Biological ‘moonshot’ accelerates efforts to genetically map life on Earth

(Press-News.org) Published in Frontiers in Science, this is the new ambition of the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP)—a global network of scientists sequencing the genomes of Earth’s eukaryotes. Its goal? To create a digital library of DNA sequences that will help us preserve and protect life on Earth and tackle rapid environmental change. 

With a growing network of more than 2,200 scientists in 88 countries—including flourishing local and Indigenous research communities in the Global South—EBP is making discoveries that could help assure food security, advance medicine and agriculture, and drive a deeper global understanding of biodiversity to support conservation and pandemic prevention. 

Biological ‘moonshot’ 

EBP began global DNA sequencing in 2020 and is now sequencing genomes 10 times faster.  

New innovations to meet this ambitious ‘moonshot’ include portable ‘pop-up’ labs to expand sequencing capacity, as well as boosting engagement and inclusion in the world’s biodiversity-rich yet remote regions.  

“As biodiversity loss gathers pace, so must our work,’ said senior author Prof Harris Lewin at Arizona State University, in the US. “Our growing digital ‘genome ark’ is shifting what’s possible in genomics from isolated, expensive sequencing efforts to a global, scalable, and inclusive enterprise.” 

Strong roots 

By the end of 2024, EBP-affiliated projects had published 1,667 genomes covering more than 500 eukaryotic families. Network researchers also deposited a further 1,798 genomes meeting EBP standards, bringing the total number of genomes to 3,465.  

These data have illuminated the origins and evolution of life on Earth, and the role of genetic diversity in species’ ability to adapt to change. For example, they have helped reveal how Svalbard reindeer adapted to Arctic conditions, and how chromosomes evolved in butterflies and moths. The project’s research methods are also helping to improve tools such as environmental DNA (eDNA), which uncovers new lifeforms through the genetic footprints they leave behind.  

“We have laid the roots to build our digital ‘tree of life’—and our early outputs are already reshaping what we know about evolution, ecosystem function, and biodiversity,” said lead author Prof Mark Blaxter at the UK’s Wellcome Sanger Institute. 

Ambitious goals 

As EBP enters the second of its three phases, Phase II brings ambitious new goals that will rapidly accelerate the project’s work.  

Building on Phase I, Phase II aims to sequence 150,000 species—half of all known genera—within four years. It will prioritize species that are important to ecosystem health, food security, pandemic control, conservation, Indigenous peoples and local communities. 

It also aims to collect 300,000 samples, around half of which will form the basis of Phase III. 

Achieving this will require sequencing 3,000 new genomes per month—more than 10 times faster than current rates. The authors say that advances in technology are on their side: genome sequencing is now eight times cheaper than just a few years ago, which means budgets stretch further and work can accelerate. 

“It’s a biological moonshot in terms of the scale of ambition. As species vanish and ecosystems degrade, we aim to capture and preserve the biological blueprint of life on Earth for future generations,” said Prof Blaxter. "Understanding the origins and evolution of life on Earth is a human pursuit equivalent to understanding the origins and evolution of the universe."

Genome lab in a box 

The EBP’s authors highlight key challenges, including coordinating the global collection of 300,000 species and ensuring open, low-carbon data infrastructure.  

Much of the Earth’s biodiversity is found in the Global South. Therefore, vast amounts of the species collection, sample management, sequencing, assembly, annotation, and analysis will be delivered by local EBP partners. This will also help to ensure equitable access and culturally appropriate practices, while reducing societal and environmental impact.  

To accelerate sequencing in remote regions, the authors propose using self-contained ‘pop-up’ sequencing labs housed in shipping containers. Known as a ‘genome lab in a box’ (gBox), the labs could enable local and indigenous scientists, particularly in the Global South, to generate high-quality genomic data locally. 

"Chile is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots with many endemic species, but these are under threat," said co-author and local EBP community member Prof Juliana Vianna from The Chilean 1000 Genomes Project at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. "In addition, our species are often studied only after samples are exported. With gBoxes, we can change that. Local teams can generate the data here, in context, and immediately connect it to the conservation and sustainable management challenges we face on the ground." 

"Biodiversity scientists in low and lower middle-income countries confront daily the great irony of our species and our planet: that the lion’s share of funding and infrastructure for genomics is located at higher latitudes while the great bulk of biodiversity is found in the tropics,” said co-author and local EBP community member Dr Andrew J Crawford from Universidad de los Andes in Colombia. “The gBox would allow any nation on the globe to make its own choices, empower the next generation of researchers in biotech and computational biology, and impact national economies by asking novel questions and developing creative solutions." 

“The gBox isn’t just a lab—it’s a symbol of equity in science. By equipping local and Indigenous researchers with advanced genomic tools, we’re empowering the Global South to contribute on equal footing to the Earth BioGenome Project. This shift ensures biodiversity science is inclusive, locally driven, and culturally informed,” said co-author and local EBP community member Prof Montserrat Corominas at Universitat de Barcelona. 

Value for money

Since launching, EBP has created international standards, built a network of affiliated projects, and completed many of its Phase I targets. 

The projected cost of Phase II is $1.1 billion. This includes a $0.5 billion Foundational Impact Fund to support local training, infrastructure, and applied research in the Global South.  

The full cost of sequencing all 1.67 million named eukaryotic species in 10 years is estimated at $4.42 billion—less than the cost of the Human Genome Project or the Webb Telescope in today’s dollars. 

The authors say this investment is “very reasonable for a global effort with such a lasting impact.” 

ENDS 

To see the embargoed paper, or for author interviews, please contact:    

Caroline Brogan | Frontiers in Science | caroline.brogan@frontiersin.org   

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Notes to editors:   

Please link to the original Frontiers in Science article in your reporting: “The Earth BioGenome Project Phase II: illuminating the eukaryotic tree of life” by Blaxter et al., published 4 September 2025 in Frontiers in Science. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/science/articles/10.3389/fsci.2025.1514835/full [The link will go live with the full paper once the embargo lifts.]   

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About the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP) 

The Earth BioGenome Project (EBP) is one of the most ambitious biological initiatives ever undertaken: a global collaboration to sequence, catalog, and characterize the genomes of all known eukaryotic life on Earth. By building a comprehensive digital library of biodiversity genomes, EBP will revolutionize how we study, safeguard, and sustain life in the face of accelerating environmental change. 

Over the past five years, EBP has united more than 2,200 researchers from 88 countries, producing thousands of high-quality reference genomes and laying the foundation for global-scale biodiversity genomics. A recent Frontiers in Science article outlines the roadmap for Phase II, following the success of the project’s first phase. Phase II will sequence 150,000 species—representing half of all known genera—within four years, prioritizing species vital to ecosystem health, food security, disease control, conservation, and those of significance to Indigenous Peoples and local communities. 

Through open data sharing and strengthened international partnerships, particularly in biodiversity-rich regions of the Global South, EBP is creating the genomic foundation for conservation, innovation, and sustainable futures worldwide. 

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