So far, scientists have named about 1.8 million living species  ,and that's just a small part of what probably exists on Earth.With so many plants,animals,fungi,and other organisms covering the planet,it can be tough to figure out what type of spider is crawling up your leg or what kind of bird just flew by.  A soon-to-be-launched Website might help.An international team of researchers has announced the creation of a Web -- based Encyclopedia of Life (EOL).The project aims to catalogue every species on Earth in a single,easy-to-use reference guide.  To get the encyclopedia started,the creators will use information from scientific databases that already exist.And eventually,in special sections of the site,nonscientists with specialized knowledge will join.Gardeners,for example,will be able to record the dates that their flowers first bloom each year.Bird-watchers will be able to input which birds they've seen and where.The technology for this kind of tool has only recently become available.  As the EOL develops, you might find it useful for school projects.The site will have special pages for kids who are studying ecosystems in their neighborhoods.To make sure the encyclopedia is accurate,scientists will review much of the information added to it.People who visit the site will be able to choose to skip pages that haven't been reviewed.  Another convenient characteristic of the EOL is that you'11 be able to pick the level of detail you see to match your interests,age,and current knowledge. If you wanted to learn about polar bears for a science class report,for example,you could use the  _ setting to get basic information about the animals.On the "expert" setting,on the other hand.you could get much more detailed information about the history,literature,and exploration of polar bears.  It now takes years for scientists to collect all the data they need to describe and analyze species.The creators of the Encyclopedia of Life hope that their new tool will speed that process.  Keep an eye on  _ .Pages will begin to go up sometime next year,and you might find them useful for your school reports.The EOL team might have the basics for all 1.8 million entries online as early as 2017.Someday,you might add your own notes. What is the best title for the passage?
Exploring Polar Bears. Visit Our Website Now. How to Do School Projects. E-book of Life.