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>>> Copley Medal <<<

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t	628	\|2012\|\| {{sortname\|John\|Walker\| John E. Walker}}\|\| "For his ground-breaking work on bioenergetics, discovering the mechanism of ATP synthesis in the mitochondrion."\|\|<ref name="medals2010">{{cite web\|url=http://royalsociety.org/news/top-scientists-2012/\|publisher=The Royal Society\|accessdate=2012-9-06}}</ref>	t	628	\|2012\|\| {{sortname\|John\|Walker\| John E. Walker}}\|\| "For his ground-breaking work on bioenergetics, discovering the mechanism of ATP synthesis in the mitochondrion."\|\|<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web\|url=http://royalsociety.org/news/top-scientists-2012/\|publisher=The Royal Society\|accessdate=2012-9-06}}</ref>
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The '''Copley Medal''' is a scientific award given by the [[Royal Society of London]] for "outstanding achievements in research in any branch of science." It alternates between the physical sciences and the biological sciences.<ref name="cop1">{{cite web|url=http://royalsociety.org/page.asp?id=1736|title=The Copley Medal (1731)|publisher=The Royal Society|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref> Given every year, the medal is the oldest Royal Society medal still awarded, and probably the oldest surviving scientific award in the world, having first been given in 1731 to [[Stephen Gray (scientist)|Stephen Gray]], who received it 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".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://royalsociety.org/page.asp?id=1744|title=Copley archive winners 1799–1731|publisher=The Royal Society|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref> The medal was created following a donation of [[Pound sterling|£]]100 to be used for carrying out experiments by [[Sir Godfrey Copley, 2nd Baronet|Sir Godfrey Copley]], for which the interest on the amount was used for several years.<ref name="cop2">{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Societies/CopleyMedal.html|title=Copley Medal|publisher=[[University of St Andrews]]|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref> The conditions for the medal have been changed several times; in 1736, it was suggested that "a medal or other honorary prize should be bestowed on the person whose experiment should be best approved", and this remained the rule until 1831, when the conditions were changed so that the medal would be awarded to the researcher that the Royal Society Council decided most deserved it.<ref name="cop2"/> A second donation of £1666 13[[Shilling (British coin)|s]]. 4[[Penny (British pre-decimal coin)|d]]. was made by Sir Joseph William Copley in 1881, and the interest from that amount is used to pay for the medal.<ref name="cop2"/> The medal in its current format is made of silver gilt and awarded with a £5000 prize.<ref name="cop1"/>

Since its inception, it has been awarded to a number of notable scientists, including 52 winners of the [[Nobel Prize]]: 17 in [[Nobel Prize in Physics|Physics]], 21 in [[Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine|Physiology or Medicine]], and 14 in [[Nobel Prize in Chemistry|Chemistry]]. Past winners of Copley Medal include, [[Frederick Sanger]], [[Charles Darwin]], [[Paul Dirac]], [[Ivan Pavlov]], [[Dimitri Mendeleev]], [[John Pople]], [[Robert May, Baron May of Oxford|Robert May]], [[Dan McKenzie (geophysicist)|Dan McKenzie]], [[Arthur Cayley]], [[James Lighthill]] among others. It is also older than the Fields medal and Abel medal in maths. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/|title=All Nobel Laureates in Chemistry|publisher=[[Nobel Foundation]]|accessdate=2009-02-04}}</ref> [[John Theophilus Desaguliers]] has won the medal the most often, in 1734, 1736 and 1741. In 1976, [[Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin]] was the first and as of 2012 the only woman to have won the prize.

==Recipients==
{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1" style="align:left;"
|-
!width="4%"|Year
!width="20%"|Name
!width="71%" class="unsortable"|Rationale
!width="5%" class="unsortable"|Notes
|-
|1731 ||{{sortname|Stephen|Gray|Stephen Gray (scientist)}}||"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"||<ref name="odnb1">{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/11354?&docPos=2&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Gray, Stephen (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1732 ||{{sortname|Stephen|Gray|Stephen Gray (scientist)}}||"For the Experiments he made for the year 1732"||<ref name="odnb1"/>
|-
|1733 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1734 ||{{sortname|John Theophilus|Desaguliers|}}||"In consideration of his several Experiments performed before the Society"||<ref name="odnb2">{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/7539?&docPos=4&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Desaguliers, John Theophilus (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1735 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1736 ||{{sortname|John Theophilus|Desaguliers|}}||"For his experiments made during the year"||<ref name="odnb2"/>
|-
|1737 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/1984?&docPos=6&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Belchier, John (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1738 ||{{sortname|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 ||{{sortname|Stephen|Hales|}}||"For his Experiments towards the Discovery of Medicines for dissolving the Stone; and Preservatives for keeping Meat in long voyages at Sea"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/11915?&docPos=7&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Hales, Stephen (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1740 ||{{sortname|Alexander|Stuart|Alexander Stuart (scientist)}}||"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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/47081?docPos=1|title=Oxford DNB article:Stuart, Alexander (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1741 ||{{sortname|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."||<ref name="odnb2"/>
|-
|1742 ||{{sortname|Christopher|Middleton|Christopher Middleton (navigator)}}||"For the communication of his Observations in the attempt of discovering a North-West passage to the East Indies through Hudsons Bay"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/18668?&docPos=10&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Middleton, Christopher (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1743 ||{{sortname|Abraham|Trembley|}}||"For his Experiments on the Polypus"||—
|-
|1744 ||{{sortname|Henry|Baker|Henry Baker (naturalist)}}||"For his curious Experiments relating to the Crystallization or Configuration of the minute particles of Saline Bodies dissolved in a menstruum"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/1120?&docPos=11&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Baker, Henry (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1745 ||{{sortname|William|Watson|William Watson (scientist)}}||"On account of the surprising discoveries in the phenomena of Electricity, exhibited in his late Experiments"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/28874?&docPos=12&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Watson, Sir William (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1746 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Robins.html|title=Robins biography|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1747 ||{{sortname|Gowin|Knight|}}||"On account of several very curious Experiments exhibited by him, both with Natural and Artificial Magnets"||<ref name="cav1">{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=EUoLAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA71&lpg=PA71&dq=%22Gowin+Knight%22+copley+medal&source=web&ots=qkgEYLbmyD&sig=7QmOJ-VITbyQ7qtheKyj-dFsF0Y&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result|title=Cavendish|last=Jungnickel|first=Christa |year=1996|publisher=DIANE publishing|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1748 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/optics/timeline/people/bradley.html|title=Molecular Expressions: Science, Optics and You – Timeline – James Bradley|publisher=[[Florida State University]]|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1749 ||{{sortname|John|Harrison|}}||"On account of those very curious Instruments, invented and made by him, for the exact mensuration of Time"||<ref name="cav2">{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=EUoLAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA99&lpg=PA99&dq=%22+John+Harrison%22+copley+medal&source=web&ots=qkgEYLbstx&sig=ohEXM_GtonJgNU5x08Clq5-gViA&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=7&ct=result|title=Cavendish|last=Jungnickel|first=Christa |year=1996|publisher=DIANE publishing|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1750 ||{{sortname|George|Edwards|dab=naturalist}}||"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."||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/heritage/GeorgeEdwards/patrons.htm|title=RCP Heritage – George Edwards|publisher=[[Royal College of Physicians]]|accessdate=2009-01-29}} {{Dead link|date=April 2012|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>
