Royal Society opens free online archive

350 years of science available for your reading pleasure

One of the world's most important historical records will be made available online for the first time today. All the Royal Society's journals are free for two months and include stone-cold scientific classics going back to 1665 and the foundations of modern inquiry.

We're paticularly fond of the work of Robert Boyle, whose ethics board-baiting 17th century research includes "Observables upon a monstrous head" and "Whether a fierce dog stocked with the blood of a cowardly dog may not become more tame?"

The gateway to the journals is here. Some helpful soul at the learned society has provided a nice list by means of introductiion to 350 years of human progress. Enjoy. ®

Robert Boyle's "Observables upon a monstrous head" (1666) - a deformed horse cut up by one of the Royal Society's founders

Benjamin Franklin’s legendary kite experiment (1752) - don't try this one at home kids

Edmund Stone's work on willow bark; the discovery of aspirin (1763) - a nation should thank him every saturday morning

Account of a very remarkable young musician (Mozart) by Daines Barrington (1770) - an account of how the 8-year-old genius stunned the society with his performance

William Henry Fox Talbot’s first accounts of photography (1839) (a) and (b) - a long way from your cameraphone

Watson and Crick's discovery of DNA (1954) - requires no introduction really