 In 1738 he became a Fellow of the Royal Society in London on recommendation of Boerhaave and Willem 'sGravesande.Baster was a versatile scientist, in addition to his work as a physician he contributed papers about medicine, horticulture and marine biology to the Philosophical Transactions and the Verhandelingen der Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen.He also maintained a vast correspondence with leading biologists of his time.