In 1679, the French physicist Denis Papin, better known for his studies on steam, invented the steam digester in an attempt to reduce the cooking time of food. His airtight cooker used steam pressure to raise the water’s boiling point, thus cooking food much more quickly. In 1681, Papin presented his invention to the Royal Society of London, but the Society’s members treated his invention as a scientific study. They granted him permission to become a member of the Society afterwards.