ABSTRACT
The past decade has witnessed a dramatic increase in scientific data being generated in the physical, earth, and life sciences. This development is primarily a result of major advancements in sensor technology, surveying techniques, computer-based simulations, and instrumentation of experiments. As stated by Szalay and Gray,1 it is estimated that the amount of scientific data generated in these disciplines is now doubling every year. Organizations in government, industry, as well as academic and private sectors, have made significant investments in infrastructures to collect and maintain scientific data and make them accessible to the public. Good examples of such efforts are the Sloan Digital Sky Survey in astronomy,2 the GDB Human Genome Database and Entrez Genome Database in genomics,3,4 and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility in ecology,5 to name only a few.
