From the mighty blue whale to the humble baker’s yeast, scientists are embarking on an ambitious mission to map the genetic codes of all eukaryotic life on Earth. With only 1% of the 1.67 million known species genetically sequenced so far, the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP) aims to change this by 2035. This global initiative seeks to create a comprehensive digital library of DNA sequences to aid in conservation, food security, and the fight against climate change.
The announcement comes as the EBP, a network of over 2,200 scientists across 88 countries, continues to accelerate its efforts. The project, detailed in a recent paper published in Frontiers in Science, is poised to revolutionize our understanding of biodiversity and genomics.
The Ambitious “Moonshot”
Launched in 2020, the EBP has been likened to a “biological moonshot” due to its scale and ambition. The project has already increased its genome sequencing speed tenfold, thanks to innovations such as portable pop-up labs designed to enhance sequencing capacity in biodiversity-rich yet remote regions.
“As biodiversity loss gathers pace, so must our work,” said Prof. Harris Lewin of Arizona State University. “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 and Early Achievements
By the end of 2024, EBP-affiliated projects had published 1,667 genomes, covering over 500 eukaryotic families. An additional 1,798 genomes meeting EBP standards have been deposited, bringing the total to 3,465. These efforts have shed light on the origins and evolution of life on Earth, revealing insights such as the adaptation of Svalbard reindeer to Arctic conditions and the evolution of chromosomes in butterflies and moths.
Prof. Mark Blaxter of the UK’s Wellcome Sanger Institute remarked, “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.”
Phase II: Ambitious Goals Ahead
As the EBP enters its second phase, the project aims to sequence 150,000 species—half of all known genera—within four years. This phase will focus on species crucial to ecosystem health, food security, and conservation, particularly those significant to Indigenous peoples and local communities.
Achieving these goals will require sequencing 3,000 new genomes per month, a pace more than ten times faster than current rates. Fortunately, advances in technology have made genome sequencing eight times cheaper than in recent years, allowing for more efficient use of resources.
“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.
Genome Lab in a Box: A Symbol of Equity
The EBP faces challenges, including coordinating the global collection of 300,000 species and ensuring sustainable data infrastructure. Much of Earth’s biodiversity is found in the Global South, where local EBP partners will play a crucial role in sample management, sequencing, and analysis.
To facilitate this, the project proposes using self-contained pop-up sequencing labs, or “genome labs in a box” (gBox), housed in shipping containers. These labs will enable local and Indigenous scientists 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 Prof. Juliana Vianna of the Chilean 1000 Genomes Project. “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.”
Dr. Andrew J. Crawford from Universidad de los Andes in Colombia highlighted the importance of this initiative: “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.”
Value for Money and Future Prospects
Since its inception, the EBP has established international standards, built a network of affiliated projects, and achieved many of its Phase I targets. The projected cost of Phase II is $1.1 billion, which includes a $0.5 billion Foundational Impact Fund to support local training and infrastructure 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.
As the EBP continues its work, experts believe that the investment is justified given the project’s potential to leave a lasting impact on global biodiversity and genomics research. The initiative not only promises to deepen our understanding of life on Earth but also to ensure that the benefits of this knowledge are shared equitably across the globe.
