The Royal Society of London

This stained-glass window from the Royal Society of London shows the Latin motto of one of the world’s most important science institutions: “NULLIUS IN VERBA,” which means “take nobody’s word for it.” This admonition is a central premise of the scientific method, stressing that knowledge should not be determined by unproven authority and confirmation bias. Rather, we should come to our conclusions with research, sound methodology in experimentation, and transparent reporting. This motto well accounts for the enormous gains made by the Royal Society in human understanding of the world. The Royal Society got going in 1660 with a talk by Christopher Wren, but was formally inaugurated as an institution independent of government influence (despite the word “Royal”) in 1663. From publishing Newton’s _Principia_ to Chadwick’s discovery of the neutron, the Royal Society has put into practice its motto, with today’s world benefiting.