From children with biology homework to governments planning on how to protect endangered species, all can now bank on a single internet-based platform to get their jobs done all for ‘free’!
Yes, it’s a good news for those who have always preferred using online dictionary and thesaurus. With the world going paperless and internet-based, the encyclopedia’s going online is desirable. An ‘Encyclopedia of Life’ is under work to be put up on the internet.
The $100 million project will be listing all 1.8 million known plant and animal species thriving on the planet. The scheme is a 10-year program, with the initial grant of $12.5 million given by two U.S.-based foundations.
According to Reuters, James Edwards, executive director of the project backed by many leading research institutions, said
The Encyclopedia of Life plans to create an entry for every named species. At the moment that’s 1.8 million.
Drawing on existing databases for mammals, fishes, birds, amphibians and plants, the ‘free-to-access’ Encyclopedia will focus mainly on animals, plants and fungi, followed by microbes.
To make it more interesting and simple, the texts will be provided with photographs, maps and videos in a common format for each.
Though the website would initially be provided in English, the other-language speaking people need not go disappointed – as it would be followed by translations to other languages.
If you want to view the encyclopedia’s demonstration pages, visit here.