1781 in science

For people who check facts

The year 1781 CE in science and technology included many events, some of which are listed here.

See also: 1780 in science, other events of 1781, 1782 in science and the list of years in science.

Table of contents

1 Astronomy
2 Biology
3 Chemistry
4 Awards
5 Births
6 Deaths

Astronomy

William Herschel discovers Uranus
Charles Messier publishes final catalogue of Messier objects

Biology

Felix Fontana uses a microscope to describe the axon of a brain cell

Chemistry

Carl Wilhelm Scheele ascertains that a new acid could be made from tungstenite, leading to the discovery of tungsten in 1783

Awards

Copley Medal: William Herschel

Births

January 30 - Adelbert von Chamisso, poet, botanist (died 1838)
February 17 - Rene Theophile Hyacinthe Laennec, French physician, inventor of the stethoscope (died 1826)
June 9 - George Stephenson, locomotive engineer (died 1848)
June 21 - Simeon Poisson, mathematician (died 1840)
July 6 - Thomas Stamford Raffles, founder of the Zoological Society of London (died 1826)
October 5 - Bernhard Bolzano, mathematician (died 1848)
December 11 - David Brewster, Scottish physicist (died 1868)

Deaths