Species whose genomes should be sequenced

1. The giant sequoia.

What allows this tree to grow for thousands of years?

2. The capybara.

This is the largest rodent. How did it become the largest rodent?

3. The donkey and the mule.

Why can a horse and donkey reproduce, and why is their offspring infertile? (Prediction: ultraconserved sequences will hold one key to the answer.)

4. The wolf and the fox.

What makes them so clever? When did canines develop the ability to learn human words?

5. The lion, tiger, leopard, panther, jaguar, cheetah, etc.

Because they're such great creatures, because they're endangered, and in the interest of comparative genomics. For example, why don't cats understand human words?