|-
|1751 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref name="cav3">{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=EUoLAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA100&lpg=PA100&dq=%22John+Canton%22+copley+medal&source=web&ots=qkgEYLbtAw&sig=ZhaNt07gna2A9E3iuxvsQw2aYqo&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=9&ct=result#PPA100,M1|title=Cavendish|last=Jungnickel|first=Christa |year=1996|publisher=DIANE publishing|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1752 ||{{sortname|John|Pringle|}}||"On account of his very curious and useful Experiments and Observations on Septic and Anti-septic Substances, communicated to the Society"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/22805|title=Oxford DNB article:Pringle, Sir John (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1753 ||{{sortname|Benjamin|Franklin|}}||"On account of his curious Experiments and Observations on Electricity"||<ref>{{cite web|title=Franklin_Benjamin biography|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Biographies/Franklin_Benjamin.html|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1754 ||{{sortname|William|Lewis|William Lewis (scientist)}}||"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"||<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=0c-8AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA53&lpg=PA53&dq=%22William+Lewis%22+copley+medal&source=web&ots=50dPYornfI&sig=u2zhMopQ1XYENwt-e9yVe7dPtTc&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=10&ct=result|title=Science and Technology in the Industrial Revolution|year=1969|publisher=[[Manchester University Press]]|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1755 ||{{sortname|John|Huxham|}}||"For his many useful Experiments on Antimony, of which an account had been read to the Society"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/14319?&docPos=22&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Huxham, John (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1756 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1757 ||{{sortname|Charles|Cavendish|Lord 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"||<ref name="cav1"/>
|-
|1758 ||{{sortname|John|Dollond|}}||"On account of his curious Experiments and Discoveries concerning the different refrangibility of the Rays of Light, communicated to the Society"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/49855/7783|title=Oxford DNB article:Dollond family (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1759 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.engineering-timelines.com/who/Smeaton_J/smeatonJohn5.asp|title=Engineering Timelines – John Smeaton|publisher=Engineering Timelines|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1760 ||{{sortname|Benjamin|Wilson|Benjamin Wilson (painter)}}||"For his many curious Experiments in Electricity, communicated to the Society within the year"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/29641?&docPos=25&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Wilson, Benjamin (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1761 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1762 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1763 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1764 ||{{sortname|John|Canton|}}||"For his very ingenious and elegant Experiments in the Air Pump and Condensing Engine, to prove the Compressibility of Water, and some other Fluids"||<ref name="cav3"/>
|-
|1765 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1766 ||{{sortname|William|Brownrigg|}}, 
[[Edward Delaval]] and

[[Henry Cavendish]]
||"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. (Brownrigg)"
"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. (Delaval)"

"For his Paper communicated this present year, containing his Experiments relating to Fixed Air. (Cavendish)"
||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dcs.warwick.ac.uk/bshm/zingaz/LondonPeopleA.html|title=The British Society for the History of Mathematics  |publisher=[[British Society for the History of Mathematics]]|accessdate=2009-02-06}}</ref>
|-
|1767 ||{{sortname|John|Ellis|John Ellis (naturalist)}}||"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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aim25.ac.uk/cats/9/9662.htm|title=AIM25 text-only browsing: Royal College of Surgeons of England  Ellis, John (c 1710–1776)|publisher=[[Aim25]]|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1768 ||{{sortname|Peter|Woulfe|}}||"For his Experiments on the Distillation of Acids, Volatile Alkalies, and other substances"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/30007?&docPos=31&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Woulfe, Peter|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1769 ||{{sortname|William|Hewson|William Hewson (surgeon)}}||"For his Two Papers, entitled, An Account of the Lymphatic System in Amphibious Animals, – and An Account of the Lymphatic System in Fish"||—
|-
|1770 ||{{sortname|William|Hamilton|William Hamilton (diplomat)}}||"For his Paper, entitled, An Account of a Journey to Mount Etna"||<ref>{{cite web|format=PDF|url=http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=%2FBJH%2FBJH39_01%2FS0007087405007600a.pdf&code=f55e6aa4b80edf3a215d621ee092fd38|title=Making and circulating knowledge through Sir William Hamilton's Campi Plhegraei|publisher=[[The British Society for the History of Science]]|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1771 ||{{sortname|Matthew|Raper|}}||"For his paper entitled, An Enquiry into the value of ancient Greek and Roman Money"||—
|-
|1772 ||{{sortname|Joseph|Priestley|}}||"On account of the many curious and useful Experiments contained in his observations"||
|-
|1773 ||{{sortname|John|Walsh|John Walsh (scientist)}}||"For his Paper on the Torpedo"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.berkshirehistory.com/bios/jwalsh.html|title=Berkshire History: Biographies: Lieut-Col. John Walsh (1726–1795)|year=2004|publisher=Nash Ford Publishing|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1774 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1775 ||{{sortname|Nevil|Maskelyne|}}||"In consideration of his curious and laborious Observations on the Attraction of Mountains, made in Scotland, – on Schehallien"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Biographies/Maskelyne.html|title=Maskelyne biography|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1776 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref name="haw">{{cite web|url=http://www.trinhall.cam.ac.uk/news/article.asp?ItemID=734|title=Stephen Hawking wins Copley Medal|publisher=[[Trinity College, Cambridge]]|accessdate=2009-02-07}}</ref>
|-
|1777 ||{{sortname|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 ||{{sortname|Charles|Hutton|}}||"For his paper, entitled, The force of Fired Gunpowder, and the initial velocity of Cannon Balls, determined by Experiments"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Hutton.html|title=Hutton summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1779 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1780 ||{{sortname|Samuel|Vince|}}||"For his paper, entitled, An investigation of the Principles of Progressive and Rotatory Motion, printed in the Philosophical Transactions"||<ref name="nla">{{cite web|url=http://www.nla.gov.au/cdview/nla.ms-ms9-15|title=Digital Collections – Manuscripts – Item 15a – 15z, 15(1) – 15(20): Addresses to the Royal Society, London the first on being appointed to the Chair and later addresses on presentations of the Copley Medal, 1778–1796.|publisher=[[National Library of Australia]]|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1781 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/optics/timeline/people/herschel.html|title=Friedrich William Herschel|publisher=[[Florida State University]]|accessdate=2009-02-07}}</ref>
|-
|1782 ||{{sortname|Richard|Kirwan|}}||"As a reward for the merit of his labours in the science of Chemistry. For his chemical analyses of Salts"||<ref name="nla"/>
|-
|1783 ||{{sortname|John|Goodricke|}} and [[Thomas Hutchins (naturalist)|Thomas Hutchins]]||"For his discovery of the Period of the Variation of Light in the Star Algol. (Goodricke)" 
"For his Experiments to ascertain the point of Mercurial Congelation. (Hutchins)"
||<ref name="nla"/>
|-
|1784 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Waring.html|title=Waring summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1785 ||{{sortname|William|Roy|}}||"For his Measurement of a Base on Hounslow Heath"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electricscotland.com/history/other/roy_william.htm|title=William Roy|publisher=Electric Scotland|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1786 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1787 ||{{sortname|John|Hunter|John Hunter (surgeon)}}||"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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hemonctoday.com/article.aspx?rid=36439|title=John Hunter: ‘Founder of Scientific Surgery’ – HemOnc Today|publisher=''HemOnc Today''|accessdate=2009-02-08}}</ref>
