诺贝尔奖出现以前，英国皇家学会科普利奖和巴黎科学院征文大奖是最重要的两个科学奖项。
1709年，杰弗里·科普利爵士（Sir Geoffrey Copley）给了伦敦皇家学会100英镑用于开展实验。在1736年，有人提议给实验最好的人且被批准的人授予奖章或其他荣誉奖。1736年，英国政府同意授予一枚价值5英镑的奖章，以表彰最重要的科学发现或重大贡献，授予任何领域的杰出科学工作。。科普利奖章成为伦敦皇家学会颁发的最高奖项。1831年，获奖条件改变为由协会理事会认为是最值得获得这个荣誉的研究者。1850年，政府给了学会1000英镑的拨款来帮助他们进行研究和购买设备。1881年，约瑟夫·科普利爵士（Sir Joseph Copley）捐赠了1666英镑。这样每年用50英镑利息来支付科普利奖章的费用。 year
recipient
achievement*Official citation of the Royal Society.
1731
Stephen Gray
For his new Electrical Experiments:—as an encouragement to him for the readiness he has always shown in obliging the Society with his discoveries and improvements in this part of Natural Knowledge.
1732
Stephen Gray
For the Experiments he made for the year 1732.
1733
not awarded
1734
John Theophilus Desaguliers
In consideration of his several Experiments performed before the Society.
1735
not awarded
1736
John Theophilus Desaguliers
For his experiments made during the year.
1737
John Belchier
For his Experiment to show the property of a Diet of Madder Root in dyeing the Bones of living animals of a red colour.
1738
James Valoue
For his invention of an Engine for driving the Piles to make a Foundation for the Bridge to be erected at Westminster, the Model whereof had been shown to the Society.
1739
Stephen Hales
For his Experiments towards the Discovery of Medicines for dissolving the Stone; and Preservatives for keeping Meat in long voyages at Sea.
1740
Alexander Stuart
For his Lectures on Muscular Motion. As a further addition for his services to the Society in the care and pains he has taken therein.
1741
John Theophilus Desaguliers
For his Experiments towards the discovery of the properties of Electricity. As an addition to his allowance (as Curator) for the present year.
1742
Christopher Middleton
For the communication of his Observations in the attempt of discovering a North-West passage to the East Indies through Hudsons Bay.
1743
Abraham Trembley
For his Experiments on the Polypus.
1744
Henry Baker
For his curious Experiments relating to the Crystallization or Configuration of the minute particles of Saline Bodies dissolved in a menstruum.
1745
William Watson
On account of the surprising discoveries in the phenomena of Electricity, exhibited in his late Experiments.
1746
Benjamin Robins
On account of his curious Experiments for showing the resistance of the Air, and his rules for establishing his doctrine thereon for the motion of Projectiles.
1747
Gowin Knight
On account of several very curious Experiments exhibited by him, both with Natural and Artificial Magnets.
1748
James Bradley
On account of his very curious and wonderful discoveries in the apparent motion of the Fixed Stars, and the causes of such apparent motion.
1749
John Harrison
On account of those very curious Instruments, invented and made by him, for the exact mensuration of Time.
1750
George Edwards
On account of a very curious Book lately published by him, and intiyled, A Natural History of Birds, &c.—containing the Figures elegantly drawn, and illuminated in their proper colours, of 209 different Birds, and about 20 very rare Quadrupeds, Serpents, Fishes, and Insects.
1751
John Canton
On account of his communicating to the Society, and exhibiting before them, his curious method of making Artificial Magnets without the use of Natural ones.
1752
John Pringle
On account of his very curious and useful Experiments and Observations on Septic and Anti-septic Substances, communicated to the Society.
1753
Benjamin Franklin
On account of his curious Experiments and Observations on Electricity.
1754
William Lewis
For the many Experiments made by him on Platina, which tend to the discovery of the sophistication of gold:—which he would have entirely completed, but was obliged to put a stop to his further enquiries for want of materials.
1755
John Huxham
For his many useful Experiments on Antimony, of which an account had been read to the Society.
1756
not awarded
1757
Charles Cavendish
On account of his very curious and useful invention of making Thermometers, showing respectively the greatest degrees of heat and cold which have happened at any time during the absence of the observer.
1758
John Dollond
On account of his curious Experiments and Discoveries concerning the different refrangibility of the Rays of Light, communicated to the Society.
1759
John Smeaton
On account of his curious Experiments concerning Water-wheels and Wind-mill Sails, communicated to the Society. For his experimental enquiry concerning the powers of water and wind in the moving of Mills.
1760
Benjamin Wilson
For his many curious Experiments in Electricity, communicated to the Society within the year.
1761
not awarded
1762
not awarded
1763
not awarded
1764
John Canton
For his very ingenious and elegent Experiments in the Air Pump and Condensing Engine, to prove the Compressibility of Water, and some other Fluids.
