Heralds of Science

illustration of two cherubs holding a crown over the title of the book Dialogo di Galileo Galilei

In 1955 Bern Dibner, the noted science book collector and founder of the Burndy Library, published Heralds of Science as Represented by Two Hundred Epochal Books and Pamphlets Selected from the Burndy Library. To construct the list, Dibner selected two hundred items he owned that “proclaimed new truths or hypotheses in science.” Two hundred titles, he felt, was an adequate number to represent the great achievements while not being too many to overwhelm the average layperson interested in science. More...

Pages

A dynamical theory of the electromagnetic field

Maxwell, James Clerk; Royal Society (Great Britain)

The Royal Society

1865]

68. Electro-Magnetism and Light

Cover of A new system of chemical philosophy

A new system of chemical philosophy v. 1; pt. 1

Dalton, John

Printed by S. Russell ... for R. Bickerstaff, ... London

1808-1827

44. The Atomic Theory

A new system of chemical philosophy v. 1; pt. 2

Dalton, John

Printed by S. Russell ... for R. Bickerstaff, ... London

1808-1827

44. The Atomic Theory

A new system of chemical philosophy v. 2; pt. 1

Dalton, John

Printed by S. Russell ... for R. Bickerstaff, ... London

1808-1827

44. The Atomic Theory

A synopsis of the astronomy of comets

Halley, Edmond

Printed for John Senex

1705

12. Halley's Comet

Account of a comet v. 71, pt. 2 (1781)

Herschel, William; Watson, William, Sir; Royal Society (Great Britain)

13. A New Planet

Cover of Ad clarissimum virum D. Ioannem Schonerum, De libris reuolutionum eruditissimi viri, & mathematici excellentissimi, Reuerendi D. Doctoris Nicolai Copernici ... per quendam Iuuenem, mathematicae studiosum Narratio prima

Ad clarissimum virum D. Ioannem Schonerum, De libris reuolutionu[m] eruditissimi viri, & mathematici excellentissimi, Reuerendi D. Doctoris Nicolai Copernici ... per quendam Iuuenem, mathematicae stud no.1

Rhäticus, Georg Joachim; Schöner, Johann; Zell, Heinrich

Per Franciscum Rhodum

MDXL [1540]

2. The "Narratio Prima" of Copernicus

Aloysii Galvani De viribus electricitatis in motu musculari commentarius

Galvani, Luigi

Ex Typographia Instituti Scientiarium

1791

59. Animal Electricity

An explanation of the observed irregularities in the motion of Uranus

Adams, John Couch; Royal Astronomical Society.; William Clowes and Sons,

Printed by W. Clowes and Sons

1846

16. Neptune Discovered

Anleitung zur Analyse organischer Körper

Liebig, Justus, Freiherr von

Druck und Verlag von Friedrich Vieweg und Sohn

1837

46. Organic Analysis

Apollonii Pergæi Conicorum libri quattuor

Apollonius, of Perga; Eutocius, of Ascalon; Pappus, of Alexandria; Commandino, Federico; Serenus, Antinoensis

Ex Officina Alexandri Benatii

1566

Astronomia nova aitiologetos [romanized]

Kepler, Johannes; Brahe, Tycho; Rudolph II, emperor of Germany

G. Voegelinus]

1609

5. First Two Laws

Carl Wilhelm Scheele's d. Königl. Schwed. Acad. d. Wissenschaft. Mitgliedes, Chemische Abhandlung von der Luft und dem Feuer

Scheele, Carl Wilhelm; Bergman, Torbern

Verlegt von Magn. Swederus, Buchhändler, zu finden bey S.L. Crusius

1777

41. Oxygen Independently Discovered

Christiani Hvgenii ... Horologivm oscillatorivm

Huygens, Christiaan

F. Muguet

1673

145. In this work Huygens finally explains, using his knowledge of mathematics and dynamics of bodies in motion, how the pendulum can be used to regulate the workings of a clock.

