Life on Earth is weird. One fungus that grows on sloth fur can help cure cancer. Lizard spit treats diabetesA medical condition causing there to be too much sugar in the blood. . And scientists use horseshoe crab bloodThe blue blood of this 450-million-year-old sea creature is a natural source of a chemical used to test drugs for contamination. It is the fourth most expensive liquid in the world. to check drugs are safe to use.

These are the surprising uses of biological research. And one project hopes to find many more.

The Earth BioGenome Project has published plans to decode the DNA of all 1.8 million known species on the planet. Researchers hope it will unlock more secrets for medicines, biofuels and better ways to protect the environment.

The project aims to complete by 2030.

It is incredibly ambitious. Scientists completed the Human Genome ProjectA genome is the entire sequence of genes that provide the instructions for the growth of an organism. Stretched out, a human genome would be two metres long. in 13 years, sequencing 3 billion protein letters and 20,000 genes. Geneticists say new methods will make the process much faster and cheaper.

Every year, biologists find hundreds of new species. Recent discoveries include a ghost orchid that grows in complete darkness and a ylang-ylangUvariopsis dicaprio is a rare tree that grows in the biodiversity hotspot of Ebo forest in Cameroon. The botanists wanted to honour the American actor Leonardo DiCaprio for his conservation work against logging in the region. tree named after Leonardo DiCaprio.

It is a "race against time", says botanist Johan Hermans. Deforestation and climate change are wiping out life before scientists discover it. In the last 500 years, ecosystems have lost 14% of their biodiversityBiodiversity is all the different kinds of life you'll find in one area - the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria that make up our natural world. Each of these species and organisms work together in ecosystems, like an intricate web, to maintain balance and support life. . Forty per cent of all plant species are at risk of extinction.

But scientists hope a library of genomes will reverse this trend and restore biodiversity.

Not everyone is convinced botany and bug-collecting can solve a problem as big as the sixth mass extinctionThe fossil record shows there have been five mass extinctions, including the asteroid strike that wiped out the dinosaurs. This time, human are responsible for the dramatic drop in biodiversity.. The UN is planning to expand national parks and conservation areas to protect 30% of all land and ocean by 2030.

Later this year, leaders will meet in KunmingThe 15th annual meeting of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity has been delayed twice because of the global pandemic., China, to sign up for the deal after failing to meet all previous biodiversity targets. But 50 leading scientists have already said this is not enough to "halt or reverse biodiversity loss". More change is needed.

Geneticist Jenny Graves says a genome library would help conservationists measure an ecosystem's "genetic health". They will be able to identify threatened species and advise on their management. And by discovering practical applications, genomics will give local communities and national economies a reason to protect their biodiversity.

But is this all just bananas? Many news articles, websites and memes repeat the claim that humans share 60% of their DNA with the yellow fruit. The researcher Natasha Glover traces this myth back to reporting on the Human Genome Project. The reality is we do share some genes with fruit (about 20%), the "basic housekeeping proteins" that have survived 1.5 billion years of evolution.

Our common genetic makeup is why scientists can experiment on "model species" like mice and fruit flies, before testing treatments on humans. But Professor Graves says biologists have genetic FOMO - fear of missing out. If we don't sequence everything, we may miss the next penicillinIn 1928, Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotic in a mold growing in his laboratory. It was used to treat an eye infection in 1930 and revolutionised modern medicine..

We must act fast, say conservationists. One important drug is lost every two years because of extinction, according to one estimate. And by the end of the century, half of all species may have gone.

Yes: Whilst nature's big beasts grab the limelight, ecosystems are losing their insects, plants and microbial life. Research into these unsung heroes is essential to preserve life on Earth.

No: "Species die. Get over it." That's biologist R Alexander Pyron's view. He says it's just part of evolution and saving biodiversity is a waste of time. The only species we should worry about is us.

Or... Geneticist Jack Scanlan says genomics is "raw data", countless strings of letters. It's "not enough" on its own, but with good scientific work and changes across society, it can make a difference.

Diabetes - A medical condition causing there to be too much sugar in the blood.

Horseshoe crab blood - The blue blood of this 450-million-year-old sea creature is a natural source of a chemical used to test drugs for contamination. It is the fourth most expensive liquid in the world.

Human Genome Project - A genome is the entire sequence of genes that provide the instructions for the growth of an organism. Stretched out, a human genome would be two metres long.

Ylang-ylang - Uvariopsis dicaprio is a rare tree that grows in the biodiversity hotspot of Ebo forest in Cameroon. The botanists wanted to honour the American actor Leonardo DiCaprio for his conservation work against logging in the region.

Biodiversity - Biodiversity is all the different kinds of life you'll find in one area - the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria that make up our natural world. Each of these species and organisms work together in ecosystems, like an intricate web, to maintain balance and support life.

Sixth mass extinction - The fossil record shows there have been five mass extinctions, including the asteroid strike that wiped out the dinosaurs. This time, human are responsible for the dramatic drop in biodiversity.

Kunming - The 15th annual meeting of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity has been delayed twice because of the global pandemic.

Penicillin - In 1928, Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotic in a mold growing in his laboratory. It was used to treat an eye infection in 1930 and revolutionised modern medicine.