1765
not awarded
1766
William Brownrigg
For an experimental enquiry into the Mineral Elastic Spirit, or Air, contained in Spa-Water; as well as into the Mephitic qualities of this Spirit.
1766
Edward Delaval
For his Experiments and Observations on the agreement between the specific gravities of the several Metals, and their colours when united to glass, as well as those of their other preparations.
1766
Henry Cavendish
For his Paper communicated this present year, containing his Experiments relating to Fixed Air.
1767
John Ellis
For his Papers of the year 1767, On the animal nature of the Genus of Zoophytes called Corallina, and the Actinia Sociata, or Clustered Animal Flower, lately found on the sea coasts of the new-ceded Islands.
1768
Peter Woulfe
For his Experiments on the Distillation of Acids, Volatile Alkalies, and other substances.
1769
William Hewson
For his Two Papers, entitled, An Account of the Lymphatic System in Amphibious Animals,—and An Account of the Lymphatic System in Fish.
1770
William Hamilton
For his Paper, entitled, An Account of a Journey to Mount Etna.
1771
Matthew Raper
For his paper entitled, An Enquiry into the value of ancient Greek and Roman Money.
1772
Joseph Priestley
On account of the many curious and useful Experiments contained in his observations on different kinds of Air, read at the Society in March, 1772, and printed in the Philosophical Transactions.
1773
John Walsh
For his Paper on the Torpedo.
1774
not awarded
1775
Nevil Maskelyne
In consideration of his curious and laborious Observations on the Attraction of Mountains, made in Scotland,—on Schehallien.
1776
James Cook
For his Paper, giving an account of the method he had taken to preserve the health of the crew of H.M. Ship the Resolution, during her late voyage round the world. Whose communication to the Society was of such importance to the public.
1777
John Mudge
On account of his valuable Paper containing directions for making the best Composition for the metals of Reflecting Telescopes; together with a description of the process for grinding, polishing, and giving the best speculum the true parabolic form.
1778
Charles Hutton
For his paper, entitled, The force of Fired Gunpowder, and the initial velocity of Cannon Balls, determined by Experiments.
1779
not awarded
1780
Samuel Vince
For his paper, entitled, An investigation of the Principles of Progressive and Rotatory Motion, printed in the Philosophical Transactions.
1781
William Herschel
For the Communication of his Discovery of a new and singular Star; a discovery which does him particular honour, as, in all probability, this start has been for many years, perhaps ages, within the bounds of astronomic vision, and yet till now, eluded the most diligent researches of other observers.
1782
Richard Kirwan
As a reward for the merit of his labours in the science of Chemistry. For his chemical analyses of Salts.
1783
John Goodricke
For his discovery of the Period of the Variation of Light in the Star Algol.
1783
Thomas Hutchins
For his Experiments to ascertain the point of Mercurial Congelation.
1784
Edward Waring
For his Mathematical Communications to the Society. For his Paper On the Summation of Series, whose general term is a determinate function of z the distance from the first term of the series.
1785
William Roy
For his Measurement of a Base on Hounslow Heath.
1786
not awarded
1787
John Hunter
For his three Papers,—On the Ovaria, On the identity of the dog, wolf, and jackall species, and On the anatomy of Whales, printed in the Philosophical Transactions for 1787.
1788
Charles Blagden
For his two Papers on Congelation, printed in the last (78th) volume of the Philosophical Transactions.
1789
William Morgan
For his two Papers on the values of Reversions and Survivorships, printed in the two last volumes of the Philosophical Transactions.
1790
not awarded
1791
James Rennell
For his Paper on the Rate of Travelling as performed by Camels, printed in the last (81st) volume of the Philosophical Transactions.
1791
John Andrew de Luc (Jean André Deluc)
For his Improvements in Hygrometry.
1792
Benjamin Thompson, count von Rumford
For his various Papers on the Properties and Communication of Heat.
1793
not awarded
1794
Alessandro Volta
For his several Communications explanatory of certain Experiments published by Professor Galvani.
1795
Jesse Ramsden
For his various inventions and improvements in the construction of the Instruments for the Trigonometrical measurements carried on by the late Major General Roy, and by Lieut. Col. Williams and his associates.
1796
George Attwood
For his Paper on the construction and analysis of geometrical propositions determining the positions assumed by homogeneal bodies which float freely, and at rest; and also determining the Stability of Ships and other floating bodies.
1797
not awarded
1798
George Shuckburgh Evelyn
For his various Communications printed in the Philosophical Transactions.
1798
Charles Hatchett
For his Chemical Communications printed in the Philosophical Transactions.
