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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Referee's report by George Biddell Airy, on a paper 'Further experiments on light' by Henry Lord Brougham

Reference number: RR/2/36

Date: 17 June 1852

Description

Not recommended for publication in the 'Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society'. This second paper is considered better than the first, in that it contains less crude theory. It is worse than the first, in that it contains less 'novel experiment'. 'But is is comparable to the first in this respect, - that it is written in entire ignorance' of the principles and results of the great undulatory theory. 'The paper is more than twenty years behind the actual state of science'. Suggests that any writers putting papers to the Royal Society should have made themselves well acquainted with current theories 'before he troubled the Society with such useless speculations'.

Subject: Physics and Chemistry

[Published in the 'Proceedings of the Royal Society of London]

Reference number
RR/2/36
Earliest possible date
17 June 1852
Physical description
Letter on paper
Page extent
7 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator name

George Biddell Airy

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Citation

George Biddell Airy, Referee's report by George Biddell Airy, on a paper 'Further experiments on light' by Henry Lord Brougham, 17 June 1852, RR/2/36, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/rr_2_36/referees-report-by-george-biddell-airy-on-a-paper-further-experiments-on-light-by-henry-lord-brougham, accessed on 06 December 2024

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https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/rr_2_36/referees-report-by-george-biddell-airy-on-a-paper-further-experiments-on-light-by-henry-lord-brougham

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  • Referee Reports

    Date: 1832-1954

    This collection contains reports on scientific papers submitted for publication to the Royal Society. Started in 1832 when the system was formalised, it is a record of the origins of peer review publishing in practice.

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