The many ways to classify life!

In biology, people study millions apon millions of different animals, plants, bacteria, etc., but how do they know how to classify them? well, biology set up these different orders of classification.

Life: All things that live, pretty simple.

Domain: The broadest range of classification for life, under which falls kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species. There are currently three domains, and they are Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukaryota(Domain is the largest range of classification besides life all life)

Kingdom: Kingdoms are a very broad, but smaller level of classification. Under this falls Phylum, class, order, family, genus, species. There are currently six kingdoms (As of 2007, so this may be invalid when ever scientists decide to mess with the kingdoms again).

Phylum: The next classification level, with a much greater number conatining 35 different classification groups. Under this falls class, order, family, genus, and species. Phylum is the first real classification level where the organisms in it show similar evolutionary traits.

Class: Now getting under class, organisms begin showing many similarities with others of its group. The rank of class also includes many terms people know, such as mammalia (or mammal). There are a great deal more classes then there are phylums, because the requirements becomes more refined and fewer organisms fit into each class. Below this is order, family, genus, and species.

Order: The next step down after class. Thats it. Nothing more to really say. Stop reading about order..

Family: Yet another step down after order. It refines organisms with particular, specific characteristics into similar groups. Organisms at this stage usually look similar.

Genus: Second to last classification level. The scientific name of an organism group makes up part of an its scientific name or binomial nomenclature. such as "Homo sapien" The part Homo is the genus of the organism. Below this falls species

Species: The last level of classification. The Species name makes up the second word in an organisms name/binomial nomenclature. For example, the lupus in canis lupus.

Most likely scientists will make more changes to this several times every year for the rest of forever, but, for now, this is how you classify life.