Frank Swain is a science writer and blogger. He is based in the UK.
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Keep up to date with RSSA set of special commemorative stamps is being launched today to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the Royal Society. The stamps feature ten of the most prominent historical fellows, as chosen by leading figures in the society today.
How many can you name? Answers below the fold!
Each scientist is displayed with an image representing their contribution to the world. The fellows, and the field of their acheivement, are as follows:
- Robert Boyle - Chemistry
- Sir Isaac Newton - Optics
- Benjamin Franklin - Electricity
- Edward Jenner - Vaccination
- Charles Babbage - Computing
- Alfred Russell Wallace - Evolution
- Sir Joseph Lister - Antiseptic Surgery
- Ernest Rutherford - Atomic Structure
- Dorothy Hodgkin - Crystallography
- Sir Nicholas Shackleton - Earth Science
As part of the launch, the Royal Mail took things one step further, creating some images based on the stamps. Here's Benjamin Franklin's philatelic portrait being zapped by 500,000 volts of electricity from two Tesla coils (I guess there were no thunderstorms that day).
You can buy a set of the stamps for a bargain £3.90 from the Royal Mail website.
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Comments
I thought Shackleton was Neil Young!
Posted by: WIll | February 25, 2010 4:04 PM
What what, 1 out 10? Might as well rename the Royal Society to the Misogynistic Patriarchal Society!!!
Oh wait sorry I guess this one of the actual _science_ blogs here.
Posted by: Nuspirit | February 26, 2010 11:49 PM