Representing many producers and users of information these eminent personalities launched an effort the scientific and environmental communities have sought for decades - to document all 1.8 million named species of animals, plants, and other forms of life on Earth.
The Field Museum of Natural History, Harvard University, Marine Biological Laboratory, Smithsonian Institution, and Biodiversity Heritage Library have joined together to initiate the project, bringing together species and software experts from across the world.
Wiki-style
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. For the first time ever in the history of the planet, scientists, students, and citizens will have multi-media access to all known living species, even those that have just been discovered. The EOL will be based on principles of accuracy, with quality control provided by a credible review process; of accessibility, with free access to the information it provides; and inclusion, with participation invited from scientific organisations and individuals worldwide. An international advisory board of distinguished individuals will also help guide the Encyclopedia.
Ten-year endeavour
As a ballpark estimate, it is expected that the full ENCYCLOPEDIA OF LIFE  would be ready in about 10 years. So, over the next decade EOL will create Internet pages for all 1.8 million species currently named. It will expedite the classification of the millions of species yet to be discovered and catalogued as well. The pages, housed at http://www.eol.org, will provide written information and, when available, photographs, video, sound, location maps, and other multimedia information on each species. Species pages in EOL will call upon information that has been created by partners. The information will be dynamically recombined in a form that offers greater flexibility and diversity.
Novel tools will be added to this ever-evolving content to visualise the immense scope and richness of biodiversity and to aid exploration of the Encyclopedia. Some key components of the Encyclopedia are expected to be available to the general public starting some time in 2008.
Customised browsing
The Table of Contents will adjust depending on the user level that has been selected and with the type of organism. The browsing can be customised to suit different categories of users.
A primary school student might only see the vernacular name of the organism; more advanced students might see the vernacular name, the Latin Name, and nomenclature and associated information. A status icon would be provided to show how users rate this item, a small panel to advise as to how current the information is, and a button to click and post feedback. Additional menus would show alternative sources of similar information that is available.
Draft species pages, showing some of the possibilities of the full system, are already available at the website. These relate to Death Cap Mushroom, Rice, Yeti Crab, and the  Polar Bear.
Resource for everyone
Encyclopedia of Life is being developed to serve as a comprehensive resource for everyone, scientist, teacher, student, media, anyone who has an interest in Earth's species. As it will be developed in a wide range of languages EOL can  be a valuable learning tool as well as a great teaching resource.  The EOL will also serve as a macroscope by allowing us to discern patterns previously unseen, illuminating relationships, identifying gaps in our knowledge, and suggesting opportunities for new avenues of inquiry. 
Dr James Edwards, Executive Director of the Encyclopedia of Life, says "EOL can help track biodiversity as climate change and human activity put species under pressure. It can add great value to the work of the scientist, the student, the conservationist, the policy maker, and the passionate amateur. "
The Encyclopedia of Life fervently hopes to connect scientific communities concerned with ants to apples to zebras. As part of its work, the Encyclopedia of Life will collaborate and partner with a wide range of organisations, individuals, and experts to help strengthen the Encyclopedia and its impact on communities throughout the world.