Consortium for the Barcode of Life, Encyclopedia of Life
Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC;
Natural History Museum, London
31-May-2009
Biodiversity information, innovative internet architecture being fused to create seamless, global view of life
Wanted (soon): observations from environment-minded citizens that will allow science to study biodiversity at a planetary level in a massive, comprehensive virtual observatory of historic importance.The online information system for life on Earth, now under construction, will take its place alongside the global network that records earthquakes, or the world meteorology data network that pools information to predict the weather.
The global scientific collaboration to construct a virtual observatory for the unprecedented study and monitoring of life in an integrative way will be announced by some 500 biology and technology experts from 50 countries, meeting for the first time in London June 1 to 3.
Full news release text: www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-05/eol-emt052609.php
Coverage summary: http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=rmZBuMP9FlK9u_505B3dukQ&hl=en