Philosophical Transactions: Birth of Scientific Publishing in English

On August 4th in Science History, a significant event took place in 1693 with the publication of the first scientific journal in English, titled "Philosophical Transactions." This groundbreaking journal was established by the Royal Society of London, one of the oldest and most prestigious scientific institutions in the world.

The Royal Society was founded in 1660 by a group of prominent scientists, including Robert Boyle and Christopher Wren, with the aim of promoting the study of natural philosophy (now known as science) through experimental investigations and scholarly discussions. The society's motto, "Nullius in verba" (which translates to "Take nobody's word for it"), emphasizes their commitment to empirical evidence and the scientific method.

The publication of "Philosophical Transactions" marked a major milestone in the dissemination of scientific knowledge. Prior to this, scientists primarily shared their findings through personal correspondence or by presenting their work at the Royal Society's meetings. The journal provided a platform for researchers to publish their discoveries and ideas, making them accessible to a wider audience and fostering collaboration among scientists across Europe.

The first issue of "Philosophical Transactions" featured a diverse range of scientific topics, including astronomy, mathematics, physics, and natural history. One notable article was a detailed account of the great comet of 1668, observed by the Italian astronomer Giovanni Cassini. The journal also published important works by luminaries such as Isaac Newton, who contributed his groundbreaking paper on the nature of light and color in 1672.

Over the centuries, "Philosophical Transactions" has continued to publish seminal works in various scientific fields. For example, in 1770, the journal featured Joseph Priestley's experiments on the isolation of oxygen, which revolutionized our understanding of chemistry and respiration. In 1897, J.J. Thomson announced his discovery of the electron through the pages of the journal, ushering in a new era of atomic physics.

Today, "Philosophical Transactions" is divided into two separate journals: "Philosophical Transactions A," which focuses on mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences, and "Philosophical Transactions B," which covers the biological sciences. The journal remains one of the most respected and influential scientific publications in the world, with a rich history spanning over three centuries.

The launch of "Philosophical Transactions" on August 4th, 1693, represents a pivotal moment in the history of science, as it marked the beginning of a new era of scientific communication and collaboration. The journal's enduring legacy serves as a testament to the Royal Society's dedication to advancing human knowledge and understanding through rigorous scientific inquiry.


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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to This Moment in Science History podcast on August fourth.
In science history, a significant event took place in sixteen
ninety three with the publication of the first scientific journal
in English, titled Philosophical Transactions. This groundbreaking journal was established
by the Royal Society of London, one of the oldest

(00:21):
and most prestigious scientific institutions in the world. The Royal
Society was founded in sixteen sixty by a group of
prominent scientists, including Robert Boyle and Christopher Wren, with the
aim of promoting the study of natural philosophy now known
as science, through experimental investigations and scholarly discussions. The Society's
motto noleus in verba, which translates to take nobody's word

(00:45):
for it, emphasizes their commitment to empirical evidence and the
scientific method. The publication of Philosophical Transactions marked a major
milestone in the dissemination of scientific knowledge. Prior to this,
scientists primarily shared their findings through personal correspondence or by
presenting their work at the Royal Society's meetings. The journal

(01:06):
provided a platform for researchers to publish their discoveries and ideas,
making them accessible to a wider audience and fostering collaboration
among scientists across Europe. The first issue of Philosophical Transactions
TANG featured a diverse range of scientific topics, including astronomy, mathematics, physics,
and natural history. One notable article was a detailed account

(01:29):
of the Great Comet of sixteen sixty eight, observed by
the Italian astronomer Giovanni Cassini. The journal also published important
works by luminaries such as Isaac Newton, who contributed his
groundbreaking paper on the Nature of Light and Color in
sixteen seventy two. Over the centuries Comet, Philosophical Transactions has

(01:52):
continued to publish seminal works in various scientific fields. For example,
in seventeen seventy the journal feature Joseph Priestley these experiments
on the isolation of oxygen, which revolutionized our understanding of
chemistry and respiration. In eighteen ninety seven, J. J. Thompson
announced his discovery of the electron through the pages of
the journal, ushering in a new era of atomic physics

(02:15):
today created by J. J. Patrick Daymon. J. J. Thompson
addressed his discovery of the second journal of the Electron
work of the journal's delivery. Philosophical Transactions is divided into
two separate journals, Philosophical Transactions A, which focuses on mathematical, physical,
and engineering sciences, and Philosophical Transactions B, which covers the

(02:40):
biological sciences. The journal remains one of the most respected
and influential scientific publications in the world, with a rich
history spanning over three centuries. The launch of Philosophical Transactions
on August fourth, sixteen ninety three represents a pivotal moment
in the history of science, as it marked the beginning
of a new era of scientific communication and collaboration. The

(03:02):
journal's enduring legacy serves as a testament to the Royal
Society's dedication to advancing human knowledge and understanding through rigorous
scientific inquiry. And that wraps it up for another episode.
Please subscribe and join us tomorrow for another great moment
in science. This has been a Quiet Please Studios Production.
For more check out Quiet Please dot Ai. Thank you

(03:23):
for listening.