The Virtual Biosphere is one of the special programs of an interactive broadband encyclopedia, “e-Zukan.” The Virtual Biosphere began with Kazuo Terakado’s idea of simulating prehistoric biospheres on the Internet. This challenging project will take viewers to a kind of nature-like cyber space where the experience and enjoyment of science are provided, rather than presenting organized research outcomes such as scientific content.

Therefore, the first approach in the creation of the Virtual Biosphere was to develop a virtual prehistoric world. The purpose of this program is especially dedicated to allow young viewers to participate with observation-like views and find how ancient creatures could have lived in their own prehistoric world.

So far, ten virtual earth scenes of prehistoric era have been produced, ranging from the Cambrian Period, through the age of the dinosaurs, and to the Cenozoic Period. Extinct ancient creatures are brought back to life using 3-dimensional computer graphics and are programmed to move around as if they were alive.

High-speed network connections using optical fiber enable the smooth transmission of massive data stored in the server computers. This allows the display of vivid scenarios, such a scene of Burgess Shale monsters and a Tyrannosaurus Rex fighting against an Ankylosaurus. In addition, it is significant to note that, unlike pre-recorded movies, there never is a same repeated appearance of background scenery.

The future approach of this project is to reveal the current Earth eco-system on the Internet, aimed to help viewers to understand environmental issues and grasp the diversity of living organisms.

The Virtual Biosphere is operated by a consortium consisting of SCIENCE WEB, INC., Shogakkan Group, and Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. and others as its members.

e-Zukan is an interactive broadband reference book with extensive animation and 3D illustrated graphics content, a science “picture book” on the Internet. e-Zukan is a comprehensive scientific site which provides informative universal scientific knowledge, and experiments with interactive content. It contains Virtual Biosphere as its featured program.

e-Zukan is bundled with Terra Explorer of Skyline Software Systems, Inc. of the U.S. This enables the provision of the experience of sightseeing flights all over the earth and also around each planet in the Solar System.

e-ZUKAN is also operated by the consortium of enterprises consisting of Shogakkan Group and Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc, as stated in the introduction to Virtual Biosphere.

SCIENCE WEB, INC. has been supporting the creation of a Japanese-language version of the official web site of The Bibliotheca Alexandria, the new Alexandria Library.

Around the period 295 B.C, Ptolemy I, one of the pharaohs in Hellenistic Period, established a great library in ancient Alexandria. The library was intended to be a cultural center of all human knowledge, with comprehensive collection of writings from throughout the ancient world. Unfortunately, the library was damaged by several war fires and totally destroyed.

In October 2002, the new library named The Bibliotheca Alexandria opened with the aid and contribution of Arab, European nations, and the United States. The repository of wisdom has been revived for modern times.　The theme of the reborn library is “Dialogue among civilizations.”

The Japanese-language version of the web site of the Bibliotheca Alexandria is objected to promote “Dialogue” among the Japanese and Arabic civilizations, sharing history, society, and culture of the Arabic world with Japanese readers in this often misunderstood world today.