[Overview]
Launched in May 2007, the Encyclopedia of Life is a global scientific
effort to document all known species of animals and plants (1.8
million), and expedite the millions of species yet to be discovered and
catalogued (8 to 10 million). This collaborative effort is led by
several main institutions: Field Museum of Natural History, Harvard
University, Marine Biological Laboratory, Missouri Botanical Garden,
Smithsonian Institution, Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL). The
initial funding comes from the MacArthur Foundation (US $10 million)
and the Sloan Foundation ($2.5 million). A number of pages will be
available by mid-2008. The encyclopedia will be operational in 3-5
years and completed (with all known species) in 10 years. Built on the
scientific integrity of thousands of experts around the globe, the
Encyclopedia will be a moderated wiki-style environment, freely
available to all users everywhere.