Cover of Collection of United States patents granted to Thomas A. Edison, 1869-1884

Collection of United States patents granted to Thomas A. Edison, 1869-1884 v. 1

Edison, Thomas A.; United States. Patent Office

U.S. Patent Office

1869-1884

70. Menlo Park

Collection of United States patents granted to Thomas A. Edison, 1869-1884 v.2

Edison, Thomas A.; United States. Patent Office

U.S. Patent Office

1869-1884

70. Menlo Park

Cristiani Hugenii Zulichemii, Const. f. Systema Saturnium

Huygens, Christiaan

Ex typographia Adriani Vlacq

MDCLIX [1659]

9. Rings of Saturn

Cristiani Hugenii Zulichemii, Const. f. Systema Saturnium

Huygens, Christiaan

Ex typographia Adriani Vlacq

MDCLIX [1659]

No. 009

Christiaan Huygens and his Systema Saturnium

Cover of D. Joseph Gottlieb Kölreuters Vorläufige Nachricht von einigen das Geschlecht der Pflanzen betreffenden Versuchen und Beobachtungen.

D. Joseph Gottlieb Kölreuters Vorläufige Nachricht von einigen das Geschlecht der Pflanzen betreffenden Versuchen und Beobachtungen v 1

Kölreuter, Joseph Gottlieb; Johann Friedrich Gleditschens Buchhandlung,

In der Gleditschischen Handlung

1761-1766

28. Pollinizing Agents

D. Joseph Gottlieb Kölreuters Vorläufige Nachricht von einigen das Geschlecht der Pflanzen betreffenden Versuchen und Beobachtungen v 2-4

Kölreuter, Joseph Gottlieb; Johann Friedrich Gleditschens Buchhandlung,

In der Gleditschischen Handlung

1761-1766

28. Pollinizing Agents

Cover of Das entdeckte Geheimniss der Natur im Bau und in der Befruchtung der Blumen

Das entdeckte Geheimniss der Natur im Bau und in der Befruchtung der Blumen v 1

Sprengel, Christian Konrad

Bei Friedrich Vieweg dem æltern

1793

30. Insect Fertilization of Flowers

Das entdeckte Geheimniss der Natur im Bau und in der Befruchtung der Blumen v 2

Sprengel, Christian Konrad

Bei Friedrich Vieweg dem æltern

1793

30. Insect Fertilization of Flowers

De historia stirpium commentarii insignes

Fuchs, Leonhart

In officina Isingriniana

anno Christi MDXLII [1542]

19. Celebrated Herbal

De la pirotechnia

Biringucci, Vannoccio

C. Navò

1540]

38. Chemistry in the 1500s

De plantis libri XVI

Cesalpino, Andrea

Apud Georgium Marescottum

MDLXXXIII [1583]

20. Plant Classification

Cover of Dialogo di Galileo Galilei Linceo matematico sopraordinario dello studio di Pisa. E filosofo

Dialogo di Galileo Galilei Linceo matematico sopraordinario dello studio di Pisa. E filosofo, e matematico primario del serenissimo gr. duca di Toscana. Doue ne i congressi di quattro giornate si discorre sopra i due massimi sistemi del mondo tolemaico, e

Galilei, Galileo

Per Gio: Batista Landini

MDCXXXII. [1632]

8. Dialog on Two World Systems

Die galvanische Kette

Ohm, Georg Simon

Bei T.H. Riemann

1827

63. Ohm's Law

Cover of Die mutationstheorie. Versuche und beobachtungen über die entstehung von arten im pflanzenreich,

Die mutationstheorie v. 1

Vries, Hugo de

Veit & comp.

1901-03

36. Mutation of Characters

This classic work describes de Vries' research in mutations and how it led him to the rediscovery of Mendel's laws of heredity.

Die mutationstheorie v. 2

Vries, Hugo de

Veit & comp.

1901-03

36. Mutation of Characters

This classic work describes de Vries' research in mutations and how it led him to the rediscovery of Mendel's laws of heredity.

Disquisitiones arithmeticae

Gauss, Carl Friedrich

In commiss. apud Gerh. Fleischer, jun

1801

Elements of vector analysis

Gibbs, J. Willard

Printed by Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor

1881- 1884

En tibi lector Robertum Valturium ... De re militari libris XII

Valturio, Roberto

Apud Christianum Wechelum, sub insigni scuti Basiliensis

1532 Mense Iulio

Epytoma Ioa[n]nis de Mo[n]te Regio in Almagestu[m] Ptolomei

Regiomontanus, Joannes

Johannes Hamman

31 Aug. 1496]

1. The Ancient Universe

Exercitatio anatomica de motv cordis et sangvinis in animalibvs

Harvey, William

Sumptibus F. Fitzeri

1628

Harvey discovered the true nature of how blood circulates in the human body and presented it for the first time in this small book.

