BranchbankThe phylogenetic ark
Eight specimens. One small ark. Save the most evolutionary history by choosing branches that complement each other.
The tree of shared history
Gold branches are protected. Each number is a branch’s history value; shared branches count only once.
Choose your specimens
Tap a specimen to reserve it. Tap again to release it. “Adds” shows its new, unshared history.
Begin with a specimen, then compare how much history its cousins add.
Field notes & source
History is the sum of all unique ancestral branch lengths connecting your specimens to the root. Two close relatives share most of their route; a distant relative can protect a whole new branch. Compare marginal gains with funding costs.
These are synthetic teaching trees and arbitrary units, not a real phylogeny or conservation recommendation. Lichen represents a symbiosis and is included as an illustrative specimen, not a plant clade. Three expeditions change costs and habitat constraints; New survey changes the tree, costs and targets.
Tree parsing uses the maintained MIT phylotree.js library by iGEM/UCSD (veg/phylotree.js), pinned at 8ca99583. Original challenge engine, interface and GPT-generated specimen artwork. License bundled in LICENSE.txt.