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Unlocking
the power
of plant data

This episode is your backstage pass into the largest herbarium imaging project in the southern hemisphere where over 1.43 million plant specimens are becoming high-definition digital images.

Botanists have been taking samples of plants from all over the world for centuries and their inquisitive nature and exceptional record keeping has created an invaluable source of data scientists and historians rely on every day. Now, we're unlocking that data to the world.

Picturae is one of the world’s most renowned digitisation companies and their high-tech conveyor belt has come all the way from the Netherlands to give the herbarium specimens a high-tech makeover in partnership with International Conservation Services.

Hit play to discover how the digital images will protect the valuable collection and help researchers around the world make new discoveries to advance science and conservation.

One of over 800 herbarium specimens collected by botanists Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander on Captain Cook's first voyage to the Pacific in 1770.
Over 1.43 million herbarium specimens will become high-definition digital images using Picturae's sophisticated 'herbarium digistreet'. A 12 metre long conveyor belt from the Netherlands.
See the tiny bumps? Scientists often look for minute details like this to describe new plant species. Having high-definition digital images at 570 dpi will help advance science and conservation.

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Support vital scientific research 
You can help support the largest herbarium imaging project in the southern hemisphere with a donation. Your valued support will help us protect and share our priceless herbarium collection with the world and enable scientists to conduct vital research.