London as a Center of Science

London's centrality in science can be attributed to a number of factors, not least of which is that she is the seat of government, site of the headquarters of many learned societies, center of a seafaring empire for several centuries, a flourishing commercial center, and the nexus or near-nexus of the major institutions of higher education in the country. This chapter is an introduction to every scientific facet of this fascinating city in the form of a gargantuan walking tour.