1799
John Hellins
For his improved Solution of a problem in Physical Astronomy, &c. printed in the Philosophical Transactions for the year 1798; and his other Mathematical Papers.
1800
Edward Howard
For his Paper on a New Fulminating Mercury.
1801
Astley Paston Cooper
For his Papers—on the effects which take place from the destruction of the Membrana Tympani of the Ear; with an account of an operation for the removal of a particular species of Deafness.
1802
William Hyde Wollaston
For his various Papers printed in the Philosophical Transactions.
1803
Richard Chenevix
For his various Chemical Papers printed in the Philosophical Transactions.
1804
Smithson Tennant
For his various Chemical Discoveries communicated to the Society, and printed in several volumes of the Philosophical Transactions.
1805
Humphry Davy
For his various Communications published in the Philosophical Transactions.
1806
Thomas Andrew Knight
For his various Papers on Vegetation, printed in the Philosophical Transactions.
1807
Everard Home
For his various Papers on Anatomy and Physiology, printed in the Philosophical Transactions.
1808
William Henry
For his various papers communicated to the society, and printed in the Philosophical Transactions.
1809
Edward Troughton
For the Account of his Method of dividing Astronomical Instruments, printed in the last volume of the Philosophical Transactions.
1810
not awarded
1811
Benjamin Collins Brodie
For his Papers printed in the Philosophical Transactions. On the influence of the Brain on the action of the Heart, and the generation of Animal Heat; and on the different modes in which death is brought on by certain Vegetable Poisons.
1812
not awarded
1813
William Thomas Brande
For his Communications concerning the Alcohol contained in Fermented Liquors and other Papers, printed in the Philosophical Transactions.
1814
James Ivory
For his various Mathematical Contributions printed in the Philosophical Transactions.
1815
David Brewster
For his Paper on the Polarization of Light by Reflection from Transparent Bodies.
1816
not awarded
1817
Henry Kater
For his Experiments on the Pendulum.
1818
Robert Seppings
For his Papers on the construction of Ships of War, printed in the Philosophical Transactions.
1819
not awarded
1820
Hans Christian Ørsted
For his Electro-magnetic Discoveries.
1821
Edward Sabine
For his various Communications to the Royal Society relating to his researches made in the late Expedition to the Arctic Regions.
1821
John Herschel
For his Papers printed in the Philosophical Transactions.
1822
William Buckland
For his Paper on the Fossil Teeth and Bones discovered in a Cave at Kirkdale.
1823
John Pond
For his various Communications to the Royal Society.
1824
John Brinkley
For his various Communications to the Royal Society.
1825
François Arago
For the Discovery of the Magnetic Properties of substances not containing Iron. For the Discovery of the power of various bodies, principally metallic, to receive magnetic impressions, in the same, though in a more evanescent manner than malleable Iron, and in an infinitely less intense degree.
1825
Peter Barlow
For his various Communications on the subject of Magnetism.
1826
James South
For his observations of Double Stars, and his Paper on the Discordances between the Suns observed and computed Right Ascensions, published in the Transactions of the Society. For his Paper of Observations of the Apparent Distances and Positions of Four Hundred and Fifty-eight Double and Triple Stars, published in the present volume (1826, Part 1.) of the Transactions.
1827
William Prout
For his Paper, entitled, On the ultimate Composition of simple alimentary substances, with some preliminary remarks on the analysis of organized bodies in general.
1827
Henry Foster
For his magnetic and other observations made during the Arctic expedition to Port Bowen.
1828
not awarded
1829
not awarded
1830
not awarded
1831
George Biddell Airy
For his Papers, On the principle of the construction of the Achromatic Eye-pieces of Telescopes,—On the Spherical Aberration of the Eye-pieces of Telescopes, and for other Papers on Optical Subjects in the Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society.
1832
Michael Faraday
For his discovery of Magneto-Electricity as detailed in his Experimental Researches in Electricity, published in the Philosophical Transactions for the present year.
1832
Siméon-Denis Poisson
For his work entitled, Nouvelle Theorie de l'Action Capillaire.
1833
not awarded
1834
Giovanni Plana
For his work entitled, Theorie du Mouvement de la Lune.
1835
William Snow Harris
For his experimental investigations of the force of electricity of high intensity contained in the Philosophical Transactions of 1834.
1836
Jöns Jacob Berzelius
For his systematic application of the doctrine of definite proportions to the analysis of mineral bodies, as contained in his Nouveau Systeme de Mineralogie, and in other of his works.
1836
Francis Kiernan
For his discoveries relating to the structure of the liver, as detailed in his paper communicated to the Royal Society, and published in the Philosophical Transactions for 1833.
1837
Antoine-César Becquerel
For his various memoirs on the subject of electricity, published in the Memoires de l'academie Royale des Sciences de l'Institut de France, and particularly for those on the production of crystals of metallic sulphurets and of sulphur, by the long-continued action of electricity of very low tension, and published in the tenth volume of those Memoires.
