The NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) Taxonomy Browser, enables users to search for taxonomic information using the name of superspecific taxa (e.g., Porifera) or the name of a particular organism (e.g., Thalarctos maritimus or polar bear). Returns provide, in addition to taxonomic information, genetic information, nucleotide/protein sequence information, and references.

The genome of Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes the plague or "Black Death," has been sequenced by a team of scientists at the UK-based Sanger Centre with funding from the Wellcome Trust. Completion of the Yersinia pestis sequencing will hopefully allow researchers to develop more drugs to combat the disease that is still prevalent in some parts of the world and can cause death after just...