# Britannica API: Get article

> Finds the best-matching Britannica encyclopedia article for a topic and returns its introduction, quick facts, section headings, update date and main image.

Unofficial. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Britannica.

- Page: https://fous.com/methods/britannica.com/get-article
- Method: `britannica.com/get_article`, version 1
- Website: britannica.com
- Returns: title, description, summary, quick facts, section headings, last updated, main image link, article link
- Effect: read (it gets data and changes nothing)
- Sign-in: none needed
- Cost: 1 credit per completed run (1¢ with pay as you go); failed runs are free
- Verified: Nov 2, 2026

## Inputs

| Field | Type | Required | In the run below | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `topic` | string | yes | `"photosynthesis"` | Topic, person, place, or event to look up, for example Marie Curie. |

## Output

From a run on Oct 31, 2026, shortened. Its input:

```json
{
  "topic": "photosynthesis"
}
```

Its output:

```json
{
  "title": "photosynthesis",
  "summary": "photosynthesis, the process by which green plants and certain other organisms transform light energy into chemical energy. During photosynthesis in green plants, light energy is captured and used to convert water, carbon dioxide, and minerals into oxygen and energy-rich organic compounds.",
  "description": "Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and certain other organisms transform light energy into chemical energy.",
  "quick_facts": [
    {
      "label": "Key People",
      "value": "Robert Hill; Joseph Priestley; Melvin Calvin; Jean Senebier; Jan Ingenhousz"
    },
    {
      "label": "Related Topics",
      "value": "photosystem II; pheophytin; cyclic electron flow; Hill reaction; carbon fixation"
    },
    {
      "label": "On the Web",
      "value": "National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Chloroplasts and Other Plastids (Sep. 18, 2026)"
    }
  ],
  "article_link": "https://www.britannica.com/science/photosynthesis",
  "last_updated": "2026-09-18",
  "main_image_link": "https://cdn.britannica.com/22/94122-050-93F6BAE0/trees-plants-carbon-dioxide-sunlight-sugars-water.jpg",
  "section_headings": [
    "Importance of photosynthesis",
    "Evolution of the process",
    "General characteristics"
  ]
}
```

## Run it

From code, with a Fous API key in `FOUS_API_KEY`; the answer's `data` holds the output:

```bash
curl https://api.fous.com/v1/runs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"method":"britannica.com/get_article","input":{"topic":"photosynthesis"}}'
```

From an AI agent connected to the Fous MCP server: its `run` with the same method and input. To connect one, give it `set up https://fous.com/SKILL.md`.

## Ask your agent

- Pull up the Britannica entry on the Ottoman Empire and give me the intro summary plus the quick facts box
- I need a quick overview of Ada Lovelace: her key facts, the main sections of a reputable encyclopedia article about her, and when it was last revised
- What does Encyclopaedia Britannica say about the Treaty of Westphalia? Include the article link and main image
- Get me an encyclopedia-style summary of Mount Kilimanjaro with its quick facts and a picture
- Look up photosynthesis in an authoritative encyclopedia and list the section headings so I can outline my report

## Input schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "topic"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "topic": {
      "type": "string",
      "minLength": 1,
      "description": "Topic, person, place, or event to look up, for example Marie Curie."
    }
  }
}
```

## Output schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "title",
    "description",
    "summary",
    "quick_facts",
    "section_headings",
    "last_updated",
    "main_image_link",
    "article_link"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "title": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Article title."
    },
    "summary": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Opening paragraphs in plain text."
    },
    "description": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Short description of the article."
    },
    "quick_facts": {
      "type": "array",
      "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "required": [
          "label",
          "value"
        ],
        "properties": {
          "label": {
            "type": "string"
          },
          "value": {
            "type": "string"
          }
        },
        "additionalProperties": false
      },
      "description": "Facts shown on the article page."
    },
    "article_link": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Britannica article URL."
    },
    "last_updated": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "format": "date",
      "description": "Article update date, if shown."
    },
    "main_image_link": {
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "description": "Main image URL, if shown."
    },
    "section_headings": {
      "type": "array",
      "items": {
        "type": "string"
      },
      "description": "Section headings in article order."
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false
}
```

## See more

- [Britannica API: Search articles](https://fous.com/methods/britannica.com/search-articles.md): Searches Britannica for encyclopedia articles and returns their titles, short descriptions, article links and images when shown. Excludes other search formats such as videos, questions and stories.
- [Wikipedia API: Get article summary](https://fous.com/methods/wikipedia.org/get-article-summary.md): Returns the opening summary, short description, main image, article link and last edit time for a Wikipedia topic in the chosen language. For ambiguous names it uses the top matching article and lists up to five alternatives.
- [Wikipedia API: Get full article](https://fous.com/methods/wikipedia.org/get-full-article.md): Returns the full text of a Wikipedia article in ordered sections, with its last edit time, reference count and visible categories, in any language edition. Footnotes, tables and navigation material are excluded; a topic that is not an exact title uses the best search match.
- [Wikipedia API: Get key facts from an article](https://fous.com/methods/wikipedia.org/get-key-facts.md): Returns the labeled facts, in order, from the information box of a Wikipedia article in any language edition. Articles without an information box have no facts.
- [Fandom API: Get a wiki article](https://fous.com/methods/fandom.com/get-wiki-article.md): Finds a topic on the main English Fandom wiki for a franchise (picked from Fandom's cross-wiki search, or given as a wiki or article link) and returns the article's opening paragraphs, infobox facts, section headings, main image and links.
- [ESPN API: List news for a league or team](https://fous.com/methods/espn.com/list-news.md): Finds an ESPN league or team by name and lists the latest headlines ESPN publishes for it, newest first.
- [World Health Organization API: Get WHO fact sheet](https://fous.com/methods/who.int/get-fact-sheet.md): Finds a WHO fact sheet by health topic in the WHO fact-sheet directory. Returns its key facts, overview and sections in page order.
- [BBC News API: Read article](https://fous.com/methods/bbc.com/read-article.md): Reads the text and details of a BBC News article from its link or headline. Live coverage pages return the latest entries available.
- [All Britannica methods](https://fous.com/methods/britannica.com.md)