360 years of Royal Society Publishing

Celebrating the anniversary of Philosophical Transactions with a 360° view of publishing - past, present and future.

History of the Philosophical Transactions

360 years ago, Henry Oldenburg, the Secretary of the Royal Society, decided to publish a periodical to circulate the latest information sent by correspondents from around the world and on a variety of topics. He called it the Philosophical Transactions.

The periodical transformed itself as scientific disciplines evolved. From an editor-driven periodical circulating news about all branches of natural philosophy, the Transactions became a journal publishing original scientific research. In 1832, it introduced systematic peer-review of papers.

It became one of the most prestigious scientific journals in the English-speaking world. Copies were circulated to universities and research institutions around the globe.

"The longevity of the journal is remarkable and largely explained by the important and special place it occupies in the history of science." Read more in the Philosophical Transactions B 2025 Editorial by Richard Dixon FRS and Helen Eaton.

Given its longevity and the availability of records and data, the Philosophical Transactions has been an important resource for science historians. To discover what 360 years of archives tell us about the making of Philosophical Transactions and how scientific periodical evolved, read Professor Aileen Fyfe's In focus article on Science in Making.

Landmark Philosophical Transactions articles

In 1866 Thomas Henry Huxley famously stated:

"If all the books in the world except the Philosophical Transactions were destroyed, it is safe to say that the foundations of physical science would remain unshaken, and that the vast intellectual progress of the last two centuries would be largely, although incompletely, recorded".

In its extraordinarily rich and diverse history, the journal has communicated some of the most outstanding scientific discoveries. Read more in the Philosophical Transactions A 2025 Editorial by Richard Catlow FRS or take a look at some of the landmark physical and life sciences papers published in Philosophical Transactions over the last 360 years, and find out what made them key developments in science.

Journal publishing 360 years on

Today there are over 30,000 journals in existence, and science publishing is a major global business. Whilst the original authors in the Philosophical Transactions were mostly Western European male scientists, today our journals publish research from scientists from around the world from all backgrounds and career stages.

The publishing landscape has changed immensely over time, particularly since the digital revolution and the rise of open access, but authors still rely on publishers to curate and disseminate their work just as they did back in 1665.

Using our ability to convene groups of individuals in key roles and with relevant expertise, the Royal Society is currently conducting a review of the future of STEM publishing, which will culminate in an event in the summer of 2025, and a policy document with the key findings and recommendations. The findings will inform our work and discussions with the wider sector on the future of STEM publishing in the UK and globally.

Look out for more content and activities happening throughout the year to celebrate the long and distinguished history of the Royal Society’s journals.