Hooke, Wren & the Royal Society
The institutionalization of experimental science in 17th-century England
5.1 The Royal Society of London
Founded in 1660, the Royal Society became the world's first permanent scientific institution. Its motto — Nullius in verba ("Take nobody's word for it") — enshrined the experimental method as the standard of truth.
5.2 Robert Hooke
Robert Hooke (1635–1703), the Society's Curator of Experiments, discovered the law of elasticity, coined the term "cell" in biology, and built instruments from microscopes to barometers. His bitter rivalry with Newton overshadowed his vast contributions.
5.3 Boyle, Wren & Halley
Robert Boyle established Boyle's Law of gases. Christopher Wren contributed to astronomy and architecture (St Paul's Cathedral). Edmond Halley predicted the return of his comet and financed the publication of Newton's Principia.