Experimenta circa effectum conflictus electrici in acum magneticam

Ørsted, Hans Christian

Typis Schultzianis

[1820]

61. Magnetism from Electricity

Experiments and observations on electricity

Franklin, Benjamin; Collinson, Peter

Printed and sold by E. Cave, at St. John's Gate

1751

57. Lightning is Electrical

Experiments upon vegetables

Ingenhousz, Jan

Printed for P. Elmsly ... and H. Payne

1779

29. Photosynthesis Discovered

Experiments, notes, &c., about the mechanical origine or production of divers particular qualities

Boyle, Robert

Printed by E. Flesher, for R. Davis, bookseller in Oxford

1675 [i.e. 1675-1676]

56. Electricity in Vacuum

Études sur les glaciers

En commission chez Jent et Gassmann, libraires

1840

Études sur les glaciers text v.

Agassiz, Louis

En commission chez Jent et Gassmann, libraires

1840

Francisci Vietæi Opera mathematica

Viète, François

Apud Franciscum Bouuier

1589

105. This work is the first part of an uncompleted larger series on geometry.

Fratris Rogeri Bacon, Ordinis Minorum, Opus majus ad Clementem Quartum, Pontificem Romanum

Bacon, Roger; Jebb, S.

Typis Gulielmi Bowyer

MDCCXXXIII [1733]

76. Doctor Mirabilis

Geometrische Untersuchungen zur Theorie der Parallellinien

Lobachevskiĭ, N. I.

Mayer & Müller

1887

Grundlagen der Chemie

Mendeleyev, Dmitry Ivanovich; Jawein, L.; Thillot, A.

Verlag von Carl Ricker

1891

48. The Periodic Law

Guilielmi Gilberti Colcestrensis, medici londinensis, De magnete

Gilbert, William; Wright, Edward

Excudebat Petrus Short

anno MDC [1600]

54. Magnetism and Electricity

Gum-elastic and its varieties v. 1-2 (1853)

Goodyear, Charles

Published for the author

1853

47. Vulcanized Rubber

Cover of Histoire des végétaux fossiles, ou, Recherches botaniques et géologiques sur les végétaux renfermés dans les diverses couches du globe

Histoire des végétaux fossiles, ou, Recherches botaniques et géologiques sur les végétaux renfermés dans les diverses couches du globe t 1

Brongniart, Adolphe; Thierry frères (Firm),; Imprimerie de Fain,; E.J. Bailly (Firm),

Chez G. Dufour et Ed. d'Ocagne ...

1828-1837

95. Paleobotany

Histoire des végétaux fossiles, ou, Recherches botaniques et géologiques sur les végétaux renfermés dans les diverses couches du globe t 2

Brongniart, Adolphe; Thierry frères (Firm),; Imprimerie de Fain,; E.J. Bailly (Firm),

Chez G. Dufour et Ed. d'Ocagne ...

1828-1837

95. Paleobotany

Faraday, Michael; Royal Society (Great Britain)

The Royal Society

1833]

64. Electro-Magnetic Induction

Improvements in apparatus employed in wireless telegraphy

Marconi, Guglielmo, marchese; Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company.; Great Britain. Patent Office; Malby & Sons,

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office, by Malcomson & Co., Ltd

1899

72. Wireless

Instruction sur les mesures déduites de la grandeur de la terre

France. Commission temporaire des poids & mesures républicaines; Haüy, René Just; France. Convention nationale.

De l'Imprimerie de Saphoux

an 2 [i.e. 1793 or 1794]

This is the first edition of the official manual of the metric system and the first description of the system as it exists today.

Ioannis Keppleri Harmonices mundi libri V

Kepler, Johannes; Ptolemy; Fludd, Robert

sumptibus Godofredi Tampachii ..., excudebat Ioannes Plancus

anno MDCXIX [1619]

6. Third Law

Jacobi Bernoulli profess. basil. & utriusque societ. ... Ars conjectandi, opus posthumum

Bernoulli, Jakob

Impensis Thurnisiorum, Fratrum

1713

110. Jakob Bernoulli was the first in a famous family of Swiss mathematicians.

Lectiones Cutlerianae, or A collection of lectures, physical, mechanical, geographical & astronomical

Hooke, Robert; Hevelius, Johannes; Royal Society (Great Britain)

Printed for John Martyn, printer to the Royal Society, at the Bell in S. Pauls Church-yard

