1764 in science

List of years in science (Table)
… 1754 1755 1756 1757 1758 1759 1760 1761 1762 1763 1764 1765 1766 1767 1768 1769 1770 1771 1772 1773 1774 …
Related time period or subjects
… 1761 1762 1763 1764 1765 1766 1767 … … 1730s 1740s 1750s 1760s 1770s 1780s 1790s … … 17th century 18th century 19th century …
Art Archaeology Architecture Literature Music Science more

The year 1764 in science and technology involved some significant events.

Astronomy

• Lagrange publishes on the libration of the Moon, and an explanation as to why the same face is always turned to the Earth, a problem which he treats with the aid of virtual work, containing the germ of his idea of generalized equations of motion.

Physics

• Specific and latent heats are described by Joseph Black.

Technology

• The spinning jenny, a multi-spool spinning wheel, is invented by James Hargreaves in Stanhill, near Blackburn, Lancashire, England.

Awards

• Copley Medal: John Canton

Births

• Early - James Smithson, British mineralogist, chemist and benefactor (d. 1829)
• April 3 - John Abernethy, English surgeon (d. 1831)
• May 4 - Joseph Carpue, English surgeon (d. 1846)
• September 17 - John Goodricke, English astronomer (d. 1786)
• November 10 - Andrés Manuel del Río, Spanish chemist (d. 1849)
• Maria Medina Coeli, Italian physician (d. 1846)
• Approx. date - Alexander Mackenzie, Scottish explorer (d. 1820)

Deaths

• March 17 - William Oliver, English physician (b. 1695)
• September 2 - Rev. Nathaniel Bliss, English Astronomer Royal (b. 1700)
• November 20 - Christian Goldbach, Prussian mathematician (b. 1690)