1837
John Frederic Daniell
For his two papers on voltaic combinations published in the Philosophical Transactions for 1836.
1838
Carl Friedrich Gauss
For his inventions and mathematical researches in magnetism.
1838
Michael Faraday
For his researches in specific electrical induction.
1839
Robert Brown
For his discoveries during a series of years, on the subject of vegetable impregnation.
1840
Justus von Liebig
For his discoveries in organic chemistry, and particularly for his development of the composition and theory of organic radicals.
1840
Charles-François Sturm
For his "Memoire sur la Resolution des Equations Numeriques," published in the Memoires des Savans Etrangers for 1835.
1841
Georg Simon Ohm
For his researches into the laws of electric currents contained in various memoirs published in Schweiggers Journal, Poggendorffs Annalen and in a separate work entitled Die galvanische Kette, mathematisch bearbeitet.
1842
James MacCullagh
For his researches connected with the wave theory of light, contained in the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy.
1843
Jean-Baptiste-André Dumas
For his late valuable researches in organic chemistry, particularly those contained in a series of memoirs on chemical types and the doctrine of substitution, and also for his elaborate investigations of the atomic weights of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and other elements.
1844
Carlo Matteucci
For his various researches in animal electricity.
1845
Theodor Schwann
For his physiological researches on the development of animal & vegetable textures, published in his work entitled Mikroskopische Untersuchungen uber die Uebereinstimmung in der Struktur u. dem Wachsthun der Thiese u. Bflanzen.
1846
Urbain-Jean-Joseph Le Verrier
For his investigations relative to the disturbances of Uranus by which he proved the existence and predicted the place of the new Planet; the Council considering such prediction confirmed as it was by the immediate discovery of the Planet to be one of the proudest triumphs of modern analysis applied to the Newtonian Theory of Gravitation.
1847
John Herschel
For his work entitled Results of Astronomical Observations made during the years 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837 and 1838, at the Cape of Good Hope; being a completion of a telescopic survey of the whole surface of the visible heavens, commenced in 1825.
1848
John Couch Adams
For his investigations relative to the disturbances of Uranus, and for his application of the inverse problem of perturbations thereto.
1849
Roderick Impey Murchison
For the eminent services he has rendered to geological science during many years of active observation in several parts of Europe; and especially for the establishment of that classification of the older Palaeozoic deposits designated the Silurian System, as set forth in the two works entitled The Silurian System founded on Geological Researches in England, and The Geology of Russia in Europe and the Ural Mountains.
1850
Peter Andreas Hansen
For his researches in physical astronomy.
1851
Richard Owen
On account of his important discoveries in comparative anatomy & palaeontology, contained in the Philosophical Transactions and numerous other works.
1852
Alexander von Humboldt
For his eminent services in terrestrial physics, during a series of years.
1853
Heinrich Wilhelm Dove
For his work on the distribution of heat over the surface of the Earth.
1854
Johannes Peter Müller
For his important contributions to different branches of physiology and comparative anatomy, and particularly for his researches on the embryology of the Echinodermata, contained in a series of memoirs published in the Transactions of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Berlin.
1855
Léon Foucault
For his various researches in experimental physics.
1856
Henry Milne-Edwards
For his researches in comparative anatomy and zoology.
1857
Michel-Eugène Chevreul
For his researches in organic chemistry, particularly on the composition of the fats, and for his researches on the contrast of coulours.
1858
Charles Lyell
For his various researches and writings by which he has contributed to the advance of geology.
1859
Wilhelm Eduard Weber
For the investigations contained in his Maasbestimmungen and other researches in electricity, magnetism, acoustics, &c.
1860
Robert Wilhelm Bunsen
For his researches on cacodyls, gaseous analysis, the Voltaire phenomena of Iceland; and other researches.
1861
Louis Agassiz
For his eminent researches in palaeontology and other branches of science, and particularly for his great works the Poissons Fossiles, and his Poissons du Vieux Gres Rouge d'Ecosse.
1862
Thomas Graham
For three memoirs of the diffusion of liquids, published in the Philosophical Transactions for 1850 and 1851; for a memoir on osmotic force in the Philosophical Transactions for 1854; and particularly for a paper on liquid diffusion applied to analysis, including a distinction of compounds into colloids & crystalloids published in the Philosophical Transactions for 1861.
1863
Adam Sedgwick
For his original observations and discoveries in the geology of the Palaeozoic Series of rocks, and more especially for his determination of the characters of the Devonian System, by observations of the order of superposition of the Killas rocks & their fossils in Devonshire.
1864
Charles Darwin
For his important researches in geology, zoology, and botanical physiology.
1865
Michel Chasles
For his historical and original researches in pure geometry.
