The message below, which I just received, may be of interest to HES-List members. The archive is open at <http://www.pubs.royalsoc.ac.uk/index.cfm?page=1373> ---------- > Jilliene Jewell > Publishing Editor, Notes and Records of the Royal Society > Over 340 years of landmark science available for first time > 14 Sep 2006 > The complete archive of the Royal Society journals, including some > of the most significant scientific papers ever published since > 1665, is to be made freely available electronically for the first > time today (14th September 2006) for a two month period. > The archive contains seminal research papers including accounts of > Michael Faraday's groundbreaking series of electrical experiments, > Isaac Newton's invention of the reflecting telescope, and the first > research paper published by Stephen Hawking. > The Society's online collection, which until now only extended back > to 1997, contains every paper published in the Royal Society > journals from the first ever peer-reviewed scientific journal, > Philosophical Transactions in 1665, to the most recent addition, > Interface. > Professor Martin Taylor, Vice President of the Royal Society and > Chair of the Publishing Board, said: "The Royal Society archive is > a unique source of information for practicing scientists, science > historians and indeed anyone with an in interest history. The rich, > varied and sometimes entertaining archive documents the earliest > accounts of the seventeenth centurys new experimental philosophy', > through which an understanding of the natural world was acquired by > experiment and observation. This provided the foundation of the > modern scientific method." > The archive provides a record of some key scientific discoveries in > the last 340 years, including Halley's description of his comet' in > 1705, details of the double helix of DNA by James Watson and > Francis Crick in 1954 and Edmond Stone's breakthrough in 1763 that > willow bark cured fevers, leading to the discovery of salicylic > acid and later the development of aspirin. > Some of the more obscure papers explore rudimentary prototypes of > modern day technology. Trials proposed by Robert Boyle in 1665 > hypothesize on the possibilities of blood transfusions, pondering > "Whether a fierce dog stocked with the blood of a cowardly dog may > not become more tame?". A forerunner for ventilators was also > discussed in a paper by Robert Hooke in 1667 entitled "An account > of an experiment made by Mr. Hook [sic], of preserving animals > alive by blowing through their lungs with bellows". > The archive also contains more amusing experiments and observations > such as the use of electrical conductors to cure muscle stiffness > and a bizarre description of a "Very Odd Monstrous Calf" which > illustrate the inquisitive nature of science's early pioneers. > Professor Taylor added: "In addition to being a valuable scientific > resource, the journal archives are also a rich historical record > documenting a time which is hard to imagine given the knowledge we > have today." > The electronic archive contains papers documenting the discovery of > new planets, the first descriptions of organisms through a > microscope, and the first account of photography. Early journal > papers contain fascinating descriptions of how Captain James Cook > preserved the health of his crew aboard the HMS Endeavour and the > astonishment of 18th century Society by the performance of a eight > year-old Mozart. > The archive will be freely available online until December 2006 > and, following this period, will be available as part of Royal > Society journal subscription packages or alternatively on a-pay per- > view basis. > E. Roy Weintraub