1746 in science - Definition

The year 1746 in science and technology included many events, some of which are listed here.

See also: 1745 in science, other events of 1746, 1747 in science and the list of years in science.

Chemistry

• John Roebuck invents the lead-chamber process for the manufacture of sulphuric acid
• German chemist Andreas Sigismund Marggraf (1709-1782) is credited with describing zinc as a separate metal

Geology

• Jean Etienne Guettard presents the first mineralogical map of France to the French Academy of Sciences

Mathematics

• Jean le Rond d'Alembert develops the theory of complex numbers

Awards

• Copley Medal: Benjamin Robins

Births

• March 7 - André Michaux, French botanist (died 1802)
• May 10 - Gaspard Monge, mathematician (died 1818)
• July 7 - Giuseppe Piazzi, astronomer (died 1826)
• Giovanni Battista Venturi, Italian physicist after whom the Venturi tube was named (died 1822)

Deaths

• June 14 - Colin Maclaurin, Scottish mathematician (born 1698)
• November 14 - Georg Steller, German naturalist (born 1709)