1866
Julius Plücker
For his researches in analytical geometry, magnetism, & spectral analysis.
1867
Karl Ernst von Baer
For his discoveries in embryology and comparative anatomy, and for his contributions to the philosophy of zoology.
1868
Charles Wheatstone
For his researches in acoustics, optics, electricity and magnetism.
1869
Henri-Victor Regnault
For the second volume of his Relation des Experiences pour determiner les lois et les donnees physiques necessaries au calcul des machines a feu, including his elaborate investigations on the specific heat of gases and vapours, and various papers on the elastic force of vapours.
1870
James Prescott Joule
For his experimental researches on the dynamical theory of heat.
1871
Julius Robert von Mayer
For his researches on the mechanics of heat; including essays on:—1. The force of inorganic nature. 2. Organic motion in connection with nutrition. 3. Fever. 4. Celestial dynamics. 5. The mechanical equivalent of heat.
1872
Friedrich Wöhler
For his numerous contributions to the science of chemistry, and more especially for his researches on the products of the decomposition of cyanogens by ammonia; on the derivatives of uric acid; on the benzoyl series; on boron, silicon, & their compounds; and on meteoric stones.
1873
Hermann von Helmholtz
For his researches in physics and physiology.
1874
Louis Pasteur
For his researches on fermentation and on pelerine.
1875
August Wilhelm von Hofmann
For his numerous contributions to the science of chemistry, and especially for his researches on the derivatives of ammonia.
1876
Claude Bernard
For his numerous contributions to the science of physiology.
1877
James Dwight Dana
For his biological, geological, and mineralogical investigations, carried on through half a century, and for the valuable works in which his conclusions and discoveries have been published.
1878
Jean-Baptiste Boussingault
For his long-continued and important researches and discoveries in agricultural chemistry.
1879
Rudolf Clausius
For his well-known researches upon heat.
1880
James Joseph Sylvester
For his long continued investigations & discoveries in mathematics.
1881
Charles-Adolphe Wurtz
For his discovery of the organic ammonias, the glycols, and other investigations which have exercised considerable influence on the progress of chemistry.
1882
Arthur Cayley
For his numerous profound and comprehensive researches in pure mathematics.
1883
William Thomson, Baron Kelvin
For (1) his discovery of the law of the universal dissipation of energy; (2) his researches and eminent services in physics, both experimental & mathematical, especially in the theory of electricity and thermodynamics.
1884
Carl F.W. Ludwig
For his investigations in physiology, and the great services which he has rendered to physiological science.
1885
August Kekulé
For his researches in organic chemistry.
1886
Franz Ernst Neumann
For his researches in theoretical optics and electro-dynamics.
1887
Joseph Dalton Hooker
For his services to botanical science as an investigator, author, and traveller.
1888
T.H. Huxley
For his investigations on the morphology and histology of vertebrate and invertebrate animals, and for his services to biological science in general during many past years.
1889
George Salmon
For his various papers on subjects of pure mathematics, and for the valuable mathematical treatises of which he is the author.
1890
Simon Newcomb
For his contributions to the progress of gravitational astronomy.
1891
Stanislao Cannizzaro
For his contributions to chemical philosophy especially for his application of Avogadro's theory.
1892
Rudolf Virchow
For his investigations in pathology, pathological anatomy, and prehistoric archaeology.
1893
George Gabriel Stokes
For his researches and discoveries in physical science.
1894
Edward Frankland
For his eminent services to theoretical & applied chemistry.
1895
Karl Weierstrass
For his investigations in pure mathematics.
1896
Karl Gegenbaur
For his life-long researches in comparative anatomy in all branches of the animal kingdom. etc., etc.
1897
Rudolf Albert von Kölliker
In recognition of his important work in embryology, comparative anatomy, and physiology, and especially for his eminence as a histologist.
1898
William Huggins
For his researches in spectrum analysis applied to the heavenly bodies.
1899
John William Strutt, 3rd Baron Rayleigh
In recognition of his contributions to physical science.
1900
Marcellin Berthelot
For his brilliant services to chemical science.
1901
J. Willard Gibbs
For his contributions to mathematical physics.
1902
Joseph Lister, Baron Lister
In recognition of the value of his physiological and pathological researches in regard to their influence on the modern practice of surgery.
1903
Eduard Suess
For his eminent geological services, & especially for the original researches & conclusions published in his great work Das Antlitz der Erde.
1904
William Crookes
For his long-continued researches in spectroscopic chemistry, on electrical & mechanical phenomena in highly-rarefied gases, on radio-active phenomena, and other subjects.
1905
Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleyev
For his contributions to chemical and physical science.
1906
Élie Metchnikoff
On the ground of the importance of his work in zoology and in pathology.
