Oxford Science Archive Collection (#3)

Justus von Liebig, German chemist, c1860. Liebig (1803-1873) was one of the most illustrious chemists of his age; he was the founder of agricultural chemistry

Antoine Laurent Lavoisier, French chemist, demonstrating his discovery of oxygen, 1776 (1874). On the table in the right background of the picture is his calorimeter

Telling time at night using a nocturnal, 1539. The hour is obtained by measuring the angular position of the imaginary line joining the pointers in the constellation of the Plough to the Pole Star

Method of measuring angles with a cross-staff, 1636. Edmund Gunter (1581-1626) was an English mathematician and astronomer who invented many measuring instruments which bear his name; Gunters Chain

Measuring the distance from ship to shore, using a quadrant marked with shadow-scales, 1598. From L usa della squadra mobile by Ottavius Fabri. (Venice, 1598)

Third Eddystone lighthouse, 19th century. Built by the English civil engineer John Smeaton (1724-1792) between 1757 and 1759, this was the third lighthouse to be sited on Eddystone Rocks

Observation of a spiral galaxy in Canes Venatici drawn by Lord Rosse, 1850. Artist: William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse
Observation of a spiral galaxy in Canes Venatici drawn by Lord Rosse, 1850. Known as the Whirlpool Galaxy, this was the first galaxy to be recognised as having a spiral structure

Carolus Linnaeus, 18th century Swedish scientist and naturalist, 1874. Linnaeus (Carl von Linne) (1707-1778), the founder of the modern system of plant

Guillaume Francois Riuelle, 18th century French chemist, 1874. Riuelle (1703-1770) was the teacher of Antoine Lavoisier, the French chemist who discovered oxygen

Christopher Scheiners illustration of his idea of the surface of the sun, 1635. German astronomer and mathematician Scheiner (1573-1650)

Tarpan, 1830. Artist: William Home Lizars
Tarpan, 1830. The Tarpan was a small European wild horse, dun-coloured with a dark mane and tail. Small herds survived in remote parts of central Europe, but became extinct in the early 20th century

Measuring the altitude of the Sun, 1539. From Cosmographia by Peter Apian. (Antwerp, 1539)

Title page of The Description and Use of the Sector by Edmund Gunter, 1636. It shows mariners holding various navigational instruments, including a sector and a cross-staff at the top

Cross-staffs used for surveying, 1551. In this case they are being used to measure the width of a river by triangulation. From Rudimenta Mathematica by Sebastian Munster. (Basel, 1551)

Using a cross-staff to measure the height of a tower, 1617-1619. From Utriusque cosmi...historia by Robert Fludd. (Oppenheim, 1617-1619)

Measuring the distance of an inaccessible object by triangulation using a hinged staff, 1617-1619. From Utriusque cosmi...historia by Robert Fludd. (Oppenheim, 1617-1619)

Reiner Gemma Frisius, Dutch astronomer, geographer, cartographer and mathematician, 1539. Gemma Frisius (1508-1555) holding an adjustable ring dial for determining the altitude of the Sun for

Planimeter used in conjunction with a set square for surveying, 1605. From Instrumentorum Mechanicorum by Levinus Hulsius. (Frankfurt-am-Main, 1605)

A surveyors level, 1547. From Architechtur...Mathematischen...Kunst by Gaultherus Rivius. (Nuremberg, 1547)

Forms of astrolabe in use for surveying, 1650. Vignette from a multiplication table

Using astrolabes to calculate the height of a steeple, 1539. Artist: Petrus Apianus
Using astrolabes to calculate the height of a steeple, 1539. From Cosmographia, Peter Apian, Antwerp, 1539

Surveying, from Levinus Hulsius Instrumentorum Mechanicorum, Frankfurt-am-Main, 1605. Artist: Levinus Hulsius
Surveying, from Levinus Hulsius Instrumentorum Mechanicorum, Frankfurt-am-Main, 1605. Top; measuring angles using a quadrant. Bottom; obtaining levels and altitudes using Hulsiuss planimeter

Title page of Samuel Sturmy, Mariners Magazine, London, 1669. Artist: Samuel Sturmy
Title page of Samuel Sturmy Mariners Magazine, London, 1669. Sturmy (1633-1669) was a sea captain and sailed to the West Indies and Virginia

Temple of Serapis at Puzzuoli in 1183, Charles Lyell (1853). Artist: Charles Lyell
Temple of Serapis at Puzzuoli in 1183, Charles Lyell (1853). Frontispiece of the ninth edition of Principles of Geology, Charles Lyell, London, 1853, showing how it had slowly subsided

Strata of red sandstone, slightly inclined, Siccar Point, Berwickshire 1852. Artist: Charles Lyell
Strata of red sandstone, slightly inclined, Siccar Point, Berwickshire 1852. It is illustrating nonconformable strata, and so long time scale

Pollen mass of Orchis mascula when first attached (A) and after depression (B), 1899. From The Various Contrivances by which Orchids are Fertilized by Insects (second edition) by Charles Darwin

Andreas Vesalius, 16th century Flemish anatomist, c1789-c1798. Vesalius (1514-1564) great work on anatomy De Humani Corporis Fabrica (On the Structure of the Human Body) (1543) was a landmark

