Museums are the repositories for biosystematic information which is generated by systematics, the science of life and its history. Living organisms affect humans and their environment in infinite ways, too numerous to catalog here. So, a single example of the importance of systematics to biodiversity and the sustainable use thereof is given.

Consider the local supermarket, where most Americans getting the critical essentials for life. What does one find in these stores?











Lots of fruit and vegetables, and that is just what is in the Produce section. There are also drugs in the Pharamacy. Then there are also meats, fish, bread, et cetera.

Consider the need to find new drugs to combat diseases. In the years since pencillin was discovered to be effective against infectious disease, many new antibiotics have been derived from molds, like Pencillium, but some pathogenic bacteria have now become resistant to all of antibiotics.

Where should one look for new drugs, that is, chemicals capable of destroying bacteria? There are more kinds of insects than all other living organisms together. So, searching among the insects is an obvious starting point.

Why not consider flies, the maggots of which thrive in the most putrid environments imagineable. What defenses do they have against bacteria that could be modified for human use? Well, unless these green flies can be identified and named so consistent samples may collected for analysis no drugs will be found. Fortunately, these calliphorids (members of the family Calliphoridae) do have names and are now being actively studied by pharmaceutical companies for new chemicals to fight diseases.

The essential information about flies as well as identification services are provided by staff of the natural history museums. Without these people and natural history collections, the search for better food, drugs and cleaner environoment would be impossible.