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Scientists at the [[Smithsonian Institution]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], the [[Field Museum]] in [[Chicago]], [[Harvard University]], the [[Natural History Museum]] in [[London]], [[England]], and the [[Royal Botanic Gardens]] in Kew, England, have launched a project to document every living species on the planet, including historic records held in archives.  

Scientists at the [[Smithsonian Institution]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], the [[Field Museum]] in [[Chicago]], [[Harvard University]], the [[Natural History Museum]] in [[London]], [[England]], and the [[Royal Botanic Gardens]] in Kew, England, have launched a project to document every living species on the planet, including historic records held in archives.  

The project is scheduled to take ten years. Researchers plan to gather all the information that exists on the 1.8 million known species to build up an internet-based Encyclopedia of Life. This [[encyclopedia]], which will be the most comprehensive possible store of knowledge about the species that inhabit [[Earth]], will be freely available to everyone who can access the world wide web. Included in the descriptions will be all known information about habitats, behavior, [[gene|genetic]] make-up and populations.

The project is scheduled to take ten years. Researchers plan to gather all the information that exists on the 1.8 million known species to build up an internet-based Encyclopedia of Life. This [[encyclopedia]], which will be the most comprehensive possible store of knowledge about the species that inhabit [[Earth]], will be freely available to everyone who can access the world wide web. Included in the descriptions will be all known information about habitats, behavior, [[gene]]tic make-up and populations.

[[biology|Biologists]] believe that this will both improve the ability of [[taxonomy|taxonomists]] to describe up to 100 million known [[species]] as yet not fully described and named and make it easier to identify potential dangers from species such as non-native invasive plants and animals, and to describe threats to biodiversity.

[[biology|Biologists]] believe that this will both improve the ability of [[taxonomy|taxonomists]] to describe up to 100 million known [[species]] as yet not fully described and named and make it easier to identify potential dangers from species such as non-native invasive plants and animals, and to describe threats to biodiversity.

Information already existing on the internet will be gathered by [[software]] programs called 'bots', and will be checked by experts before becoming web pages for the encyclopedia. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $100m.

Information already existing on the internet will be gathered by [[software]] programs called 'bots', and will be checked by experts before becoming web pages for the encyclopedia. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $100m.

The British Secretary of State for the Environment, David Miliband, described the project as a "unique endeavour. What could be more appropriate for a world that is more and more connected, where issues of climate change, issues of biodiversity, join us together over national and natural boundaries?"<ref> http://environment.guardian.co.uk/conservation/story/0,,2076199,00.html </ref>

The British Secretary of State for the Environment, David Miliband, described the project as a "unique endeavour. What could be more appropriate for a world that is more and more connected, where issues of climate change, issues of biodiversity, join us together over national and natural boundaries?"<ref>http://environment.guardian.co.uk/conservation/story/0,,2076199,00.html</ref>

==References==

==References==