150 Years of Advancing Science: A History of AAAS
Change and Continuity: 1971 to the Present

Science has changed substantially since 1970, reflecting the accelerating pace of science, its growing role in society, and innovations introduced under the journal's three most recent editors.  A special issue on the NASA Apollo 11 Lunar Science Conference, held in early January 1970, demonstrated the staff's ability to review technical articles and get them into print in record time.  During the four days of the conference, contributors' papers were submitted, screened, reviewed, and edited.  The papers appeared in the January 30, 1970 issue. 

The growing social importance of science can be seen in the pages of Science during this era.  Jean Marx's research news article, "New Disease Baffles Medical Community," was one of the first reports on HIV-AIDS in a scientific journal.  Science also published  papers on HIV by Robert Gallo, Luc Montagnier, and Max Essex in the early 1980s. 

Daniel E. Koshland, Jr., who succeeded Abelson in 1985, added his own touches to the magazine.  Among the many things for which he is remembered are the dot over the i in Science's flag and his Dr. Noitall editorials.  Koshland, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of California, Berkeley, commuted between his lab and the AAAS offices in Washington, managing to publish 100 scientific papers of his own during his 10 years as editor. 

Since succeeding Koshland in 1995, Floyd Bloom, chair of the Department of Neuropharmacology at Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California,has moved rapidly into the online environment with Science On-Line. Science began putting the full text of each issue on the Internet in September 1996 and has since added a range of enhancements and new products, including a daily science news update called "Science Now." 

In recent years, Science has published landmark papers in fields ranging from molecular genetics to exobiology to condensed matter physics.  An August 1996 story on the discovery of possible evidence of primitive life on Mars attracted worldwide attention. 

The growing news staff, including a global network of  "stringers," aggressively and independently pursues investigative journalism, covering allegations of scientific misconduct and reporting controversies such as the "cold fusion" story. 

Bringing Science's advertising sales in-house in 1991, after four decades of working through an outside agency increased revenues and reduced costs, providing resources to expand the journal and help support other parts of AAAS.

<< Previous | Table of Contents | Next >>