Kew Gardens digitising eight million plant samples

Specialists at Kew Gardens are digitising its entire archive of eight million dried plant specimens, including some picked by the naturalist and biologist Charles Darwin.

The biggest project ever undertaken at the west London attraction, it is designed to preserve plant life for future generations and make the information accessible to as many people around the world as possible.

Scientists are about three quarters of the way through digitising the archive, but are calling on the public's help to carry on their work.

Story by Alice Bhandhukravi

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6 December 2024