This piece is right up my alley--I'm an environmental writer. But it somehow managed to make one of the most interesting subjects of all--the diversity of life on earth--sound more than a little dull. No sounds of other creatures (no sounds at all except a few guys talking); no images; hardly any proper nouns. I can think of a thousand more engaging ways to cover this material--this is the numbing summation of bureaucratic scientists. Their work is extremely noble and important, but it's the role of the journalist to translate it for others.