''Harmsworth Popular Science'' was a fortnightly (14 days) series of magazine publications forming an encyclopaedic series of science and technology articles published in the early years of the 20th century, and completed about 1913. It was

humanist Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and agency of human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "humani ...

and

modernist Modernism is both a philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new forms of art, philosophy, an ...

in tone, and supported the then-fashionable ideas of

eugenics Eugenics ( ; ) is a fringe set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population. Historically, eugenicists have attempted to alter human gene pools by excluding people and groups judged to be inferior or ...

and

free market In economics, a free market is an economic system in which the prices of goods and services are determined by supply and demand expressed by sellers and buyers. Such markets, as modeled, operate without the intervention of government or any o ...

economics. Britain (especially

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

) was then considered by the

British people British people or Britons, also known colloquially as Brits, are the citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown dependencies.: British nationality law governs mo ...

to be "the workshop of the world" and the magazine duly celebrated British technical and cultural innovation from

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended fr ...

Guglielmo Marconi Guglielmo Giovanni Maria Marconi, 1st Marquis of Marconi (; 25 April 187420 July 1937) was an Italians, Italian inventor and electrical engineering, electrical engineer, known for his creation of a practical radio wave-based Wireless telegrap ...

Editions

There may have been several bound editions of Harmsworth Popular Science, (probably containing edited reprints of magazine articles) and one of them (undated), is in red cloth and leather completed in seven volumes. The edition was edited by

Arthur Mee Arthur Henry Mee (21 July 187527 May 1943) was an English writer, journalist and educator. He is best known for ''The Harmsworth Self-Educator'', ''The Children's Encyclopædia'', ''The Children's Newspaper'', and ''The King's England''. The ...

and published in London by the Educational Book Company. Volume One contained a foreword entitled "The Story of This Book" which outlines the various groups: * Group 1: The Universe, "The Making of worlds" which speculates about the place of Earth in Creation * Group 2: The Earth, "The Earth we live on" which starts with 'a molten ball of iron...' * Group 3: Life, "Life takes possession" which is Darwinian in tone * Group 4: Plant Life, "The Earth Alive" which has a pre-creationist style "The Hand that made..." * Group 5: Animal Life, "The forerunners of Man" describes fossils to speculates about earlier intelligent life forms * Group 6: Man, "Man Appears" speculated about the origin and evolution of human brains * Group 7: Health, "Man Builds up Strength" covers sanitation, diet and modern medicine such as X-ray and contained biographies on 500 scientists and a bibliography of 1000 scientific books. * Group 8: Power, "Man finds Power" covers steam, and 'new' central generation of electricity * Group 9: Industry, "Man Uses Power" Britain as the workshop of the world was its theme * Group 10: Commerce, "Man Buys and Sells" and the dawn of world trade "America sells cotton..." * Group 11: Society, "Man organizes society" foresees "The Federation of the World" * Group 12: Eugenics "Man Creates The Future" discredited by

Nazi Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...

Human breeding programs, this section is full of hope that "our children (will pass through) the Gates of Dawn"

Editors

As well as Arthur Mee, the other editors included: *

Caleb Williams Saleeby Caleb Williams Saleeby FRSE (1878 – 9 December 1940) was an English physician, writer, and journalist known for his support of eugenics. During World War I, he was an adviser to the Minister of Food and advocated the establishment of a Ministry ...

, Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Doctor of medicine, Scientific author, lecturer at the Royal Institution *

Leo Chiozza Money Sir Leo George Chiozza Money (; 13 June 1870 – 25 September 1944), born Leone Giorgio Chiozza, was an Italian-born economic theorist who moved to Britain in the 1890s, where he made his name as a politician, journalist and author. In the early ...

, Member of Parliament (of GB) Author and political economist * W Beach Thomas, journalist and agricultural expert * John Derry, journalist and educationalist (1854-1937) * Edward Wright, writer on philosophy * Gerald Leighton, professor of pathology and bacteriology at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

(1868-1953) * T Thorn Baker, electrical expert, lecturer at the Royal InstitutionPictures by Wireless
from ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'', retrieved 17 January 2015 *

Henry Hamilton Fyfe Henry Hamilton Fyfe (29 September 1869 – 15 June 1951) was a British journalist and writer who was editor of both the newspapers the ''Daily Mirror'' and the '' Daily Herald''. Career Born in London, and educated at Fettes College, Edinburgh ...

, author and journalist * Ernest A Bryant, author of the natural history section of ''

The Children's Encyclopædia ''The Children's Encyclopædia'' was an encyclopaedia originated by Arthur Mee, and published by the Educational Book Company, a subsidiary of Northcliffe's Amalgamated Press, London. It was published from 1908 to 1964. Walter M. Jackson's co ...

'' *

Ronald Campbell Macfie Ronald Campbell Macfie (1867–1931) was a Scottish medical doctor, poet and science writer specialising in eugenics and evolution. Biography He was a Scottish physician and writer. He had qualified in medicine in Aberdeen in 1897 and specialised ...

, Master of Arts, author of "Science Matter and Material" * Joseph Horner, author of technical works; member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers

Gallery

File:Continuous transit.png, Typical double-page spread from Volume Three File:Harmsworth flysheet.png, Title page from Volume One

References

{{Reflist Biweekly magazines published in the United Kingdom Defunct literary magazines published in the United Kingdom