1660

Following a lecture by Sir Christopher Wren, the Royal Society is founded at Gresham College, London on 28 November. King Charles II becomes patron.

1661

Marcello Malpighi observes capillary action in frog's lungs and writes to the Royal Society. It is the missing link in William Harvey's theory of blood circulation.

1662

Christopher Merrett communicates to the Society a technique of double fermentation to produce sparkling wine. The champagne method will found a regional industry in France.

1663

Charles II, his physician Walter Charleton and John Aubrey view the Neolithic stone circle at Avebury in Wiltshire, submitting plans of the structure to the Royal Society. Modern archaeology begins here.

1665

The Royal Society publishes Robert Hooke's Micrographia, containing landmark drawings made using a microscope and including the famous flea. The book coins the word cellT as a biological term.

1677

Antoni van Leeuwenhoek sees little animalsT under the microscope the first sighting of micro-organisms. The Royal Society repeats his observation and the science of microbiology is born.

1687

Sir Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematica describing the action of gravity is published by the Royal Society with the help of Edmond Halley. It remains one of the most influential books of all time.