Science communication in the 18th century. The case of Leonhard Euler

Data visualisations not only enable the presentation of complex issues, but are now also designed as interactive and explorative interfaces. They represent a starting point for further exploration of a topic and can be used in this way in a variety of situations. In this case, it is a thematic map that deals with Leonhard Euler (1707-1783) and the question of how science was communicated in the 18th century.

The starting point is a so-called POP-UP PDF of Euler's publications in his first Petersburg period (1727-1741), which allows individual queries and additional layers of information. For this purpose, a research question was formulated (in the field "scholarly communication in the 18th century") and a bibliography was attached (in the information field at the bottom left), which can be opened with a mouse click. Information such as place of publication, year of publication as well as language of publication (with the help of a separate colour code) as well as the status as source or target text allow a first classification of Euler's scientific work. Further information opens up when the cursor is moved over the individual publications. Links to scanned originals as well as further sources on the Internet can be opened by mouse click (whenever a # is found in the text boxes). Suggestions and comments can be sent by e-mail (mouse click on the copyright at the bottom right).