Newton's apple moment ripe for viewing at last

Published on Sunday 17 January 2010 21:51

A FRAGILE manuscript telling the original story of how Sir Isaac Newton was inspired by a falling apple has been made public for the first time.

The account of his "eureka" moment, which led to his famous theory of gravity, forms part of William Stukeley's 1752 biography of the great scientist.

Until now it has remained hidden away in the Royal Society's archives – but from today anyone with internet access will be able to look at it.

The manuscript is one of a number of archive documents being published online by Britain's leading academic institution to mark its 350th anniversary.

Lord Rees, president of the Royal Society – and Newton's modern-day successor – said: "Stukeley's biography is a precious artefact for historians of science and I am delighted that it is being made available today, along with other treasures from the archives, in a format that allows anybody to view them as if they were holding the manuscript in front of them."

Also available through the Royal Society's Turning the Pages initiative is the design for Thomas Paine's revolutionary iron bridge, the philosopher John Locke's contribution to an early version of the American constitution, and rare natural history illustrations from the 17th to the 19th centuries.

Access is on www.royalsociety.org/turning-the-pages.