Overview

Despite the persistent stereotype of the scientist as a solitary genius, science has always been a communal endeavor. Investigators have sought inspiration from the exchange of ideas, from collaborative experiments, and from personal rivalries within the context of a community of others who share their interests in science. The seventeenth century saw the emergence of one of the most important institutions in the history of science, the scientific society. For more than two centuries, scientific societies and the publications they supported were the primary communication networks for scientists and their work.

Background

As the pace of scientific activity increased during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, individuals pursued scientific discoveries within a variety of institutions. Some were employed by rulers or noblemen, others worked within monasteries or at universities, still others were independently wealthy and powerful citizens themselves. Scientific books...