Some years ago, anthropologist Donald Brown compiled a list of “Human Universals”: cultural traits that seem to be instantiated by all human societies. The list is broad, and contains almost all the things you’d expect to see: the collection includes belief in supernatural/religion, for example, as well as sucking wounds and language employed to misinform or mislead. Conspicuously absent, however, is one that I have long thought should be included in a truly comprehensive roster: the urge to make “Top Ten” lists.
Over at CNN we see that even zoological taxonomists are not immune to the pull of this this ubiquitous primordial drive: scratching the list-making itch, they have compiled for us their choice for “Top Ten New Species of 2009”. Have a look here.