Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) is a free, online encyclopedia that intends to document all of the 1.8 million living species known to science. It is being compiled from existing databases as well as with contributions from experts and non-experts globally. It aims to build an expandable page for each species, including images an other multimedia. The project is backed by a $50 million funding commitment, led by the MacArthur Foundation and the Sloan Foundation.^[1]

While EOL's goal is to develop of species pages for every known species, it does not emphasis phylogenetic information, and currently uses the more traditional Linnean taxonomy inspired domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species  classification scheme. Instead, phylogenetic information will continue to the focus of the complementary Tree of Life Web Project.^[2]

Terms of Use: In most cases, EOL data partners have made content available for re-use under on of the  Creative Commons licenses. In some cases, the providers have placed additional restrictions on how the content may be re-use. Note that a single page may be made up of many different data elements, each covered by a different license. To identify the terms of re-use of a photograph or drawing, click on the green information button on the bottom left corner of the picture. Re-use terms for text items are located immediately above the text.^[3]

Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) is a free, online encyclopedia that intends to document all of the 1.8 million living species known to science. It is being compiled from existing databases as well as with contributions from experts and non-experts globally. It aims to build an expandable page for each species, including images an other multimedia. The project is backed by a $50 million funding commitment, led by the MacArthur Foundation and the Sloan Foundation.^[1]

While EOL's goal is to develop of species pages for every known species, it does not emphasis phylogenetic information, and currently uses the more traditional Linnean taxonomy inspired domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species  classification scheme. Instead, phylogenetic information will continue to the focus of the complementary Tree of Life Web Project.^[2]

Terms of Use: In most cases, EOL data partners have made content available for re-use under on of the  Creative Commons licenses. In some cases, the providers have placed additional restrictions on how the content may be re-use. Note that a single page may be made up of many different data elements, each covered by a different license. To identify the terms of re-use of a photograph or drawing, click on the green information button on the bottom left corner of the picture. Re-use terms for text items are located immediately above the text.^[3]