For Immediate Release www.eol.org Media contacts: Terry Collins 416-538-8712 or 416/878-8712 terrycollins@rogers.com Breen Byrnes 202-633-8730 byrnesb@si.edu Scientists to Explore Life’s Mysteries Through Encyclopedic ‘Macroscope’ First 30,000 EOL pages unveiled online for public “alpha” test and feedback; placeholder pages for 1 million species built in 1st year of 10-year project Rapid progress fosters confidence massive project can be done; Scientists, educators, hail 1st version of online resource; public asked for its say The first 30,000 pages of a massive online Encyclopedia of Life were unveiled today at the prestigious Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) Conference in Monterey, California. Intended as a tool for scientists and policymakers and a fascinating resource for anyone interested in the living world, the EOL is being developed by a unique collaboration between scientists and the general public. By making it easy to compare and contrast information about life on Earth, the resulting compendium has the potential to provide new insights into many of life’s secrets. In essence, EOL will be a microscope in reverse, or “macroscope,” helping users to discern large-scale patterns. By aggregating for analysis information on Earth’s estimated 1.8 million known species, scientists say the EOL could, for example, help map vectors of human disease, reveal mysteries behind longevity, suggest substitute plant pollinators for a swelling list of places where honeybees no longer provide that service, and foster strategies to slow the spread of invasive species. Most importantly, the EOL will be a foundational resource for helping to conserve the species already known and to identify millions of additional species that haven’t yet been described or named. At its core is the knowledge about the world’s species that has been discovered by scientists over the last 250 years. By putting this information all together in one place, EOL hopes to accelerate our understanding of the world’s remaining biodiversity. EOL will illuminate patterns in biodiversity, promising knowledge comparable in impact to that gained after the microscope’s invention in the 1600s. The EOL “macroscope” will have a catalytic effect on comparative biology, ecology and related fields. It will also be the ultimate online field guide, complete with links to DNA barcoding and other information of interest and use to everyone from professional scientists to birdwatchers and gardeners. Among many potential applications of the EOL: Tracing the relation between changes in animal and plant populations and climate; Mapping the distribution of human disease vectors, such as crows, mosquitoes and the West Nile virus; Comparison of the life spans of related species – a prelude to lab research into reasons for human aging; Port inspections of ballast water for invasive species, assisted by links to molecular DNA barcode reference information; Assist in field research and dramatically shorten the time required to authenticate or describe new mammals, birds, bugs, plants, bacteria and other species discovered by scientists anywhere in the world; Revolutionize teaching and learning of the life sciences for all ages; Contribute to timely and informed environmental management decisions by professionals and citizen environmental managers alike. Continue >>