1907
A.A. Michelson
On the ground of his investigations in optics.
1908
Alfred Russel Wallace
On the ground of the great value of his numerous contributions to natural history, and of the part he took in working out the theory of the origin of species by natural selection.
1909
George William Hill
On the ground of his researches in mathematical astronomy.
1910
Francis Galton
On the ground of his researches in heredity.
1911
George Darwin
On the ground of his researches on tidal theory, the figures of the planets, and allied subjects.
1912
Felix Klein
On the ground of his researches in mathematics.
1913
Edwin Ray Lankester
On the ground of the high scientific value of the researches in zoology carried out by him.
1914
J.J. Thomson
On the ground of his discoveries in physical science.
1915
Ivan Petrovich Pavlov
On the ground of his investigations in the physiology of digestion and of the higher centres of the nervous system.
1916
James Dewar
For his important investigations in physical chemistry, more especially his researches on the liquefaction of gases.
1917
Émile Roux
On the ground of his eminence as a bacteriologist, and as a pioneer in serum therapy.
1918
Hendrik Antoon Lorentz
On the ground of his distinguished researches in mathematical physics.
1919
William Maddock Bayliss
On the ground of his researches in general physiology & biophysics.
1920
Horace Brown
On the ground of his work on the chemistry of carbohydrates, &c.
1921
Joseph Larmor
For his researches in mathematical physics.
1922
Ernest Rutherford
For his researches in radio activity & atomic structure.
1923
Horace Lamb
For his researches in mathematical physics.
1924
Edward Albert Sharpey-Schafer
For the valuable work he has done in physiology and histology and the position he now occupies as a leader in these sciences.
1925
Albert Einstein
For his theory of relativity and his contributions to the quantum theory.
1926
Frederick Gowland Hopkins
For his distinguished and fruitful work in biochemistry.
1927
Charles Sherrington
For his distinguished work on neurology.
1928
Charles Algernon Parsons
For his contributions to engineering science.
1929
Max Planck
For his contributions to theoretical physics and especially as the originator of the quantum theory.
1930
William Bragg
For his distinguished contributions to crystallography and radioactivity.
1931
Arthur Schuster
For his distinguished researches in optics and terrestrial magnetism.
1932
George Ellery Hale
For his distinguished work on the solar magnetic phenomena and for his eminence as a scientific engineer, especially in connexion with Mount Wilson Observatory.
1933
Theobald Smith
For his original research and observation on diseases of animals and man.
1934
John Scott Haldane
In recognition of his discoveries in human physiology and of their application to medicine, mining, diving and engineering.
1935
C.T.R. Wilson
For his work on the use of clouds in advancing our knowledge of atoms and their properties.
1936
Arthur Evans
In recognition of his pioneer work in Crete, particularly his contributions to the history and civilization of its Minoan age.
1937
Henry Dale
In recognition of his important contributions to physiology and pharmacology, particularly in relation to the nervous and neuro-muscular systems.
1938
Niels Bohr
In recognition of his distinguished work in the development of the quantum theory of atomic structure.
1939
Thomas Hunt Morgan
For his establishment of the modern science of genetics which had revolutionized our understanding, not only of heredity, but of the mechanism and nature of evolution.
1940
Paul Langevin
For his pioneer work on the electron theory of magnetism, his fundamental contributions to discharge of electricity in gases, and his important work in many branches of theoretical physics.
1941
Thomas Lewis
For his clinical and experimental investigations upon the mammalian heart.
1942
Robert Robinson
For his research work of outstanding originality and brilliance which has influenced the whole field of organic chemistry.
1943
Joseph Barcroft
For his distinguished work on respiration and the respiratory function of the blood.
1944
Geoffrey Ingram Taylor
For his many contributions to aerodynamics, hydrodynamics, and the structure of metals, which have had a profound influence on the advance of physical science and its applications.
1945
Oswald Avery
For his success in introducing chemical methods in the study of immunity against infective diseases.
1946
Edgar Douglas Adrian
For his distinguished researches on the fundamental nature of nervous activity, and recently on the localization of certain nervous functions.
1947
Godfrey Harold Hardy
For his distinguished part in the development of mathematical analysis in England during the last thirty years.
1948
A.V. Hill
For his distinguished researches on myothermal problems and on biophysical phenomena in nerve and other tissues.
1949
Georg Charles von Hevesy
For his distinguished work on the chemistry of radioactive elements and especially for his development of the radioactive tracer techniques in the investigation of biological processes.
1950
James Chadwick
For his outstanding work in nuclear physics and in the development of atomic energy, especially for his discovery of the neutron.
1951
David Keilin
For his fundamental researches in the fields of protozoology, entomology and the biochemistry of enzymes.
1952
P.A.M. Dirac
In recognition of his remarkable contributions to relativistic dynamics of a particle in quantum mechanics.
