Nature: A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Science. Volume I

November 1869 to April 1870

Storage Sci 1 N529

London: Macmillan and Co.

The world’s most famous scientific journal, Nature, was first published on 4 November 1869. Astronomer Sir Joseph Norman Lockyer was its initiator and first editor. Nature became known for its ‘scientific liberality’ and as editor, Lockyer (1836-1920) ‘used the journal…to support causes he considered important such as better funding for science and the need for a greater role for science in public life’ (ODNB). This first issue contains an article by biologist, Thomas Huxley, a review by banker and scientist, John Lubbock, a note reading ‘Ladies are to be admitted to study medicine at Edinburgh University’, and notices for various societies and academies. Nature is now under the aegis of geneticist, Dr Magdelena Skipper, the first woman editor-in-chief.