Nature's mission statement
Nature's original mission statement was published for the first time on 11 November 1869. The journal's original mission statement was revised in 2000. The original mission statement is reproduced below:
Nature
a weekly illustrated journal of science.
"To the solid ground
Of Nature trusts the mind that builds for aye." - WORDSWORTH
THE object which it is proposed to attain by this periodical may be broadly stated as follows. It is intended
FIRST, to place before the general public the grand results of Scientific Work and Scientific Discovery ; and to urge the claims of Science to a more general recognition
in Education and in Daily Life ;
And, SECONDLY, to aid Scientific men themselves, by giving early information of all advances made in any branch of Natural knowledge
throughout the world, and by affording them an opportunity of discussing the various Scientific questions which arise from time to time.
To accomplish this twofold object, the following plan will be followed as closely as possible :
Those portions of the Paper more especially devoted to the discussion of matters interesting to the public at large will contain:
I. Articles written by men eminent in Science on subjects connected with the various points of contact of Natural knowledge with practical affairs, the public health, and material progress ; and on the advancement of Science, and its educational and civilizing functions.
II. Full accounts, illustrated when necessary, of Scientific Discoveries of general interest.
III. Records of all efforts made for the encouragement of Natural knowledge in our Colleges and Schools, and notices of aids to Science-teaching.
IV. Full Reviews of Scientific Works, especially directed to the exact Scientific ground gone over, and the contributions to knowledge, whether in the shape of new facts, maps, illustrations, tables, and the like, which they may contain.
In those portions of "NATURE" more especially interesting to Scientific men will be given :
V. Abstracts of important Papers communicated to the British, American, and Continental Scientific societies and periodicals/
VI.Reports of the Meetings of Scientific bodies at home and abroad.
In addition to the above, there will be columns devoted to Correspondence.
For more on the history of Nature, including essays, videos, timeline and an interactive forum, visit History of the Journal Nature.
