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Edited by Malcomlm J. Scoble.-- A project supported by the European Union. ; M illions of specimens are currently housed in the institutions of the European Natural History Specimen lnformation Network. These specimens vary greatly in kind, from plants in botanical gardens, animals in zoos, preserved animals, plants, fossils and minerals in museums to microbial and tissue collections for molecular studies. Each specimen carries information that. collectively, can inform a range of activities, including natural resource management, biotechnology, bioinformatics, medicine, and research and teaching on biodiversity. Although information associated with natural history specimens is becoming ever more accessible through electronic media, it remains scattered across holdings in many institutions. Furthermore, most of the information has not yet been stored electronically, which impedes considerably its access and thus effective use. ; Peer reviewed