Encyclopedia of Life Sciences

The "Encylopedia of Life Sciences" (ELS) is written by 5000 international scientists, all articles of which have been specifically commissioned. Each one has been peer reviewed, and an international group of Scientific Advisors ensures that ELS remains authoritative and comprehensive. Covering every aspects of the biological sciences, ELS is accessible to all levels of user, from student to specialist. Articles are organized in a structured, subject-based hierarchy at different levels of complexity, with extensive cross referencing and up to 180,000 index entries. An image bank, ELS features numerous comprehensive tables and over 6000 figures, including illustrations and photographs in colour and black and white.

Both the undergraduate seeking introductory articles about a research topic and the experienced researcher will find useful articles in ELS. Articles are categorized as either "introductory" or "advanced" and clearly labeled as such in both search results and on the article itself. Introductory articles are written to be used by lower-division college students and do not contain technical jargon nor in-text references. Bibliographical references are included at the end of each article as suggested further reading. Advanced articles are geared toward upper-division undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers. The Encyclopedia also contains articles categorized as "keynote" articles; these articles deal with emergent and controversial topics. ELS covers an astounding variety of subjects covering the entire spectrum of the life sciences, with particular focus on molecular and cellular biology. Broad subject areas include:

Biochemistry
Cell Biology
Clinical Medicine
Developmental Biology
Diseases and Disorders
Ecology, Evolution, and Diversity of Life
Functional and Comparative Morphology
Genetics and Molecular Biology
Immunology
Microbiology and Virology
Neuroscience
Plant Science
Structural Biology
Science and Society (bioethics, biographies, history and philosophy of science)