Best Wishes

In the 1660s, Robert Boyle, "the father of chemistry" and one of the founders of the Royal Society, wrote a to-do list for humanity. It included 24 items which he considered to be of highest scientific priority. In the context of what was possible in his day, Boyle's wishlist is truly visionary. Even more remarkable is how well we've done in the 350 years since: 21 of the 24 items on the list can be checked off.

Here is Boyle's wishlist, annotated with our corresponding accomplishments by Richard Alleyne at the Telegraph.

1. The Prolongation of Life.

2. The Recovery of Youth, or at least some of the Marks of it, as new Teeth, new Hair colour'd as in youth – Botox, plastic surgery, teeth-capping, hair dye and transplants.

3. The art of flying – aeroplanes.

4. The Art of Continuing long under water, and exercising functions freely there – submarines and scuba diving

5. The Cure of Diseases at a distance or at least by Transplantation – transplantation and keyhole surgery

6. The Emulating of Fish without Engines by Custome and Education only – Free diving

7. Great Strength and Agility of Body exemplify'd by that of Frantick Epileptick and Hystericall persons – anabolic steroids and barbiturates.

8. The Acceleration of the Production of things out of Seed – genetically modified foods and hydroponics

9. The making of Parabolicall and Hyperbolicall Glasses – spectacles and telescopes

10. The making Armor light and extremely hard – Kevlar Body armour

11. The practicable and certain way of finding Longitudes – GPS

12. Potent Druggs to alter or Exalt Imagination, Waking, Memory, and other functions, and appease pain, procure innocent sleep, harmless dreams, etc

13. Pleasing Dreams and physicall Exercises exemplify'd by the Egyptian Electuary and by the Fungus mentioned by the French Author – hallucinogenic drugs

14. Great Strength and Agility of Body exemplify'd by that of Frantick Epileptick and Hystericall persons – performance enhancing drugs

15. A perpetuall Light – electric light

16. Varnishes perfumable by Rubbing – scratch and sniff

17. The Transmutation of Species in Mineralls, Animals, and Vegetables – synthetic biology and genetic engineering.

18. The Attaining Gigantick Dimensions – eve bigger people, animals and plants

19. The makeing of Glass Malleable – sophisticated glass making

20. Freedom from Necessity of much Sleeping exemplify'd by the Operations of Tea and what happens in Mad-Men – barbiturates and stimulants to keep you awake.

21. The use of Pendulums at Sea and in Journeys, and the Application of it to watches – quartz watches

Still to be achieved:

22. The Cure of Wounds at a Distance – Star Trek style healing devices.

23. The Transmutation of Metalls – nuclear physicists have transformed some metals slightly though turning lead into gold still impossible

24. The Liquid Alkaest and Other dissolving Menstruums – invention of a universal solvent

The Royal Society is meeting this year to reassess its past, and perhaps, set out a new to-do list for future scientists. It seems that outrageous ideas ought to be included.