In the 400 years of its modern history the Netherlands has produced a distinguished array of eminent mathematicians, scientists and medical researchers including many Nobel-prize winners and other internationally recognised figures, from Stevin, Snel, and Huygens in the 17th century to Lorentz, Kammerlingh Onnes, Buys Ballot, De Vries, de Sitter, and Oort in the 19th and 20th centuries. Yet it has often been noted that the history of science in the Netherlands is underepresented in the international literature.
The handbook A History of Science in The Netherlands aims to correct this situation by providing a chronological and thematic survey of the field from the 16th century to the present, essays on selected aspects of science in the Netherlands, and reference biographies of about 65 important Dutch scientists. Written by more than 10 experts from Europe and North America, the handbook is the standard English-language reference work for the field.