Pigs Have Wings and Elephants Fly: Vertebrates Find a Home in “The Cloud”
08/25/2011
Duck or dingo? With new cloud computing, the sky is no longer just for the birds. Credit: SearchNetMedia, flickr
As a child, did you ever spend lazy summer afternoons gazing up at the sky, imagining shapes of fluffy whales and billowy crocodiles passing by? It seems such creatures—all vertebrates, in fact—may soon settle into a permanent cloud existence. No, not the cottony white variety, but the cyber kind.
“The cloud” or “cloud computing” processes and stores information on the internet rather than on personal computers, meaning that data can be accessed from anywhere. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have devised an ecological take on the cloud’s offerings. They plan to create a composite database of all known vertebrate specimens, or animals with backbones. Combining information from hundreds of collections, including renowned facilities like the Smithsonian Institution, the American Museum of Natural History, and the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, this database will provide a readily accessible platform for researchers and citizen scientists all over the world.
The project, termed VertNet by the Berkeley researchers, may represent the future of data sharing for biologists. The designers hope VertNet will inspire similar efforts, like a conglomerate database for plants or insects.
Keep an eye out for this logo next summer, when VertNet goes live. Credit: VertNet
VertNet combines four previously existing databases: ORNIS for birds, HerpNET for reptiles and amphibians, FishNET for fishes, and MaNIS for mammals. Birdcall recordings and bird egg photos will be extra bonuses available on VertNet. When a VertNet user searches for a particular animal, simultaneous queries will be sent to online databases at 74 different institutions housing 174 separate collections. Incorporating these sources into VertNet’s cloud-based system will provide a much more robust search and also means individual collections will no longer have to worry about system crashes making their data temporarily inaccessible.
Practically speaking, tools like VertNet can be a lifesaver when it comes to on-the-ground situations that require immediate action. For example, when the 2010 oil spill erupted in the Gulf of Mexico, scientists had no easy way of accessing data about what kinds of animals might be affected, or where their populations were located. Though bird and fish collections housing that information exist around the nation, the lengthy process of stitching together these bits of data to form an overarching ecological picture of the Gulf impended scientists’ abilities to act in a timely manner.
By summer of 2012, the researchers hope to have the current vertebrate collections “mobilized” to the cloud. Institutions from Africa to Ecuador have already formed a wait list to add their own collections’ data to the system. Amateurs are encouraged to participate once VertNet goes live, too. Citizen scientists’ contributions are no joke: of the 85 million VertNet records, a whopping 75 million come from birders’ field observations, uploaded to Cornell University and Audubon’s joint eBird project. Way to go, birders!
Thanks so much for sharing
Thanks so much for sharing your wealth of information.
Can you add the Dead is
Can you add the Dead is Walking? yes that is right if you don't believe more than in clouds you should Watch Walking Dead Season 2 and you will see who they walk perfectly even they are all dead especially on the episode 6, this will be a massive run in the circle.
Love this lol, I wonder if
Love this lol, I wonder if all posts on this website are like this. Will skimm throu it.
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Reading this your entry I
Reading this your entry I have even noticed some new information which I haven’t known before. Thanks a lot for sharing this interesting post and I will be waiting for other great news from you in the nearest future.
This data system will be
This data system will be awesome when it will be released! I was never thinking that someone will have this grate idea and will develop tools like VertNet and Forex affiliate programs
I was intrigued by the title
I was intrigued by the title and enjoyed reading the article. I too used to love lying under the tree in our farm and trying to form images on clouds together with my siblings and would end up laughing our hearts out from the crazy images our imaginations would conjure. But I guess this post is more about the computer related "cloud" right? teehee
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very impressive, need your
very impressive, need your imagination.
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It can be a pig, or an
It can be a pig, or an elephant or even a devil. Depends from what angle are you looking?
Pigs have wings? wiered...
Pigs have wings? wiered...
Can I just say what a relief
Can I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I cant believe youre not more popular because you definitely have the gift.
I know about the cloud
I know about the cloud computing but you provide here the great information about the VertNet also.
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looks like quasimodo!
looks like quasimodo!
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I hope i will Watch
I hope i will Watch Mayweather Vs Ortiz Fight on the cloud too.
So in his 16-year-old, he
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wow.. I do see it like a pig
wow.. I do see it like a pig or flying elephant. This must be the great creation of God. We must thank God for what he did to us. Give us food, life, air, water ant etc. Everything has great value. - myson radiators
The post is actually the
The post is actually the freshest on this laudable subject. I harmonize with your conclusions and will thirstily look forward to see your approaching updates.
We all find a home in the
We all find a home in the cloud I think.
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Wow. This is very
Wow. This is very appreciative concepts as so long. I really interested about both “The cloud” or “cloud computing” processes. You include beautiful natural snaps whatever I like as so far. Thanks!
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This data system will be
This data system will be awesome when it will be released! I was never thinking that someone will have this grate idea and will develop tools like VertNet. This database will help scientists, researchers and will make this world a safely place for all animals. The amazing part is that everyone can access this data and are encouraged even to participate.