The study of life

Todd Witcher discusses Every living thing : man's obsessive quest to catalog life, from nanobacteria to new monkeys, by Rob Dunn. The author reminds readers how tough and exhilarating it is to study the natural world, and why it matters. In a series of vivid portraits of scientists as interesting as the mysteries they chase, Dunn introduces the reader to breakthroughs that have changed the world and others that might still. Mr. Witcher is the Executive Director of Discover Life in America, the organization that is cataloging the biodiversity of the Great Smoky Mountains. (Recorded November 4, 2010)