|-
|1788 ||{{sortname|Charles|Blagden|}}||"For his two Papers on Congelation, printed in the last (78th) volume of the Philosophical transactions"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/2553?&docPos=47&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Blagden, Charles (subscription needed)|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1789 ||{{sortname|William|Morgan|William Morgan (scientist)}}||"For his two Papers on the values of Reversions and Survivorships, printed in the two last volumes of the Philosophical Transactions"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/19244?&docPos=48&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Morgan, William (subscription needed)|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1790 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1791 ||{{sortname|James|Rennell|}} and 
[[Jean-André|Jean-André De Luc]]
||"For his Paper on the Rate of Travelling as performed by Camels, printed in the last (81st) volume of the Philosophical Transactions. (Rennell)"
"For his Improvements in Hygrometry. (De Luc)"
||<ref>http://royalsociety.org/awards/copley-medal/ Royal Society - Copley Medal 2011</ref>
|-
|1792 ||{{sortname|Benjamin|Thompson|}}||"For his various Papers on the Properties and Communication of Heat"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/27255|title=Oxford DNB article: Thompson, Sir Benjamin (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|accessdate=2009-02-08}}</ref>
|-
|1793 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1794 ||{{sortname|Alessandro|Volta|}}||"For his several Communications explanatory of certain Experiments published by Professor Galvani"||—
|-
|1795 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Ramsden.html|title=Ramsden summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1796 ||{{sortname|George|Atwood|}}||"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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Atwood.html|title=Attwood summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1797 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1798 ||{{sortname|George|Shuckburgh-Evelyn|George Shuckburgh-Evelyn, 6th Baronet}} and 
[[Charles Hatchett]]
||"For his various Communications printed in the Philosophical Transactions. (Evelyn)"
"For his Chemical Communications printed in the Philosophical Transactions. (Hatchett)"
||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/12595?&docPos=55&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Hatchett, Charles (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1799 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dcs.warwick.ac.uk/bshm/zingaz/LondonPeopleH.html#hel|title=British Society for the History of Mathematics|publisher=[[University of Warwick]]|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref>
|-
|1800 ||{{sortname|Edward|Howard|Edward Howard (scientist)}}||"For his Paper on a New Fulminating Mercury"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uark.edu/depts/cosmo/publications/pub%20by%20year/1976%20papers/sears%201976.pdf|format=PDF|title=Edward Charles Howard|last=Sears|first=Derek|publisher=University of Arkansas|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1801 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aim25.ac.uk/cgi-bin/vcdf/detail?coll_id=6888&inst_id=9|title=Cooper, Sir Astley Paston (1768–1841)|publisher=Aim25|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1802 ||{{sortname|William Hyde|Wollaston|}}||"For his various Papers printed in the Philosophical Transactions"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chem.ch.huji.ac.il/history/wollaston.html|title=Wollaston|publisher=[[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]]|accessdate=2009-02-08}}</ref>
|-
|1803 ||{{sortname|Richard|Chenevix|Richard Chenevix (chemist)}}||"For his various Chemical Papers printed in the Philosophical Transactions"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.platinummetalsreview.com/dynamic/article/view/47-4-175-183|title=PMR:  Bicentenary of Four Platinum Group Metals |last=Griffith|first=WP|publisher=Platinum Metals Review|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1804 ||{{sortname|Smithson|Tennant|}}||"For his various Chemical Discoveries communicated to the Society, and printed in several volumes of the Philosophical Transactions"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.platinummetalsreview.com/dynamic/article/view/48-4-182-189|title=PMR:  Bicentenary of Four Platinum Group Metals |last=Griffith|first=WP|publisher=Platinum Metals Review|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1805 ||{{sortname|Humphry|Davy|}}||"For his various Communications published in the Philosophical Transactions"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1806 ||{{sortname|Thomas Andrew|Knight|}}||"For his various Papers on Vegetation, printed in the Philosophical Transactions"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nal.usda.gov/pgdic/Strawberry/book/boksix.htm|title=Early Breeding in Europe|last=Darrow|first=GM|publisher=[[United States National Agricultural Library]]|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1807 ||{{sortname|Everard|Home|}}||"For his various Papers on Anatomy and Physiology, printed in the Philosophical Transactions"||—
|-
|1808 ||{{sortname|William|Henry|William Henry (chemist)}}||"For his various papers communicated to the society, and printed in the Philosophical Transactions"||—
|-
|1809 ||{{sortname|Edward|Troughton|}}||"For the Account of his Method of dividing Astronomical Instruments, printed in the last volume of the Philosophical Transactions"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Troughton.html|title=Troughton Summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-01-30}}</ref>
|-
|1810 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1811 ||{{sortname|Benjamin Collins|Brodie|Benjamin Collins Brodie, 1st Baronet}}||"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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/42/5/689|title=Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie (1783–1862) |last=Buchanan|first=W.W.|publisher=British Society for Rheumatology |accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1812 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1813 ||{{sortname|William Thomas|Brande|}}||"For his Communications concerning the Alcohol contained in Fermented Liquors and other Papers, printed in the Philosophical Transactions"||—
|-
|1814 ||{{sortname|James|Ivory|James Ivory (mathematician)}}||"For his various Mathematical Contributions printed in the Philosophical Transactions"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Ivory.html|title=Ivory summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-01-30}}</ref>
|-
|1815 ||{{sortname|David|Brewster|}}||"For his Paper on the Polarization of Light by Reflection from Transparent Bodies"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-ah.st-andrews.ac.uk/mgstud/reflect/david.html|title=Sir David Brewster (1781–1868)|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1816 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1817 ||{{sortname|Henry|Kater|}}||"For his Experiments on the Pendulum"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person.php?LinkID=mp02471|title=Henry Kater (1777–1835), Scientist|publisher=National Portrait Gallery|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1818 ||{{sortname|Robert|Seppings|}}||"For his Papers on the construction of Ships of War, printed in the Philosophical Transactions"||—
|-
|1819 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1820 ||{{sort|Orsted, Hans Christian|[[Hans Christian Ørsted]]}}||"For his Electro-magnetic Discoveries"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.springerlink.com/content/k231425486v66866/|title=SpringerLink – Book Chapter |publisher=[[SpringerLink]]|accessdate=2009-02-08}}</ref>
|-
|1821 ||{{sortname|Edward|Sabine|}} and 
[[John Herschel]]
||"For his various Communications to the Royal Society relating to his researches made in the late Expedition to the Arctic Regions. (Sabine)" 
"For his Papers printed in the Philosophical Transactions. (Herschel)"
||<ref name="her1">{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Herschel.html|title=Herschel summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-01-30}}</ref>
|-
|1822 ||{{sortname|William|Buckland|}}||"For his Paper on the Fossil Teeth and Bones discovered in a Cave at Kirkdale"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tc.umn.edu/~allch001/1815/buckland.htm|title=William Buckland & Reliquae Diluvianae|publisher=[[University of Minnesota]]|accessdate=2009-02-08}}</ref>
|-
|1823 ||{{sortname|John|Pond|}}||"For his various Communications to the Royal Society"||—
|-
