Ibérica was established in 1914 as a biweekly magazine,[2] and its first issue appeared in January that year.[1] Its founders were the members of the Society of Jesus who were working at the Ebro Observatory.[1] They were led by Ricardo Cirera who was also the founder of the observatory.[3][4] The title of the magazine was a reference to the Ebro river near the observatory based in Roquetes, Tarragona.[3]
Ibérica aimed at making scientific and technological knowledge much more familiar among laymen and fostering scientific progress.[4] First it was published in the printing facilities at the observatory.[1] Then a publishing house based in Tortosa, Imprenta Moderna de Algueró y Baiges, became its publisher.[4] Ricardo Cirera edited the magazine until 1917 when he was replaced by Josep Albiñana in the post.[4] Following the death of Josep Albiñana in 1922 the Argentinian Jesuit Andrés F. Linari was appointed editor-in-chief of Ibérica.[4] Under Linari's editorship the magazine's headquarters was moved to Barcelona in 1925.[4]
Ibérica provided scientific articles accompanied with the good quality illustrations.[1] Its contributors were both Jesuits and non-Jesuits.[4] From its start in 1914 to 1925 the magazine had the following sections: scientific chronicle covering news on inventions and new applications, scientific bulletin dealing with the scientific theories and bibliographical section containing book reviews.[4] The frequent topics featured in the main section included the devices used at the observatory, including refracting telescope, seismology, and electrotechnics.[3] The magazine sold 10,000 copies in the mid-1920s.[1] It folded at the beginning of the civil war on 11 July 1936.[2]
Ibérica was restarted following the end of World War II in 1945 and appeared until December 2004.[2][5] Ignacio Puig was its editor-in-chief from 1945 to 1961.[3] Its major contributors were those working at different observatories in Spain and abroad and scientists, including Miquel Crusafont, Ignasi Sala de Castellarnau, and Ramon Margalef.[3][4] Common topics covered in the magazine were semiconductors, transistors and televisions.[3]
In 1962 Pascual Bolufer was appointed director of the magazine.[3] Under his editorship the subtitle of the magazine was redesigned as Actualidad científica (Spanish: Latest scientific developments).[4] It was published on a weekly basis between 1945 and 1962, but later its frequency was switched to monthly.[5]