The Royal Society (UK) has opened its journal archive to permanent free access. Timed to coincide with Open Access Week, this change provides access to the full text of all papers published more than 70 years ago in Philosophical Transactions, the “word’s first science journal”, and other Society publications.
“Treasures in the archive include Isaac Newton’s first published scientific paper, geological work by a young Charles Darwin, and Benjamin Franklin’s celebrated account of his electrical kite experiment. And nestling amongst these illustrious papers, readers willing to delve a little deeper into the archive may find some undiscovered gems from the dawn of the scientific revolution – including accounts of monstrous calves, grisly tales of students being struck by lightning, and early experiments on to how to cool drinks “without the Help of Snow, Ice, Haile, Wind or Niter, and That at Any Time of the Year.”