Doctors, engineers, teachers, priests and poets: science writers from 1808 to 1950

Abstract

Based on online archives of newspapers and historical publications, this article brings together and examines 83 professionals from different areas who worked as science and technology editors from 1808 to 1950. They were predominantly professors, doctors, politicians, researchers and public servants. Eleven of them created long careers, spanning at least 20 years, such as José Reis (72 years), Eurico Santos (57), João Ribeiro (39), Oscar Monte (33) and Frederico Hoehne (29). The magazines O Auxiliador da Indústria Nacional (1833-1896) and Chácaras e Quintais (1910-1969) and the monthly supplement “Ciência para Todos” of the newspaper A Manhã (1948-1953) brought together large groups of editors and contributed to their training, as many continued to write about science after the initial publications stopped circulating.