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2024-10-18 07:04:43

Royal Society

UK's national academy of sciences
Royal Society
Royal Society
UK's national academy of sciences

The Royal Society, founded in 1660, promotes science, recognizes excellence, provides scientific advice, and fosters global cooperation. It has about 1,700 fellows, including royal, honorary, and foreign members. The current president is Adrian Smith.

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1660-11-28
Formation of the Royal Society

The Royal Society was established on 28 November 1660 after a lecture by Christopher Wren, aiming to focus on natural philosophy, which is now known as science. The society aimed to transform knowledge, profit, health, and improve the conveniences of life through observation, experimentation, and publication of results.

1662-07-15
Royal Charter Signed

A royal charter was signed on 15 July 1662, creating the 'Royal Society of London' with Lord Brouncker as the first president, after King's approval of the gatherings.

1663-04-22
Appointment of Original Fellows

The appointment of fellows was first authorized in the second charter of the Royal Society on 22 April 1663. The president and council were allowed to appoint individuals they saw fit as fellows within two months.

1663-04-23
Second Royal Charter Signed

On 23 April 1663, a second royal charter was signed, renaming the society as 'the Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge' with Robert Hooke appointed as Curator of Experiments.

1665
Publication of the first issue of Philosophical Transactions

In 1665, the Royal Society published the first issue of Philosophical Transactions, a groundbreaking scientific journal. This journal has been showcasing research across various scientific disciplines for over 370 years.

1666
Temporary Move to Arundel House

After the Great Fire of London in 1666, the Royal Society temporarily relocated to Arundel House, returning to Gresham College in 1673.

1667-05-30
Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle attends Royal Society meeting

On 30 May 1667, Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle, a female aristocrat, made history by becoming the first woman to attend a meeting of the Royal Society. Her presence, along with her female attendants, was highly unusual in a male-dominated society, setting a precedent for future female participation in such gatherings.

1672
Isaac Newton elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society

Isaac Newton was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1672. His groundbreaking work, Principia Mathematica, was published under the Royal Society's approval.

1684
Publication of Essays of Natural Experiments

In 1684, the Royal Society published an English translation of Essays of Natural Experiments Made in the Accademia del Cimento, documenting experiments at the Accademia del Cimento in Italy.

1687
Hooke's Proposal for Salary Raise

In 1687, Robert Hooke proposed a raise in salary for his position as Curator of the Royal Society, which led to the Society deciding not to continue the post.

1701
Creation of the Croonian Lecture

The Croonian Lecture was established in 1701 at the behest of William Croone's widow, a founding member of the Royal Society. It is the oldest award given by the Royal Society for achievements in the biological sciences.

1703
Appointment of Francis Hauksbee the Elder

In 1703, Francis Hauksbee the Elder was appointed by Isaac Newton as the Curator of Experiments for the Royal Society, although he did not officially hold the title or receive a salary.

1709
Establishment of Copley Medal

In 1709, the Royal Society established the Copley Medal, a prestigious scientific award in Britain. It was made possible by a bequest from Sir Godfrey Copley and is still awarded today.

1710-10-26
Purchase of Two Houses in Crane Court, Fleet Street

In 1710, the Royal Society bought two houses in Crane Court, Fleet Street, which included offices, accommodation, and a collection of curiosities.

1717
John Theophilus Desaguliers becomes Curator of Experiments

In 1717, John Theophilus Desaguliers assumed the role of Curator of Experiments at the Royal Society, marking a shift towards less emphasis on experiments and more on scientific discussions.

1731
First Awarding of the Copley Medal

The Copley Medal, the most prestigious award given by the Society, was first awarded in 1731 to recognize excellence in science and technology.

1738
First Award of the Croonian Lecture

Although the Croonian Lecture was established in 1701, it was first awarded in 1738. It is considered the most prestigious prize for biological sciences by the Royal Society.

1749
Invention of Pointed Lightning Conductor by Benjamin Franklin

During a debate in 1749, opponents of Benjamin Franklin's invention of the pointed lightning conductor accused supporters of being American allies rather than British, leading to the resignation of the Royal Society's president, Sir John Pringle.

1780
Relocation of the Royal Society to Somerset House

In 1780, the Royal Society moved to Somerset House after being offered the property by His Majesty's Government. The move was planned by Sir Joseph Banks, who became president in November 1778.