|1824 ||{{sortname|John|Brinkley|John Brinkley (astronomer)}}||"For his various Communications to the Royal Society"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dcs.warwick.ac.uk/bshm/zingaz/D.html|title=The British Society for the History of Mathematics  |publisher=The British Society for the History of Mathematics  |accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1825 ||{{sortname|François|Arago|}} and [[Peter Barlow (mathematician)|Peter Barlow]]||"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. (Arago)"
"For his various Communications on the subject of Magnetism. (Barlow)"
||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Arago.html|title=Arago summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-01-30}}</ref>
|-
|1826 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bpccs.com/lcas/Articles/jsouth.htm|title=Lake County Astronomical Society|publisher=Lake County Astronomical Society|accessdate=2009-02-05}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>
|-
|1827 ||{{sortname|William|Prout|}} and 
[[Henry Foster (scientist)|Henry Foster]]
||"For his Paper  entitled, On the ultimate Composition of simple alimentary substances, with some preliminary remarks on the analysis of organized bodies in general. (Prout)"
"For his magnetic and other observations made during the Arctic expedition to Port Bowen. (Foster)"
||<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=fZSNUcPL8AYC&pg=PA87&lpg=PA87&dq=%22Henry+Foster%22+copley+medal&source=web&ots=5khcTd1zOM&sig=6YKaCBZqF-mJ5tPSIdXnMGiVrgw&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result|title=[[The Gentleman's Magazine]]|publisher=The Gentleman's Magazine|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1828 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1829 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1830 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1831 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Airy.html|title=Airy summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-01-30}}</ref>
|-
|1832 ||{{sortname|Michael|Faraday|}} and [[Simeon Poisson]]||"For his discovery of Magneto-Electricity as detailed in his Experimental Researches in Electricity, published in the Philosophical Transactions for the present year. (Faraday)"
"For his work entitled, Nouvelle Theorie de lAction Capillaire. (Poisson)"
||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Poisson.html|title=Poisson summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-01-30}}</ref>
|-
|1833 ||''No Award''||—||—
|-
|1834 ||{{sortname|Giovanni|Plana|}}||"For his work entitled, Theorie du Mouvement de la Lune"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/Biographies/Plana.html|title=Plana biography|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1835 ||{{sortname|William Snow|Harris|}}||"For his experimental investigations of the force of electricity of high intensity contained in the Philosophical Transactions of 1834"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1836 ||{{sortname|Jöns Jakob|Berzelius|}} and [[Francis Kiernan]]||"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. (Berzelius)" 
"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. (Kiernan)"
||—
|-
|1837 ||{{sortname|Antoine César|Becquerel|}} and 
[[John Frederic Daniell]]
||"For his various memoirs on the subject of electricity, published in the Memoires deacademie Royale des Sciences de lInstitut 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. (Becquerel)"
"For his two papers on voltaic combinations published in the Philosophical Transactions for 1836. (Daniell)"
||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chambersharrap.co.uk/chambers/features/chref/chref.py/main?query=PN02036&xref=y&title=biog|title=Chambers Search Chambers|publisher=[[Chambers Harrap]]|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1838 ||{{sortname|Carl Friedrich|Gauss|}} 
and [[Michael Faraday]]
||"For his inventions and mathematical researches in magnetism. (Gauss)"
"For his researches in specific electrical induction. (Faraday)"
||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Gauss.html|title=Gauss summary|publisher=[[University of St Andrews]]|accessdate=2009-02-08}}</ref>
|-
|1839 ||{{sortname|Robert|Brown|Robert Brown (botanist)}}||"For his discoveries during a series of years, on the subject of vegetable impregnation"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/3645|title=Oxford DNB article:Brown, Robert (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1840 ||{{sortname|Justus|Liebig|}} and 
[[Jacques Charles François Sturm]]
||"For his discoveries in organic chemistry, and particularly for his development of the composition and theory of organic radicals. (Liebig)"
"For his "Memoire sur la Resolution des Equations Numeriques," published in the Memoires des Savans Etrangers for 1835. (Sturm)"
||<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=VugoemP2th0C&dq=%22Justus+Liebig%22+copley+medal&printsec=frontcover&source=in&hl=en&ei=Ql-XSaycEc-X-gbu8bCPCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=12&ct=result#PPA98,M1|title=Justus Von Liebig: The Chemical Gatekeeper|last=Brock|first=William H.|year=2002|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Sturm.html|title=Sturm summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1841 ||{{sortname|Georg|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Biographies/Ohm.html|title=Ohm biography|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1842 ||{{sortname|James|MacCullagh|}}||"For his researches connected with the wave theory of light, contained in the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/MacCullagh.html|title=MacCullagh summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1843 ||{{sortname|Jean Baptiste|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 ||{{sortname|Carlo|Matteucci|}}||"For his various researches in animal electricity"||<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/?id=Cv2OdFwpk-kC&pg=PA129&lpg=PA129&dq=%22Carlo+Matteucci%22+copley+medal|title=Amedeo Avogadro, a Scientific Biography|publisher=[[Springer Science+Business Media|Springer]]|accessdate=2009-02-05|isbn=978-90-277-1624-8|author1=Morselli, Mario|year=1984}}</ref>
|-
|1845 ||{{sortname|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 ||{{sortname|Urbain 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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Biographies/Le_Verrier.html|title=Le Verrier biography|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1847 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref name="her1"/>
|-
|1848 ||{{sortname|John Couch|Adams|}}||"For his investigations relative to the disturbances of Uranus, and for his application of the inverse problem of perturbations thereto"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Adams.html|title=Adams summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1849 ||{{sortname|Roderick|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 ||{{sortname|Peter Andreas|Hansen|}}||"For his researches in physical astronomy"||<ref name="od">{{cite web|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/public/themes/93/93188.html|title=Oxford DNB theme: Holders of the Copley Medal (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1851 ||{{sortname|Richard|Owen|}}||"On account of his important discoveries in comparative anatomy & palaeontology, contained in the Philosophical Transactions and numerous other works"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mrw.interscience.wiley.com/emrw/9780470015902/els/article/a0002450/current/abstract|title=Own, Richard: Encyclopedia of Life Sciences|publisher=[[Wiley InterScience]]|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1852 ||{{sortname|Alexander von|Humboldt|}}||"For his eminent services in terrestrial physics, during a series of years"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nahste.ac.uk/isaar/GB_0237_NAHSTE_P0400.html|title=Humboldt – Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander – von – 1769–1859 – Baron – German naturalist, geologist and explorer|publisher=[[University of Edinburgh]]|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1853 ||{{sortname|Heinrich Wilhelm|Dove|}}||"For his work on the distribution of heat over the surface of the Earth"||—
|-
|1854 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yale.edu/perception/Brian/misc/lineage/|title=BjS: Academic Lineage|publisher=[[Yale University]]|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1855 ||{{sortname|Léon|Foucault|}}||"For his various researches in experimental physics"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1856 ||{{sortname|Henri|Milne-Edwards|}}||"For his researches in comparative anatomy and zoology"||—
|-
