The King George III Collection
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The Royal Society for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge, later known simply as the
Royal Society, was founded in 1660 to discuss matters of scientific interest. Sir
Isaac Newton became president in 1672. It was through the Royal Society that Newton's major
work, the Principia, was brought to publication.
Sir Isaac Newton
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A defining feature of the new science, or natural philosophy, was its emphasis on
experimentation. Fellows of the Royal Society carried out experiments with new types of
instrument, such as telescopes, microscopes,
barometers, thermometers and air
pumps. More importantly, they formulated ideas about how experiments should be conducted
reliably. The scientists associated with the Royal Society investigated a wide range of natural
phenomena. For example, Robert Boyle and Robert Hooke carried out experiments using air pumps of
their own design. They investigated the effects of placing burning candles or small animals in a
glass vessel and removing the air from it. Often, the animals suffocated.