science · 03 October 1818 · 206 years ago
birth
Born 3 Oct 1818; died 26 Jan 1896 at age 77.
Scottish publisher who, though not himself a professional scientist did much to promote science in the Victorian times by publishing the journal Nature, enabling communication between men of science. He was prompted by Norman Lockyer, its first editor. The first issue was published on 4 Nov 1869. The journal had the support of many influential contributors, including Thomas Huxley. Yet, it remained a financial challenge for Macmillan. Other scientific quarterlies had short lives. Macmillan tolerated losses for three decades, because of his committment to the journal's mission “to place before the general public the grand results of scientific work and scientific discovery; and to urge the claims of science to move to a more general recognition in education and in daily life.” That mission continues to the present day.
OnThisDay.net