1953
Albert Jan Kluyver
For his distinguished contributions of a fundamental character to the science of microbiology.
1954
Edmund Taylor Whittaker
For his distinguished contributions to both pure and applied mathematics and to theoretical physics.
1955
Ronald Aylmer Fisher
In recognition of his numerous and distinguished contributions to developing the theory and application of statistics for making quantitative a vast field of biology.
1956
Patrick M.S. Blackett
In recognition of his outstanding studies of cosmic ray showers and heavy mesons and in the field of palaeomagnetism.
1957
Howard Walter Florey
In recognition of his distinguished contributions to experimental pathology and medicine.
1958
John Edensor Littlewood
In recognition of his distinguished contributions to many branches of analysis, including Tauberian theory, the Riemann zeta function, and non-linear differential equations.
1959
Macfarlane Burnet
In recognition of his distinguished contributions to knowledge of viruses and of immunology.
1960
Harold Jeffreys
In recognition of his distinguished work in many branches of geophysics, and also in the theory of probability and astronomy.
1961
Hans Adolf Krebs
In recognition of his distinguished contributions to biochemistry, in particular his work on the ornithine, tricarboxylic acid and glyoxylate cycles.
1962
Cyril Hinshelwood
In recognition of his distinguished researches in the field of chemical kinetics, including the study of biological reaction mechanisms, and of his outstanding contributions to natural philosophy.
1963
Paul Fildes
In recognition of his pioneering contributions to bacteriology.
1964
Sydney Chapman
In recognition of his theoretical contributions to terrestrial and interplanetary magnetism, the ionosphere and the aurora borealis.
1965
Alan Hodgkin
In recognition of his discovery of the mechanism of excitation and impulse conduction in nerve, and his outstanding leadership in the development of neurophysiology.
1966
Lawrence Bragg
In recognition of his distinguished contributions to the development of methods of structural determination by X-ray diffraction.
1967
Bernard Katz
In recognition of his distinguished contributions to knowledge of the fundamental processes involved in transmission across the neuromuscular junction.
1968
Tadeus Reichstein
In recognition of his distinguished work on the chemistry of vitamin C and his authoritative studies of the cortico-steroids.
1969
Peter Brian Medawar
In recognition of his distinguished studies of tissue transplantation and immunological tolerance.
1970
Alexander Robertus Todd
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to both the analytical and synthetic chemistry of natural products of diverse types.
1971
Norman Wingate Pirie
In recognition of his distinguished contributions to biochemistry and especially for his elucidation of the nature of plant viruses.
1972
Nevill F. Mott
In recognition of his original contributions over a long period to atomic and solid state physics.
1973
Andrew Fielding Huxley
In recognition of his outstanding studies on the mechanisms of the nerve impulse and of activation of muscular contraction.
1974
William Hodge
In recognition of his pioneering work in algebraic geometry, notably in his theory of harmonic integrals.
1975
Francis Crick
In recognition of his elucidation of the structure of DNA and his continuing contribution to molecular biology.
1976
Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin
In recognition of her outstanding work on the structures of complex molecules, particularly Penicillin, vitamin B12 and insulin.
1977
Frederick Sanger
In recognition of his distinguished work on the chemical structure of proteins and his studies on the sequences of nucleic acids.
1978
Robert Burns Woodward
In recognition of his masterly contributions to the synthesis of complex natural products and his discovery of the importance of orbital symmetry.
1979
Max Ferdinand Perutz
In recognition of his distinguished contributions to molecular biology through his own studies of the structure and biological activity of haemoglobin and his leadership in the development of the subject.
1980
Derek Barton
In recognition of his distinguished contributions to a wide range of problems in structural and synthetic organic chemistry and, in particular, his introduction of conformational analysis into stereochemistry.
1981
Peter Dennis Mitchell
In recognition of his distinguished contribution to biology in his formulation and development of the chemiosmotic theory of energy transduction.
1982
John Cornforth
In recognition of his distinguished research on the stereochemically-controlled synthesis and biosynthesis of biologically important molecules.
1983
Rodney Robert Porter
In recognition of his elucidation of the structure of immunoglobulins and of the reactions involved in activating the complement system of proteins.
1984
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
In recognition of his distinguished work on theoretical physics, including stellar structure, theory of radiation, hydrodynamic stability and relativity.
1985
Aaron Klug
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to our understanding of complex biological structures and the methods used for determining them.
1986
Rudolf Ernst Peierls
In recognition of his fundamental contributions to a very wide range of theoretical physics, and signal advances in proposing the probable existence of nuclear chain reactions in fissile materials.
1987
Robert Hill
In recognition of his pioneering contributions to the understanding of the nature and mechanism of the main pathway of electron transport in photosynthesis.