|1857 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1858 ||{{sortname|Charles|Lyell|}}||"For his various researches and writings by which he has contributed to the advance of geology"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1859 ||{{sortname|Wilhelm|Weber|Wilhelm Eduard Weber}}||"For the investigations contained in his Maasbestimmungen and other researches in electricity, magnetism, acoustics"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Weber.html|title=Weber summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1860 ||{{sortname|Robert|Bunsen|}}||"For his researches on cacodyls, gaseous analysis, the Voltaire phenomena of Iceland; and other researches"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1861 ||{{sortname|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 dEcosse"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1862 ||{{sortname|Thomas|Graham|Thomas Graham (chemist)}}||"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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aps-pub.com/proceedings/1454/411.pdf|format=PDF|title=Darwin and the Copley Medal|publisher=[[American Philosophical Society]]|accessdate=2009-02-05}} {{Dead link|date=November 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>
|-
|1863 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amphilsoc.org/library/mole/s/sedgwick.htm|title=Adam Sedgwick Collection|publisher=American Philosophical Society|accessdate=2009-02-05}} {{Dead link|date=November 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>
|-
|1864 ||{{sortname|Charles|Darwin|}}||"For his important researches in geology, zoology, and botanical physiology"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1865 ||{{sortname|Michel|Chasles|}}||"For his historical and original researches in pure geometry"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Chasles.html|title=Chasles summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1866 ||{{sortname|Julius|Plücker|}}||"For his researches in analytical geometry, magnetism, & spectral analysis"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Plucker.html|title=Plucker summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1867 ||{{sortname|Karl Ernst von|Baer|}}||"For his discoveries in embryology and comparative anatomy, and for his contributions to the philosophy of zoology"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1868 ||{{sortname|Charles|Wheatstone|}}||"For his researches in acoustics, optics, electricity and magnetism"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1869 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1870 ||{{sortname|James Prescott|Joule|}}||"For his experimental researches on the dynamical theory of heat"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1871 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1872 ||{{sortname|Friedrich|Woehler|}}||"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"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1873 ||{{sortname|Hermann|Helmholtz|}}||"For his researches in physics and physiology"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Helmholtz.html|title=Helmholtz summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1874 ||{{sortname|Louis|Pasteur|}}||"For his researches on fermentation and on pelerine"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1875 ||{{sortname|August Wilhelm|Hofmann|}}||"For his numerous contributions to the science of chemistry, and especially for his researches on the derivatives of ammonia"||<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Q5wEAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA13&lpg=PA13&dq=%22August+Wilhelm+Hofmann%22+copley+medal&source=web&ots=9DZlVcbutv&sig=mS6twqbqJEb88x9cip6DWf5H5iY&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result#PPA14,M1|title=Chemical News and Journal of Industrial Science|publisher=Journal of Industrial Science|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1876 ||{{sortname|Claude|Bernard|}}||"For his numerous contributions to the science of physiology"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1877 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1878 ||{{sortname|Jean Baptiste|Boussingault|}}||"For his long-continued and important researches and discoveries in agricultural chemistry"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/reprint/84/1/1.pdf|format=PDF|title=Jean Baptiste Boussingault|publisher=[[Journal of Nutrition]]|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1879 ||{{sortname|Rudolf|Clausius|}}||"For his well-known researches upon heat"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Clausius.html|title=Clausius summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1880 ||{{sortname|James Joseph|Sylvester|}}||"For his long continued investigations & discoveries in mathematics"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Sylvester.html|title=Sylvester summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1881 ||{{sortname|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 ||{{sortname|Arthur|Cayley|}}||"For his numerous profound and comprehensive researches in pure mathematics"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Cayley.html|title=Cayley summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1883 ||{{sortname|William|Thomson|William Thomson, 1st 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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Thomson.html|title=Thompson summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1884 ||{{sortname|Carl|Ludwig|}}||"For his investigations in physiology, and the great services which he has rendered to physiological science"||—
|-
|1885 ||{{sortname|Friedrich August Kekulé von|Stradonitz|}}||"For his researches in organic chemistry"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1886 ||{{sortname|Franz Ernst|Neumann|}}||"For his researches in theoretical optics and electro-dynamics"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Neumann_Franz.html|title=Neumann_Franz summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1887 ||{{sortname|Joseph Dalton|Hooker|}}||"For his services to botanical science as an investigator, author, and traveller"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1888 ||{{sortname|Thomas Henry|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"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1889 ||{{sortname|George|Salmon|}}||"For his various papers on subjects of pure mathematics, and for the valuable mathematical treatises of which he is the author"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Salmon.html|title=Salmon summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1890 ||{{sortname|Simon|Newcomb|}}||"For his contributions to the progress of gravitational astronomy"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Newcomb.html|title=Newcomb summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1891 ||{{sortname|Stanislao|Cannizzaro|}}||"For his contributions to chemical philosophy especially for his application of Avogadros theory"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1892 ||{{sortname|Rudolf|Virchow|}}||"For his investigations in pathology, pathological anatomy, and prehistoric archaeology"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1893 ||{{sortname|George Gabriel|Stokes|}}||"For his researches and discoveries in physical science"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Stokes.html|title=Stokes summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1894 ||{{sortname|Edward|Frankland|}}||"For his eminent services to theoretical & applied chemistry"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10419362|title=Sir Edward Frankland, English chemist, c 1863–1883.|publisher=[[Science and Society Picture Library]]|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1895 ||{{sortname|Karl|Weierstrass|}}||"For his investigations in pure mathematics"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Weierstrass.html|title=Weierstrass summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1896 ||{{sortname|Karl|Gegenbaur|}}||"For his life-long researches in comparative anatomy in all branches of the animal kingdom. etc., etc"||—
|-
|1897 ||{{sortname|Albert von|Kölliker|}}||"In recognition of his important work in embryology, comparative anatomy, and physiology, and especially for his eminence as a histologist"||—
|-
|1898 ||{{sortname|William|Huggins|}}||"For his researches in spectrum analysis applied to the heavenly bodies"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1899 ||{{sortname|Lord|Rayleigh|John Strutt, 3rd Baron Rayleigh}}||"In recognition of his contributions to physical science"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Rayleigh.html|title=Rayleigh summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-03}}</ref>
|-
|1900 ||{{sortname|Marcellin|Berthelot|}}||"For his brilliant services to chemical science"||<ref name="od"/>
|-
