Wouldn’t it be great if one resource, containing everything you’ve ever wanted to know about any species, was a single click away? That’s the ultimate goal of the Encyclopedia of Life (EOL), an ambitious and deceptively simple enterprise aimed at creating a single website that brings users face-to-face with reliable information about species ranging from the tiniest bullet ant to the giant helicopter damselfly.
Comparable to an online field guide, the EOL is home to a set of intuitive web pages, each of which provides information about the natural history, conservation status, habitat, and evolutionary history of the species. By typing the common or scientific name into the search box, users will be directed to that species’ page. Alternatively, users can explore the database by classification, such as animals, fungi, or plants. If you’re not looking for something specific, browsing the EOL is sure to reveal an interesting species you never knew existed.
Each web page offers interactive illustrations, maps, sound, and video clips. Currently available in English, French, German, Russian, and Ukrainian, the encyclopedia is catered towards the general public. However, links specifically intended for scientists, geneticists, specialists, and academics alike will provide access to more complex material.
Since its May 2007 launch, the EOL has established 30,000 web pages. It is estimated that at the time of completion—approximately 10 years and $70 to $100 million dollars from now—1.77 million pages will have been created. Currently, the EOL’s 30,000 web pages contain information about fish, amphibians, and plants. Twenty-four prototypes have also been created to demonstrate how much information such a service can generate and contain.
“It’s going to have everything known on it, and everything new is going to be added as we go along,” said EOL honourary chairman Dr. Edward O. Wilson. Over the next five years, the EOL plans to create one million species pages, digitize a considerable amount of biodiversity literature, and build an educational resource for schools, scientists, and specialists. They hope that by completion the EOL will be in use as a resource to generate new scientific analyses. “Once we get all the information in one place, think of the impact this will have—available to anybody, anywhere, anytime,” commented Wilson.
Although the EOL’s headquarters are based at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, it is a global enterprise involving a multitude of experts, scientists, and institutions from around the world. Similar to Wikipedia, the Encyclopedia of Life is edited by volunteers, combining the collaborative efforts of experts and amateurs. Contributors help out in a variety of ways; by donating funds, becoming volunteer curators for species pages, or creating related content for submission. Each species page will have two contributor sections: one that a scientific editor verifies, and another that will be available to members of the public.
The EOL’s goals are far-reaching. They also want to transform science and inspire scientists, engage a wide and curious audience, and increase the collective knowledge of life on Earth. Some scientists are not convinced the EOL team can reach these goals. As University of Toronto biologist Daniel Brooks told the New York Times, “I have seen 20 years of good ideas go nowhere.”
On the other hand, proponents of the Encyclopedia of Life believe that its “encompassing scope and innovation will have a major global impact in facilitating biodiversity research, conservation, and education.” “You’ll be able to download a personalized field guide,” said Dr. James Edwards, executive director of the EOL. “You can say, ‘I’m going to go to this preserve in Thailand—what do we know about what might be here?’”
Already, one group of scientists will use the EOL for original research by comparing different species to further understand the biology of aging. Edwards notes that completion of the EOL will not be easy; especially considering the project is far from finished. Wilson, however, takes a less conservative approach. “It’s going to be a fun adventure for the next few decades,” he said.
Check out the beta version of the Encyclopedia of Life at www.eol.org.