1828
Establishment of Grant-Making Fund by William Hyde Wollaston

In 1828, William Hyde Wollaston donated money to establish a grant-making fund for the Royal Society, allowing them to support research actively rather than just honoring discoverers after the fact.

1830
Archived Papers collection

Original manuscript scientific papers and letters submitted to the Royal Society which remained unpublished or were abstracted in the journal 'Proceedings of the Royal Society' from 1830 onwards.

1832
Establishment of Peer Review Publishing at the Royal Society

In 1832, the Royal Society formalized the system for submitting scientific papers for publication, marking the origins of peer review publishing in practice.

1846-05
Limiting Intake of Members

In May 1846, a committee recommended limiting the annual intake of members to 15 and insisting on scientific eminence. This led to the society consisting exclusively of scientific fellows.

1847
Modification of Fellowship towards Professional Practitioners

Rule changes in 1847 led to the Royal Society modifying the nature of its Fellowship to include more professional practitioners.

1850
Acceptance of administering government grant-in-aid

In 1850, the Royal Society accepted the responsibility of administering a government grant-in-aid of scientific research, which started at £1,000 per year.

1851
Government Grant for Original Investigations

In 1851, the British Government provided a grant of £1,000 to the Royal Society to support original investigations, marking a significant step in the practical encouragement of scientific research.

1865
Alfred Tennyson elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society

Alfred Tennyson, the poet, was elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society in 1865 for his contributions to science and literature.

1866
Bakerian Lecture of the Royal Society on Viscosity of Gases

In 1866, a Bakerian Lecture was delivered at the Royal Society in London discussing the viscosity or internal friction of air and other gases. The measurements for the lecture were conducted in the speaker's London attic.

1876
Cruelty to Animals Act

The Cruelty to Animals Act of 1876 left the president of the Royal Society as one of the few individuals capable of certifying that a particular experiment on an animal was justified. The president also acts as the government's chief advisor on scientific matters.

1883
Establishment of a committee by the Royal Society

In 1883, the Royal Society established a committee to collect various...

1900
Establishment of the National Physical Laboratory

The Royal Society established the National Physical Laboratory in 1900.

1919-05-29
Solar Eclipse Expeditions

In 1919, the Royal Society sent expeditions to photograph the solar eclipse of May 29 from Príncipe Island and Sobral, verifying Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity. This contributed to Einstein's fame.

1945-03-22
First female Fellows elected to the Royal Society

On 22 March 1945, the first female Fellows were elected to the Royal Society following a statutory amendment in 1944 that allowed women to be eligible as candidates.

1947
Mary Cartwright becomes the first female mathematician Fellow

In 1947, Mary Cartwright became the first female mathematician to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society, also becoming the first woman to serve on the Council of the Royal Society.

1967
Royal Society's Premises in Carlton House Terrace

Since 1967, the Royal Society has been located in Carlton House Terrace, London, where it holds meetings and houses its extensive archival and other resources.

2008
Opening of Royal Society Enterprise Fund

In 2008, the Royal Society opened the Royal Society Enterprise Fund with the intention to invest in new scientific companies and be self-sustaining, funded by returns from its investments.

2009-06-21
Opening of Kavli Royal Society International Centre

The Kavli Royal Society International Centre, located at Chicheley Hall near Milton Keynes, was formally opened on 21 June 2010. It served as a venue for residential science seminars.

2020-11-30
Current President Adrian Smith

Adrian Smith took over as the President of the Royal Society on 30 November 2020 from Venki Ramakrishnan. The president is the head of both the society and the council, with a term limit of five years.

2021-05
Transition of Royal Society's hybrid research journals to open access

In May 2021, the Royal Society announced plans to transition its four hybrid research journals to open access, allowing wider accessibility to scientific research.

2022
Latest Work from the Royal Society

The Royal Society has recently released new work including news stories, blog posts, policy statements, and projects. They also provide resources for teachers and history of science researchers.

2024-01-23
Crowdsourcing Krakatoa

In 1883, the Royal Society established a committee to gather various information on Krakatoa through crowdsourcing.

2024-02-06
Illustration of hoopoe by Henry Hunt

Jon Bushell narrates the tale of a hoopoe illustration by Henry Hunt, associated with the Royal Society.

2024-03-01
Publication of 'The Orchidaceae of Mexico & Guatemala'

Katherine Marshall is amazed by James Bateman's work 'The Orchidaceae of Mexico & Guatemala'.

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Royal Society
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