Vox senior correspondent Benji Jones recently set up insect traps in New York City’s Central Park and Prospect Park as part of a project to try to identify a new species. But this isn’t just a wild experiment. The project is based on a surprising reality: Despite how thoroughly explored places like New York seem, scientists still haven't identified most of the species on Earth. This is especially true for some insect families and other small organisms, many of which belong to what scientists call “dark taxa”: groups where the vast majority of species remain undescribed.

In this Reporter Extra, Benji explains what we can learn from this project in New York City, and why the prospect of finding a new species is so exciting (and is so important to understanding and protecting our world). 

Related links: 

https://www.vox.com/climate/489471/nyc-species-project

https://www.vox.com/climate/489704/new-york-city-new-species-discovery-project