1988
Michael Francis Atiyah
In recognition of his fundamental contributions to a wide range of topics in geometry, topology, analysis and theoretical physics.
1989
César Milstein
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to immunology, in particular to the discovery of monoclonal antibodies and to the understanding of the role of somatic mutations in the maturation of the immune response.
1990
Abdus Salam
In recognition of his work on the symmetries of the laws of nature, and especially the unification of the electromagnetic and weak forces.
1991
Sydney Brenner
In recognition of his many contributions to molecular genetics and developmental biology, and his recent role in the Human Genome mapping project.
1992
George Porter
In recognition of his contributions to fundamental understanding of fast photochemical and photophysical processes and their role in chemistry and biology.
1993
James Watson
In recognition of his tireless pursuit of DNA, from the elucidation of its structure to the social and medical implications of the sequencing of the human genome.
1994
Charles Frank
In recognition of his fundamental contribution to the theory of crystal morphology, in particular to the source of dislocations and their consequences in interfaces and crystal growth; to fundamental understanding of liquid crystals and the concept of disclination; and to the extension of crystallinity concepts to aperiodic crystals.
1995
F.J. Fenner
In recognition of his contribution to animal virology with special emphasis on the pox and myxomatosis viruses and their relationship with the host in causing disease.
1996
Alan Cottrell
In recognition of his contribution to the understanding of mechanical properties of materials and related topics through his pioneering studies on crystal plasticity, dislocation impurity interactions, fracture and irradiation effects.
1997
Hugh Esmor Huxley
In recognition of his pioneering work on the structure of muscle and on the molecular mechanisms of muscle contraction, providing solutions to one of the great problems in physiology.
1998
James Lighthill
In recognition of his profound contributions to many fields within fluid mechanics including important aspects of the interaction of sound and fluid flow and numerous other contributions which have had practical applications in aircraft engine design.
1999
John Maynard Smith
In recognition of his seminal contributions to evolutionary biology, including his experimental work on sexual selection, his important contributions to our understanding of ageing, his introduction of game theoretical methods for the analysis of complex evolutionary scenarios and his research into molecular evolution, both through his classic work on genetic hitchhiking, and with his more recent, ongoing work on bacterial population growth.
2000
Alan Rushton Battersby
In recognition of his pioneering work in elucidating the detailed biosynthetic pathways to all the major families of plant alkaloids.
2001
Jacques Francis Albert Pierre Miller
For his work on the immunological function of the thymus and of T cells, which has revolutionised the science of immunology.
2002
John A. Pople
For his development of computational methods in quantum chemistry. His work transformed density functional theory into a powerful theoretical tool for chemistry, chemical physics and biology.
2003
John Gurdon
For his unique range of groundbreaking discoveries in the fields of cell and developmental biology.
2004
Harold W. Kroto
In recognition of his seminal contributions to understanding the fundamental dynamics of carbon chain molecules, leading to the detection of these species (polyynes) in the interstellar medium by radioastronomy, and thence to the genesis of a new era in carbon science.
2005
Paul M. Nurse
For his contributions to cell biology in general, and to the elucidation of the control of cell division.
2006
Stephen Hawking
For his outstanding contribution to theoretical physics and theoretical cosmology.
2007
Robert May
For his seminal studies of interactions within and among biological populations that have reshaped our understanding of how species, communities and entire ecosystems respond to natural or human created disturbance.
2008
Roger Penrose
For his beautiful and original insights into many areas of mathematics and mathematical physics.
2009
Martin J. Evans
For his seminal work on embryonic stem cells in mice, which revolutionised the field of genetics.
2010
David Cox
For his seminal contributions to the theory and applications of statistics.
2010
Tomas Lindahl
For his seminal contributions to the understanding of the biochemistry of DNA repair.
2011
Dan McKenzie
For his seminal contributions to the understanding of geological and geophysical phenomena including tectonic plates.
2012
John E. Walker
For his groundbreaking work on bioenergetics, discovering the mechanism of ATP synthesis in the mitochondrion.
2013
Andre Geim
For his numerous scientific contributions and, in particular, for initiating research on two-dimensional atomic crystals and their artificial heterostructures.
2014
Alec Jeffreys
For his pioneering work on variation and mutation in the human genome.
2015
Peter Higgs
For his fundamental contribution to particle physics with his theory explaining the origin of mass in elementary particles, confirmed by the experiments at the Large Hadron Collider.
2016
Richard Henderson
For his fundamental and revolutionary contributions to the development of electron microscopy of biological materials, enabling their atomic structure to be deduced.
2017
Andrew Wiles
For his proof of Fermat's last theorem, which is one of the most important mathematical achievements of the 20th century.
2018
Jeffrey I. Gordon
For his contributions to understanding the role of gut microbial communities to human health and disease.