1679

147. Experimenter, Royal Society

Cover of Marcelli Malpighii philosophi & medici Bononiensis, è Regia Societate, Anatome plantarum

Marcelli Malpighii philosophi & medici Bononiensis, è Regia Societate, Anatome plantarum v. 1

Malpighi, Marcello

Impensis Johannis Martyn, Regiae Societatis typographi, ad insigne campanae in coemeterio Divi Pauli

MDCLXXV-MDCLXXIX [1675-1679]

22. Plant Growth

Cover of Methodus inveniendi lineas curvas maximi minimive proprietate gaudentes, sive, Solutio problematis isoperimetrici latissimo sensu accepti

Methodus inveniendi lineas curvas maximi minimive proprietate gaudentes, sive, Solutio problematis isoperimetrici latissimo sensu accepti

Euler, Leonhard; Daudet, Robert; Delamonce, Ferdinand Pierre Joseph Ignace

Apud Marcum-Michaelem Bousquet & Socios

1744

111. Euler, a Swiss mathematician who spent most of his life working in St. Petersburg, Russia, was a prolific author and one of the founders of pure mathematics.

Méchanique analitique

Lagrange, J. L.

Chez la veuve Desaint

1788

112. Born in Italy, La Grange spent most of his life in France and was the leading contributor in the fields of number theory and celestial mechanics.

Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire naturelle des animaux

Perrault, Claude; Académie des sciences (France)

De l'Imprimerie royale

MDCLXXVI [1676]

84. Herald 84 consists of three of the first works published by the Academie des Sciences, the French counterpart to the London Royal Society.

Cover of Mémoires sur l'action mutuelle de deux courans électriques, sur celle qui existe entre un courant électrique et un aimant ou le globe terrestre, et celle de deux aimans l'un sur l'autre. Lus à l'Académie royale des sciences

Mémoires sur l'action mutuelle de deux courans électriques, sur celle qui existe entre un courant électrique et un aimant ou le globe terrestre, et celle de deux aimans l'un sur l'autre. Lus à l'Académie royale des sciences

Ampère, André-Marie; Académie royale des sciences (France)

Impr. de Feugeray

1821]

62. Electro-Dynamics

Mémoires sur l'électricité et la magnétisme

Coulomb, C. A.; Académie royale des sciences (France)

Chez Bachelier, libraire

[1789?]

58. Law of Attraction

Michaelis Bernhardi Valentini prof. medici ... Polychresta exotica in curandis affectibus contumacissimis probatissima

Valentini, Michael Bernhard; Camerarius, Rudolf Jakob

Sumptibus Johannis Davidis Zunneri

MDCCI [1701]

25. Seed Pollination

Cover of Mirifici logarithmorum canonis descriptio, ejusque usus, in utraque trigonometria; ut etiam in omni logistica mathematica, amplissimi, facillimi, & ex

Mirifici logarithmorum canonis descriptio, ejusque usus, in utraque trigonometria; ut etiam in omni logistica mathematica, amplissimi, facillimi, & expeditissimi explicatio

Napier, John

Ex officinâ A. Hart

1614

Nature of the electric force or forces ; Relation of the electric and magnetic forces ; Note on electrical excitation

Faraday, Michael; Royal Society (Great Britain)

The Royal Society

1838]

64. Electro-Magnetic Induction

Nicolai Copernici Torinensis De reuolutionibus orbium coelestium, libri VI

Copernicus, Nicolaus

Apud Ioh. Petreium

anno MDXLIII [1543]

3. The New Universe

Cover of Notice of the character and direction of the electric force of the Gymnotus

Notice of the character and direction of the electric force of the Gymnotus c. 1

Faraday, Michael; Royal Society (Great Britain)

The Royal Society

1839]

64. Electro-Magnetic Induction

1840]

64. Electro-Magnetic Induction

Cover of On the source of power in the voltaic pile, continued

On the source of power in the voltaic pile, continued c. 1

Faraday, Michael; Royal Society (Great Britain)

The Royal Society

1840]

64. Electro-Magnetic Induction

$Cover of Opticks: or, A treatise of the reflections, refractions, inflexions and colours of light$

Opticks: or, A treatise of the reflections, refractions, inflexions and colours of light

Newton, Isaac

Printed for Sam. Smith, and Benj. Walford

1704

148. After his first publication in optics (see Herald 144), Newton continued to study optics, and finally in 1704 he published this collection of his studies.