|1901 ||{{sortname|Willard|Gibbs|}}||"For his contributions to mathematical physics"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Gibbs.html|title=Gibbs summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1902 ||{{sortname|Joseph|Lister|Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister}}||"In recognition of the value of his physiological and pathological researches in regard to their influence on the modern practice of surgery"||<ref name="od2">{{cite web|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/public/themes/93/93188.html|title=Oxford DNB theme: Holders of the Copley Medal|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1903 ||{{sortname|Eduard|Suess|}}||"For his eminent geological services, & especially for the original researches & conclusions published in his great work 'Das Antlitz der Erde'"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1904 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1905 ||{{sortname|Dmitri|Mendeleev|}}||"For his contributions to chemical and physical science"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1906 ||{{sortname|Elias|Metchnikoff|}}||"On the ground of the importance of his work in zoology and in pathology"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1907 ||{{sortname|Albert Abraham |Michelson|}}||"On the ground of his investigations in optics"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1908 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1909 ||{{sortname|George William|Hill|}}||"On the ground of his researches in mathematical astronomy"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1910 ||{{sortname|Francis|Galton|}}||"On the ground of his researches in heredity"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1911 ||{{sortname|George Howard|Darwin|}}||"On the ground of his researches on tidal theory, the figures of the planets, and allied subjects"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1912 ||{{sortname|Felix|Klein|}}||"On the ground of his researches in mathematics"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Klein.html|title=Klein summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1913 ||{{sortname|Ray|Lankester|}}||"On the ground of the high scientific value of the researches in zoology carried out by him"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sabella.mba.ac.uk/1304/01/Obituary_Edwin_Ray_Lankester_.pdf|format=PDF|title=Obituary: Edwin Ray Lankester|publisher=National Marine Biological Laboratory|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1914 ||{{sortname|Joseph John|Thomson|J. J. Thomson}}||"On the ground of his discoveries in physical science"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1915 ||{{sortname|Ivan|Pavlov|}}||"On the ground of his investigations in the physiology of digestion and of the higher centres of the nervous system"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1916 ||{{sortname|James|Dewar|}}||"For his important investigations in physical chemistry, more especially his researches on the liquefaction of gases"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1917 ||{{sortname|Emile|Roux|}}||"On the ground of his eminence as a bacteriologist, and as a pioneer in serum therapy"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://journals.royalsociety.org/content/fwufe488th0mvhlj/|title=Notes and Records of the Royal Society|publisher=Royal Society Publishing|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1918 ||{{sortname|Hendrik|Lorentz|}}||"On the ground of his distinguished researches in mathematical physics"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1919 ||{{sortname|William|Bayliss|}}||"On the ground of his researches in general physiology & biophysics"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1920 ||{{sortname|Horace Tabberer|Brown|}}||"On the ground of his work on the chemistry of carbohydrates, &c"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biochemj.org/bj/019/0165/0190165.pdf|format=PDF|title=Obituary notice: Horace Tabberer Brown|publisher=Biochemical Journal|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1921 ||{{sortname|Joseph|Larmor|}}||"For his researches in mathematical physics"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Larmor.html|title=Larmour summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1922 ||{{sortname|Ernest|Rutherford|}}||"For his researches in radio activity & atomic structure"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1923 ||{{sortname|Horace|Lamb|}}||"For his researches in mathematical physics"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Lamb.html|title=Lamb summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1924 ||{{sortname|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 ||{{sortname|Albert|Einstein|}}||"For his theory of relativity and his contributions to the quantum theory"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1926 ||{{sortname|Frederick|Hopkins|}}||"For his distinguished and fruitful work in biochemistry"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/33977?&docPos=123&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article: Hopkins, Sir Frederick (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1927 ||{{sortname|Charles|Sherrington|}}||"For his distinguished work on neurology"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1932/sherrington-bio.html|title=Sir Charles Sherrington – Biography|publisher=Nobel Foundation|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1928 ||{{sortname|Charles Algernon|Parsons|}}||"For his contributions to engineering science"||—
|-
|1929 ||{{sortname|Max|Planck|}}||"For his contributions to theoretical physics and especially as the originator of the quantum theory"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Planck.html|title=Planck summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1930 ||{{sortname|William Henry|Bragg|}}||"For his distinguished contributions to crystallography and radioactivity"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1915/wh-bragg-bio.html|title=William Bragg – Biography|publisher=Nobel Foundation|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1931 ||{{sortname|Arthur|Schuster|}}||"For his distinguished researches in optics and terrestrial magnetism"||<ref>{{cite journal|title=Sir Arthur Schuster|publisher=The Astrophysical Journal|bibcode=1935ApJ....81...97H|doi = 10.1086/143618 }}</ref>
|-
|1932 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fi.edu/learn/case-files/hale-2863/reward.html|title=George Ellery Hale: Acknowledgements|publisher=[[Franklin Institute]]|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1933 ||{{sortname|Theobald|Smith|}}||"For his original research and observation on diseases of animals and man"||<ref>{{cite journal|title=Award of the Copley Medal of the Royal Society to Professor Theobald Smith|publisher=Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory|bibcode=1933Sci....78R.598.|doi=10.1126/science.78.2035.598}}</ref>
|-
|1934 ||{{sortname|John Scott|Haldane|}}||"In recognition of his discoveries in human physiology and of their application to medicine, mining, diving and engineering"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/33642?&docPos=128&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article: Haldane, John Scott (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1935 ||{{sortname|Charles Thomson Rees|Wilson|}}||"For his work on the use of clouds in advancing our knowledge of atoms and their properties"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1927/wilson-bio.html|title=C.T.R.Wilson – Biography|publisher=Nobel Foundation|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1936 ||{{sortname|Arthur|Evans|}}||"In recognition of his pioneer work in Crete, particularly his contributions to the history and civilization of its Minoan age"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v148/n3741/abs/148046a0.html|title=Sir Arthur Evans, F.R.S: Abstract|publisher=Nature|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1937 ||{{sortname|Henry|Dale|Henry Hallett Dale}}||"In recognition of his important contributions to physiology and pharmacology, particularly in relation to the nervous and neuro-muscular systems"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1936/dale-bio.html|title=Sir Henry Dale – Biography|publisher=Nobel Foundation|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1938 ||{{sortname|Niels|Bohr|}}||"In recognition of his distinguished work in the development of the quantum theory of atomic structure"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Bohr_Niels.html|title=Bohr_Niels summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1939 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1933/morgan-bio.html|title=Thomas H. Morgan – Biography|publisher=Nobel Foundation|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1940 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v146/n3710/abs/146750a0.html|title=Medal Awards of the Royal Society|publisher=[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1941 ||{{sortname|Thomas|Lewis|Thomas Lewis (cardiologist)}}||"For his clinical and experimental investigations upon the mammalian heart"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.viamedica.pl/gazety/gazeta1/darmowy_pdf.phtml?indeks=96&indeks_art=1262|title=Thomas Lewis|publisher=Cardiology Journal|accessdate=2009-02-05}} {{Dead link|date=April 2012|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>
|-
