From Fragmentation to Integration: The Role of Structured Repositories in Biomedical Research Atlas: Guide to Complex Landscapes The word Atlas has a fascinating etymology. In Greek mythology, a Titan called Atlas was condemned to hold up the heavens above the Earth for eternity as punishment for his role in the war against Zeus and the Olympian Gods. Over time, this myth evolved into the image of Atlas carrying the Earth on his shoulders. In the early 16th century, cartographers began referring to collections of maps as atlases because, like the Titan, they carried representations of the entire world. Today, an atlas refers to a bound collection of maps, charts, and tables that detail various aspects of the physical world, such as political boundaries, topographical features, and climatic zones. Source: https://www.elucidata.io/blog/from-fragmentation-to-integration-the-role-of-structured-repositories-in-biomedical-research