:07 pm
Bite your tongue, Blasphemer!