 | |
| Editor | Cliff Ransom |
|---|---|
| Categories | Interdisciplinary |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Publisher | Bonnier Corporation |
| Total circulation (December 2012) | 1,323,041[1] |
| First issue | 1872 |
| Country | USA |
| Website | www.popsci.com |
| ISSN | 0161-7370 |
| OCLC number | 488612811 |
Early history[edit]
Popular Science Monthly was founded in May 1872 by Edward L. Youmans to disseminate scientific knowledge to the educated layman. Youmans had previously worked as an editor for the weekly Appleton's Journal and persuaded them to publish his new journal. Early issues were mostly reprints of English periodicals. The journal became an outlet for writings and ideas of Charles Darwin, Thomas Henry Huxley, Louis Pasteur,Henry Ward Beecher, Charles Sanders Peirce, William James, Thomas Edison, John Dewey and James McKeen Cattell. William Jay Youmans, Edward's brother, helped foundPopular Science Monthly in 1872 and was an editor as well. He became editor-in-chief on Edward's death in 1887.[2] The publisher, D. Appleton & Company, was forced for economic reasons to sell the journal in 1900.[3]
James McKeen Cattell became the editor in 1900 and the publisher in 1901. Cattell had a background in academics and continued publishing articles for educated readers. By 1915 the readership was declining and publishing a science journal was a financial challenge. In a September 1915 editorial, Cattell related these difficulties to his readers and announced that the "Popular Science Monthly" name had been "transferred" to a group that wanted the name for a general audience magazine, a publication which fit the name better. The existing journal would continue the academic tradition as Scientific Monthly. Existing subscribers would remain subscribed under the new name.[4] Scientific Monthly was published until 1958 when it was absorbed into Science.[5]
The Modern Publishing Company acquired the Popular Science Monthly name. This company had purchased Electrician and Mechanicmagazine in 1914 and over the next two years merged several magazines together into a science magazine for a general audience. The magazine had a series of name changes: Modern Electrics and Mechanics, Popular Electricity and Modern Mechanics, Modern Mechanics and finally World's Advance, before the publishers purchased the name Popular Science Monthly. The October 1915 issue was titled Popular Science Monthly and World's Advance. The volume number (Vol. 87, No. 4) was that of Popular Science but the content was that of World's Advance. The new editor was Waldemar Kaempffert, a former editor of Scientific American.[6][7]
The change in Popular Science Monthly was dramatic. The old version was a scholarly journal that had eight to ten articles in a 100 page issue. There would be ten to twenty photographs or illustrations. The new version had hundreds of short, easy to read articles with hundreds of illustrations. Editor Kaempffert was writing for "the home craftsman and hobbyist who wanted to know something about the world of science." The circulation doubled in the first year.[3] Currently (March 2010), the October–December 1915 issues are missing from the [Google Books] online archive - the only such omission besides the rolling one-year delay in making recent issues available online.
From 1935 to 1949, the magazine sponsored a series of short films, produced by Jerry Fairbanks and released by Paramount Pictures.
From July 1952 to December 1989, Popular Science carried Roy Doty's Wordless Workshop as a regular feature.
From July 1969 to May 1989, the cover and table of contents carried the subtitle, "The What's New Magazine." The cover removed the subtitle the following month and the contents page removed it in February 1990.
Recent history[edit]
On January 25, 2007, Time Warner sold this magazine, along with 17 other special interest magazines, to Bonnier Magazine Group.[8]On September 24, 2008, Australian publishing company Australian Media Properties (part of the WW Media Group) launched a local version of Popular Science. It is a monthly magazine, like its American counterpart, and uses content from the American version of the magazine as well as local material.[9] Australian Media Properties also launched www.popsci.com.au at the same time, a localised version of the Popular Science website.
Tablet[edit]
On March 27, 2011, Popular Science magazine sold the 10,000th subscription to its iPad edition, nearly six weeks after accepting Apple's terms for selling subs on its tablet.[10]
Mobile[edit]
In August 2009, Popular Science launched a free iPhone app called PopSci.com,[11] which delivers content from their Web site. The app got a redesign and major update in November 2010. Since January 2011, Popular Science is also available for Android phones and tablets.[12]
Popular Science+[edit]
In early 2010, Bonnier partnered with London-based design firm BERG to create Mag+, a magazine publishing platform for tablets. In April 2010, Popular Science+,[13] the first title on the Mag+ platform, launched in the iTunes Store the same day the iPad launched.[14]The app contains all the content in the print version as well as added content and digital-only extras. Bonnier has since launched several more titles on the Mag+ platform, including Popular Photography+ and Transworld Snowboarding+.
Popular Science Predictions Exchange[edit]
In July 2007, Popular Science launched the Popular Science Predictions EXchange (PPX). People were able to place virtual bets on what the next innovations in technology, the environment, and science would be. Bets have included whether Facebook would have aninitial public offering by 2008, when a touchscreen iPod would be launched, and whether Dongtan, China's eco-city, would be inhabited by 2010. The PPX shut down in 2009.
Television-Future Of...[edit]
Popular Science's Future Of...[15] show premiered on Monday, August 10, 2009 on the Science Channel. The show is concerned with the future of technology and science in a particular topic area that varies from week to week. As of December 2009, a new episode is premiered every Monday.[16]
Popular Science on Google Books[edit]
Since March 5, 2010, all Popular Science issues since the first issue of May 1872 are available for free on Google Books.[17]
Publishers[edit]
| Dates | Publisher |
|---|---|
| 1872–1900 | D. Appleton & Company |
| 1900–1901 | McClure, Philips and Company |
| 1901–1915 | Science Press |
| 1915–1924 | Modern Publishing Company |
| 1924–1967 | Popular Science Publishing Company |
| 1967–1973 | Popular Science Publishing Company, subsidiary of Times Mirror |
| 1973–2000 | Times Mirror Company |
| 2000–2007 | Time Inc. |
| 2007 – present | Bonnier Magazine Group |
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