|1942 ||{{sortname|Robert|Robinson|Robert Robinson (organic chemist)}}||"For his research work of outstanding originality and brilliance which has influenced the whole field of organic chemistry"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1947/robinson-bio.html|title=Sir Robert Robinson – Biography|publisher=nobelprize.org|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1943 ||{{sortname|Joseph| Barcroft|}}||"For his distinguished work on respiration and the respiratory function of the blood"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fn.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/82/1/F75|title=Sir Joseph Barcroft of Cambridge|publisher=Archives of Disease in Childhood  |accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1944 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Taylor_Geoffrey.html|title=Taylor_Geoffrey summay|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1945 ||{{sortname|Oswald Theodore |Avery|}}||"For his success in introducing chemical methods in the study of immunity against infective diseases"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/CC/Views/Exhibit/narrative/biographical.html|title=The Oswald T. Avery Collection: Biographical Information|publisher=[[United States National Library of Medicine]]|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1946 ||{{sortname|Edgar Douglas |Adrian|}}||"For his distinguished researches on the fundamental nature of nervous activity, and recently on the localization of certain nervous functions"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/30753?&docPos=136&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Adrian, Edgar Douglas (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1947 ||{{sortname|Godfrey Harold |Hardy|}}||"For his distinguished part in the development of mathematical analysis in England during the last thirty years"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Hardy.html|title=Hardy summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1948 ||{{sortname|Archibald Vivian |Hill|}}||"For his distinguished researches on myothermal problems and on biophysical phenomena in nerve and other tissues"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/31230?&docPos=138&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Hill, Archibald Vivian (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1949 ||{{sortname|George Charles De |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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v164/n4181/abs/1641023a0.html|title=Royal Society: Anniversary Address By Sir Robert Robinson, O.M., F.R.S|publisher=Nature|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1950 ||{{sortname|James|Chadwick|}}||"For his outstanding work in nuclear physics and in the development of atomic energy, especially for his discovery of the neutron"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/30912?&docPos=139&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Chadwick, James (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1951 ||{{sortname|David |Keilin|}}||"For his fundamental researches in the fields of protozoology, entomology and the biochemistry of enzymes"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/34256?&docPos=140&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Keilin, David (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1952 ||{{sortname|Paul|Dirac|}}||"In recognition of his remarkable contributions to relativistic dynamics of a particle in quantum mechanics"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/31032?&docPos=141&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Dirac, Paul(subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1953 ||{{sortname|Albert| Kluyver|}}||"For his distinguished contributions of a fundamental character to the science of microbiology"||—
|-
|1954 ||{{sortname|Edmund| Whittaker|}}||"For his distinguished contributions to both pure and applied mathematics and to theoretical physics"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Whittaker.html|title=Whittaker summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1955 ||{{sortname|Ronald |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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Fisher.html|title=Fisher summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1956 ||{{sortname|Patrick| Blackett|}}||"In recognition of his outstanding studies of cosmic ray showers and heavy mesons and in the field of palaeomagnetism"||—
|-
|1957 ||{{sortname|Howard |Florey|}}||"In recognition of his distinguished contributions to experimental pathology and medicine"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/33182?&docPos=145&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Florey, Howard (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1958 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Littlewood.html|title=Littlewood summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1959 ||{{sortname|Frank Macfarlane| Burnet|}}||"In recognition of his distinguished contributions to knowledge of viruses and of immunology"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1960/burnet-bio.html|title=Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet – Biography|publisher=nobelprize.org|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1960 ||{{sortname|Harold |Jeffreys|}}||"In recognition of his distinguished work in many branches of geophysics, and also in the theory of probability and astronomy"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Jeffreys.html|title=Jeffreys summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1961 ||{{sortname|Hans Adolf|Krebs}}||"In recognition of his distinguished contributions to biochemistry, in particular his work on the ornithine, tricarboxylic acid and glyoxylate cycles"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nobel-winners.com/Medicine/hans_adolf_krebs.html|title=Sir Hans Adolf Krebs|publisher=nobel-winners.com|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref> s
|-
|1962 ||{{sortname|Cyril Norman |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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/32367?&docPos=152&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Hinshelwood, Sir Cyril Norman (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1963 ||{{sortname|Paul| Fildes|}}||"In recognition of his pioneering contributions to bacteriology."||—
|-
|1964 ||{{sortname||Sydney Chapman|Sydney Chapman (astronomer)}}||"In recognition of his theoretical contributions to terrestrial and interplanetary magnetism, the ionosphere and the aurora borealis"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/33888?&docPos=150&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Chapman, Sydney (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1965 ||{{sortname|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 ||{{sortname|William |Lawrence Bragg|}}||"In recognition of his distinguished contributions to the development of methods of structural determination by X-ray diffraction"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1967 ||{{sortname|Bernard |Katz|}}||"In recognition of his distinguished contributions to knowledge of the fundamental processes involved in transmission across the neuromuscular junction"||—
|-
|1968 ||{{sortname|Tadeus |Reichstein|}}||"In recognition of his distinguished work on the chemistry of vitamin C and his authoritative studies of the cortico-steroids"||—
|-
|1969 ||{{sortname|Peter| Medawar|}}||"In recognition of his distinguished studies of tissue transplantation and immunological tolerance"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1970 ||{{sortname|Alexander|Todd|Alexander R. Todd, Baron Todd}}||"In recognition of his outstanding contributions to both the analytical and synthetic chemistry of natural products of diverse types"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1971 ||{{sortname|Norman |Pirie|}}||"In recognition of his distinguished contributions to biochemistry and especially for his elucidation of the nature of plant viruses"||—
|-
|1972 ||{{sortname|Nevill |Mott|}}||"In recognition of his original contributions over a long period to atomic and solid state physics"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1973 ||{{sortname|Andrew |Huxley|}}||"In recognition of his outstanding studies on the mechanisms of the nerve impulse and of activation of muscular contraction"||—
|-
|1974 ||{{sortname|William V. D. |Hodge|}}||"In recognition of his pioneering work in algebraic geometry, notably in his theory of harmonic integrals"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Hodge.html|title=Hodge summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1975 ||{{sortname|Francis| Crick|}}||"In recognition of his elucidation of the structure of DNA and his continuing contribution to molecular biology"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1976 ||{{sortname|Dorothy Crowfoot |Hodgkin|}}||"In recognition of her outstanding work on the structures of complex molecules, particularly Penicillin, vitamin B<sub>12</sub> and insulin"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1977 ||{{sortname|Frederick| Sanger|}}||"In recognition of his distinguished work on the chemical structure of proteins and his studies on the sequences of nucleic acids"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1978 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1979 ||{{sortname|Max|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"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1980 ||{{sortname|Derek Harold Richard |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"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1981 ||{{sortname|Peter D. |Mitchell|}}||"In recognition of his distinguished contribution to biology in his formulation and development of the chemiosmotic theory of energy transduction"||<ref name="od2"/>
