The Encyclopedia of Life
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This site is an ongoing work in progress with the ultimate goal of making all key information about life on Earth accessible to anyone, anywhere around the world. This massive undertaking is being conducted by scientists and non-scientists working from museums and research institutions around the world. At its heart lies a series of Web sites—one for each of the approximately 1.8 million known species—that provide the entry points to this vast array of knowledge. The entry-point for each site is a species page suitable for the general public, but with several linked pages aimed at more specialized users.
Currently, there are about 25 exemplar species pages which all the species pages will eventually come to resemble. On these exemplar pages you will find descriptions, images, detailed information, and links to further in-depth sites. Many of the exemplar pages also include maps of species distribution and videos. Thousands of additional species pages are now available. These pages have been authenticated by scientists but don’t yet contain the extent of exemplar information. An additional one million minimal species pages are cataloged on the site, which have the common and scientific names of the species, and often a distribution map.For first time users, the site provides a video tour and FAQ page. You can set personal preferences for the site, and if you log in, it will store your preferences. The site can be searched for species, but at this time many searches return minimal pages. However, even these often have links to other information, making this a good starting point for research.