John Tyndall, Irish-born British physicist and populariser of science, c1880. Tyndall (1820-1893) was appointed Professor of Natural Philosophy at the Royal Institution

Apparatus for reducing dislocations, 1544. The subject is placed on a bed with a windlass at either end. Ropes are attached to the area of dislocation and force is applied by turning the windlass

Richard Owen, British naturalist, c1856 (1891). After qualifying and practising as a surgeon, Owen (1804-1892) made major contributions in the fields of anatomy and paleontology

Justus von Liebig, 19th century German chemist. Liebig (1803-1873) was one of the most illustrious chemists of his age; he was the founder of agricultural chemistry

Preparation of copper and silver to be alloyed for production of coins, 1683. Copper is melted (1) while an apprentice (9) soaks birch twigs in water

Lazaro Spallanzani, 18th century Italian naturalist and biologist, 1874
Lazzaro Spallanzani, 18th century Italian naturalist and biologist, 1874. Spallanzani (1729-1799) investigating the digestive system of the chicken

Surveyors using quadrants to measure the height of a tower, c1617-c1619. Artist: Robert Fludd
Surveyors using quadrants to measure the height of a tower, 1617-c1619. Quadrants fitted with plumb bobs and marked with shadow scales to measure the height of a tower

The moth Acontia luctuosa and orchid pollen, 1862. This shows seven pairs of pollinia of Orchis pyramidalis on the moths proboscis

Nicholas Lemery, French chemist, 1870. Lemery (1645-1715) was a pharmacist and lecturer in Paris. He wrote a textbook on chemistry and a treatise on the element antimony

Pre-binomial classification of species, 1644. Here two different species of the genus camel are named in Hebrew, Latin and Dutch, although only one species, the Bactrian is depicted

Finding the angular distance between two edges of a wood using a cross-staff, 1617-1619. From Utriusque cosmi...historia by Robert Fludd. (Oppenheim, 1617-1619)

Henry Cavendish (1731-1810), philosopher and chemist, c1851
Henry Cavendish (1731-1810), English natural philosopher and chemist. Cavendish Physical Laboratory, Cambridge, is named after him. Lithograph, c1851

Gustave Hamel, British aviation pioneer, 1913. Hamel (c1884-1914) disappeared over the English Channel on 23 May 1914 on a flight from France piloting a new aircraft

Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz, c1900
Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz, German physicist and physiologist, c1900. The inventor of the opthalmoscope (1850)

John Russell Hind, Hermann Goldschmidt and Robert Luther, astronomers, c1900. Medal commemorating the work of these three men on the discovery of planetoids (asteroids or minor planets)

Medal commemorating Pierre Janssen and Norman Lockyer, French and English astronomers, 1868
Medal commemorating Pierre Janssen and Joseph Norman Lockyer, French and English astronomers, 1868. In 1868, working independently of each other on spectroscopic studies of solar prominences

Pierre Janssen and Joseph Norman Lockyer, French and English astronomers, 1868. Pierre Jules Cesar Janssen (1824-1907), left, and Joseph Norman Lockyer (1836-1920)

Julius Ferdinand Hann, Austrian meteorologist, c1921
Julius Ferdinand Hann, c1921. Portrait of Hann (1839-1921) from a commemorative medal issued by the Austrian Meteorological Society

Radcliffe Observatory, Oxford, 1862. Founded in 1772, the observatory is named after the physician John Radcliffe (1652-1714)

Manuel John Johnson, English astronomer, 1862. Johnson (1805-1859) observed the total solar eclipse of 27 July 1832 while in charge of the St Helena observatory

Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz, German physicist and physiologist, 1907. The inventor of the opthalmoscope (1850)

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"Exploring the Vast Oxford Science Archive: A Journey Through Time and Discoveries" Step into a world where history intertwines with scientific breakthroughs, as we delve into the captivating Oxford Science Archive. From the early days of locomotives to groundbreaking astronomical observations, this collection showcases humanity's relentless pursuit of knowledge. Witness the awe-inspiring sight of a train crossing Stockport viaduct on the London & North Western Railway in 1845, symbolizing mankind's determination to conquer distance and connect nations. Marvel at our understanding of celestial bodies through stunning images capturing Jupiter's four moons - Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto - observed in 1979. Travel back further in time to 1867 when The Engineer publication chronicled technological advancements that shaped society. Immerse yourself in an era when engineering marvels like the Great Eastern ship were constructed on the banks of Thames at Millwall in 1857. Meet James Watt, a Scottish engineer whose inventive genius revolutionized steam power during the Industrial Revolution. His portrait from 1833 serves as a reminder of human ingenuity that propelled us forward. Explore artistry intertwined with science as you encounter Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins' depiction of "The Whale" circa 1850 – a testament to both artistic skill and zoological exploration. Encounter JJ Thomson, British nuclear physicist extraordinaire captured in an iconic photograph from 1898 – his work paving the way for modern atomic theory. Reflect upon mankind's relationship with nature through poignant imagery depicting water scarcity amidst abundance titled "Water. Water. Everywhere; and not a Drop to Drink" from 1849. Witness progress etched into landscapes such as Tring cutting on London & Birmingham Railway (1837) or Kilsby Tunnel construction (1839), showcasing how infrastructure transformed societies. Acknowledge both triumphs and challenges faced by humanity throughout history as industrial pollution looms over Sheffield Yorkshire in the 1920s.