|-
|1982 ||{{sortname|John |Cornforth|}}||"In recognition of his distinguished research on the stereochemically-controlled synthesis and biosynthesis of biologically important molecules"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usyd.edu.au/alumni/about/profiles/individuals/john_cornforth.shtml|title=Emeritus Professor Sir John Cornforth – Alumni & Friends|publisher=[[University of Sydney]]|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1983 ||{{sortname|Rodney |Porter|}}||"In recognition of his elucidation of the structure of immunoglobulins and of the reactions involved in activating the complement system of proteins"||—
|-
|1984 ||{{sortname|Subrahmanyan |Chandrasekhar|}}||"In recognition of his distinguished work on theoretical physics, including stellar structure, theory of radiation, hydrodynamic stability and relativity"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Biographies/Chandrasekhar.html|title=Chandrasekhar biography|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1985 ||{{sortname|Aaron| Klug|}}||"In recognition of his outstanding contributions to our understanding of complex biological structures and the methods used for determining them"||—
|-
|1986 ||{{sortname|Rudolph|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 ||{{sortname|Robert|Hill|Robert Hill (British biophysicist)}}||"In recognition of his pioneering contributions to the understanding of the nature and mechanism of the main pathway of electron transport in photosynthesis"||—
|-
|1988 ||{{sortname|Michael|Atiyah|}}||"In recognition of his fundamental contributions to a wide range of topics in geometry, topology, analysis and theoretical physics"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Biographies/Atiyah.html|title=Atiyah biography|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1989 ||{{sortname|Cesar| 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 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/64072?&docPos=170&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Salam, Abdus (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1991 ||{{sortname|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 ||{{sortname|George| Porter|}}||"In recognition of his contributions to fundamental understanding of fast photochemical and photophysical processes and their role in chemistry and biology"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oxforddnb.com/view/article/77183?&docPos=171&backToResults=|title=Oxford DNB article:Porter, George (subscription needed)|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1993 ||{{sortname|James D.| 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"||<ref>{{cite web|title=Copley Medal|url=http://royalsociety.org/awards/copley-medal/|work=Royal Society website|publisher=The Royal Society|accessdate=April 19 2013}}</ref>
|-
|1994 ||{{sortname|Charles|Frank|Charles Frank (physicist)}}||"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. He has also contributed through a variety of remarkable insights into a great number of physical problems"||—
|-
|1995 ||{{sortname|Frank |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 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mrs.org/s_mrs/doc.asp?CID=14595&DID=86190|title=MRS Website: Award Presentations|publisher=[[Materials Research Society]]|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|1997 ||{{sortname|Hugh| 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 ||{{sortname|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. He is noted also for his ground-breaking work on both external bio-fluid-dynamics – analysis of mechanisms of swimming and flying – and internal bio-fluid-dynamics, including flow in the cardiovascular system and the airways, and cochlear mechanics and other aspects of hearing"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Lighthill.html|title=Lighthill summary|publisher=University of St Andrews|accessdate=2009-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|1999 ||{{sortname|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.genetics.org/cgi/content/full/168/3/1105|title=John Maynard Smith January 6, 1920 – April 19, 2004 |publisher=[[Genetics (journal)|Genetics]]|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|2000||{{sortname|Alan|Battersby}}||"In recognition of his pioneering work in elucidating the detailed biosynthetic pathways to all the major families of plant alkaloids. His approach, which stands as a paradigm for future biosynthetic studies on complex molecules, combines isolation work, structure determination, synthesis, isotopic labelling and spectroscopy, especially advanced NMR, as well as genetics and molecular biology. This spectacular research revealed the entire pathway to vitamin B<sub>12</sub>"||—
|-
|2001||{{sortname|Jacques|Miller}}||"For his work on the immunological function of the thymus and of T cells, which has revolutionised the science of immunology. Professor Millers work is paving the way for designing new methods to improve resistance to infections, producing new vaccines, enhancing graft survival, dealing with autoimmunity and even persuading the immune system to reject cancer cells"||—
|-
|2002||{{sortname|John|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.northwestern.edu/observer/issues/2004-04-01/obit.html|title=Obituary: John A. Pople|publisher=''The Observer''|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|2003||{{sortname|John|Gurdon}}||"For his unique range of groundbreaking discoveries in the fields of cell and developmental biology. He pioneered the concept that specialised cells are genetically equivalent and that they differ only in the genes they express not the genes they contain, a concept fundamental to modern biology"||—
|-
|2004||{{sortname|Harold|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"||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fsu.edu/highlights/faculty.html|title=FSU highlights|publisher=[[Florida State University]]|accessdate=2009-02-15}}</ref>
|-
|2005||{{sortname|Paul|Nurse}}||"for his contributions to cell biology in general, and to the elucidation of the control of cell division."||—
|-
|2006||{{sortname|Stephen|Hawking}}||"For his outstanding contribution to theoretical physics and theoretical cosmology. "||<ref name="haw"/>
|-
|2007||{{sortname|Robert|May|Robert May, Baron May of Oxford}}||"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||{{sortname|Roger|Penrose}}|| "for his beautiful and original insights into many areas of mathematics and mathematical physics.  Sir Roger has made outstanding contributions to general relativity theory and cosmology, most notably for his work on black holes and the Big Bang."||—
|-
|2009||{{sortname|Martin|Evans}}|| "for his seminal work on embryonic stem cells in mice, which revolutionised the field of genetics."||—
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2010
||{{sortname|David|Cox|David Cox (statistician)}}|| "for his seminal contributions to the theory and applications of statistics."||<ref name="medals2010">Two medals were awarded to celebrate the Society's 350th anniversary: {{cite web|url=http://royalsociety.org/Awards|title=Recent award winners 2010|publisher=The Royal Society|accessdate=2010-10-06|quote="}}</ref>
|-
|| {{sortname|Tomas|Lindahl}}|| "for his seminal contributions to the understanding of the biochemistry of DNA repair."||<ref name="medals2010"/>
|-
|2011|| {{sortname|Dan|McKenzie|Dan McKenzie (geophysicist)}}|| "For his seminal contributions to the understanding of geological and geophysical phenomena including tectonic plates."||
|-

|2012|| {{sortname|John|Walker| John E. Walker}}|| "For his ground-breaking work on bioenergetics, discovering the mechanism of ATP synthesis in the mitochondrion."||<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url=http://royalsociety.org/news/top-scientists-2012/|publisher=The Royal Society|accessdate=2012-9-06}}</ref>
|-

==References==
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite web|url=http://royalsociety.org/page.asp?id=1744|title=Copley archive winners 1799–1731|publisher=The Royal Society|accessdate=2009-02-04}}
*{{cite web|url=http://royalsociety.org/page.asp?id=1743|title=Copley archive winners 1899–1800|publisher=The Royal Society|accessdate=2009-02-04}}
*{{cite web|url=http://royalsociety.org/page.asp?id=1742|title=Copley archive winners 1989–1900|publisher=The Royal Society|accessdate=2009-02-04}}
*{{cite web|url=http://royalsociety.org/page.asp?id=1741|title=Copley recent winners: 1900 – present|publisher=The Royal Society|accessdate=2009-02-04}}
*{{cite web|url=http://royalsociety.org/Copley-Medal|title=Royal Society: Copley Medal}}

'''Specific'''
{{refend}}
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

[[Category:British science and technology awards]]
[[Category:Royal Society]]
[[Category:Copley Medal| ]]

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