Founding and early years
The Invisible College has been described as a precursor group to the Royal Society of London, consisting of a number of natural philosophers See more

The society's motto, Nullius in verba, is Latin for "Take nobody's word for it". It was adopted to signify the fellows' determination to … See more

The society is governed by its council, which is chaired by the society's president, according to a set of statutes and standing orders. The members of council, the president, and the … See more

The blazon for the shield in the coat of arms of the Royal Society is in a dexter corner of a shield argent our three Lions of England, and for … See more

Fellows and foreign members are required to sign a book when they join the Royal Society. This book is known as the Charter Book, which has … See more

The society's core members are the fellows: scientists and engineers from the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth selected based on having made "a substantial … See more

The society has a variety of functions and activities. It supports modern science by disbursing over £100 million to fund almost 1,000 research fellowships for both early and late-career … See more