I read an article on Yahoo the other day about how another 100 brand new species were discovered recently. I was intrigued that so many new species could be discovered in today’s technologically advanced world. Doing some further research, I learned a shocking piece of news:

In real life, nearly 15,000 to 20,000 new species are discovered each year. According to a recent report from IISE and its partners, 2006 saw 16,969 species named-the first time in scientific literature. (from here)

Think about it. In 2008, even after the invention of all this modern technology that is rapidly shrinking the world, over 15,000 new species are discovered each year. That’s right, over 15,000 and I’m not just talking about some remote, hidden species. This includes frogs, bats, plants, insects, fish, dinosaurs and more. Last year, a brand new species of mushrooms were discovered on Imperial College’s campus in London, right under everyone’s nose!

One of the most important parts of business, especially today, is networking. With the internet at its peak, and communication in many mediums as easy as a touch of a button, it is more important than ever for people to be good networkers.

Networking is important because it opens doors. Nowadays, contacting professionals in your field is as easy as can be online. However, people tend to be afraid still to reach out. ‘What if I sound stupid?’ some people think. Well, at least you sound something, because without ever trying to open the door, you can only guess what is behind it.