I have mixed feelings about the journal, Rendiconti Lincei Fis. Nat. I am well aware that it is an old journal, existing since 1878 although with slightly different names, but permanently well rooted as the expression of the scientific activity of the Accademia dei Lincei, Classe di Scienze Fisiche, Matematiche e Naturali. However, I feel that it is also a young journal since it took its present shape as an ISI, peer-reviewed journal, in 2008 (volume 19), with visibility at the international level, “indexed” through Springer in the major indexing data banks. Rendiconti, indeed, is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary journal covering the whole spectrum of scientific disciplines excluding Mathematics (the Academy has a specific journal for that).

Hence, a question arises: is it possible to detect signs of an evolution of this journal over the last, short, 6-year period?

The answer is certainly yes, although the problem is whether the trends will be confirmed in the coming years. The main indicators I wish to point out are: (i) the increasing flow of submissions, (ii) the more and more defined multidisciplinary nature, (iii) the increase in IF, doubled from 2011 to 2012, and (iv) the more and more defined international character.

Even the idea of publishing ‘Thematic Issues’, either as additional issues or replacing one of the regular issues once a year, was a challenge at the beginning (2009 and 2010) and has become a standard practice over the years. In addition, we should all be proud that they also cover a large variety of topics. Their list is self-explanatory:

  • Darwinism (2009),

  • Nature and geodynamics of the Northern Adriatic Lithosphere (2010),

  • Astrochemistry (2011),

  • Synchrotron radiation time resolved concurrent experiments: a new Italian route to China (2011),

  • Land–Sea interaction: the case of the Sele River (Southern Italy) (2012),

  • Perspectives in Neuroaesthetics (2012),

  • Science Literacy (2012),

  • The Centennial of X-Ray Diffraction (2013),

  • Molecules at the Mirror – Chirality in Chemistry and Biophysics (2013),

  • Cosmic Rays and Radiobiology in a Sino-Italian network strategy: first bilateral workshop COSMIC-RAD (2014),

  • Anthropocene: natural and man-made alterations of the Earth’s fragile equilibrium (2014).

Others are in preparation, whereas a couple of others are at the early stage of a preliminary agreement.

The presentation of this journal’s “recent history” is the best way to sincerely thank the outgoing Editorial Board members, who deserve the credit for this success. I extend a warm welcome to the new, 2014–2017, Editorial Board members who will undoubtedly build on the good work done so far!

As you can see on the verso side of the cover of the journal, the Editorial Board has been strengthened to face the increased demand of Rendiconti (in terms of the quantity of work and the larger disciplinary variety of the submissions). The number of Section Editors, formerly 8, is now 16, and the list of Editors is now at 63 well-known scientists. The high scientific level of all 79 members of the Editorial Board is a guarantee of the rigorous extent of the peer review procedure to which all submitted articles undergo.

Francesco Sassi

Editor-in-Chief

Rendiconti Lincei - Scienze fi siche e naturali