Nullius in verba Nullius in verba The Royal Society website explains the motto thus: It is an expression of the determination of Fellows to withstand the domination of authority and to verify all statements by an appeal to facts determined by experiment. The phrase came from Horace's "Epistle" to his benefactor Maecenas, where he claims not to be devoted to any particular sect but is rather an eclectic by nature. These are the words, forming two hexameters in the original context: The minor planet known as 11059 Nulliusinverba in the asteroid belt is named after the expression. The phrase is also widely used
Res nullius hived. An exception is the mute swan: the Monarch retains the right to assert ownership of unmarked mute swans, which she currently does on stretches of the Thames and its tributaries. Likewise in English law, abandoned things are generally the property of the owner of the land in which they are found. Exceptions include treasure trove, for which specific law applies, generally making it Crown property; and some types of shipwreck: see Flotsam, jetsam, lagan, and derelict. The law is different in Scotland. A concept derived from "res nullius" by allegory is "terra nullius". Using it, a state may assert