ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Barcode of Life Data System

Hey kiddo, have you ever seen those barcodes on items at the grocery store? The barcode of life data system is kind of like that, but instead of the barcode telling you how much something costs, it tells scientists what kind of organisms are living on Earth.

You see, every living thing has a unique code in its DNA, kind of like how every person has a unique fingerprint. Scientists can use this code to figure out what type of creature something is, and that's where the barcode of life data system comes in.

Think of it like a big library of barcodes for all the living things on Earth. This library helps scientists keep track of all the different creatures and see how they're changing over time.

So next time you see a barcode at the store, remember that scientists are using a similar system to learn more about the amazing creatures that share our planet with us!