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1779 in science
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<h2 id="astronomy">Astronomy</h2> <ul><li>March 23 – <a href="/facts/Edward_Pigott/RnxFlE5k">Edward Pigott</a> discovers the <a href="/facts/Black_Eye_Galaxy/56cD0xqA">Black Eye Galaxy</a> (M64).</li> <li>May 5 – The <a href="/facts/Spiral_galaxy/hRT2dtxJ">spiral galaxy</a> <a href="/facts/M61_(galaxy)/Y0wJaqKo">M61</a> is discovered in the <a href="/facts/Constellation/nBQqgW8A">constellation</a> <a href="/facts/Virgo_(constellation)/4bcIqNfd">Virgo</a> by <a href="/facts/Barnabus_Oriani/nhzmvdqJ">Barnabus Oriani</a>.</li></ul> <h2 id="exploration">Exploration</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Horace-B%25C3%25A9n%25C3%25A9dict_de_Saussure/ovrJ2hcl">Horace-Bénédict de Saussure</a> begins publication of <i>Voyages dans les Alpes</i>.</li></ul> <h2 id="mathematics">Mathematics</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/%25C3%2589tienne_B%25C3%25A9zout/Am0pA8j2">Étienne Bézout</a> publishes <i>Théorie générale des équations algébriques</i> in Paris, containing original work on <a href="/facts/Elimination_theory/42bdenb0">elimination theory</a>.</li></ul> <h2 id="physics">Physics</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Jean-Paul_Marat/611LdSVo">Jean-Paul Marat</a> publishes <i>Découvertes de M. Marat sur le feu, l'électricité et la lumière</i> (<i>Discoveries of Mr Marat on Fire, Electricity and Light</i>).</li></ul> <h2 id="technology">Technology</h2> <ul><li>January 8 – <a href="/facts/Bryan_Higgins/nSt5D4Ja">Bryan Higgins</a> is granted a <a href="/facts/Kingdom_of_Great_Britain/5yBEtQIt">British</a> <a href="/facts/Patent/LjT2bG3A">patent</a> for hydraulic <a href="/facts/Cement/VfDMkk12">cement</a> (<i><a href="/facts/Stucco/KUymM5ur">stucco</a></i>) for use as an exterior plaster.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a></li> <li>May – <a href="/facts/Boulton_and_Watt/AhFs7MVo">Boulton and Watt</a>'s <a href="/facts/Smethwick_Engine/G9PPLuyS">Smethwick Engine</a> is brought into service for pumping on the <a href="/facts/Birmingham_Canal_Navigations/nT2Iulbw">Birmingham Canal Navigations</a>; two centuries later it will become the oldest working steam engine in the world.</li> <li><a href="/facts/James_Pickard/8CV3EpbD">James Pickard</a> first applies a <a href="/facts/Crank_(mechanism)/1a3bCxyE">crank</a> and <a href="/facts/Flywheel/x6yw1efR">flywheel</a> to a <a href="/facts/Newcomen_atmospheric_engine/fMyUAQjk">Newcomen atmospheric engine</a> to produce <a href="/facts/Circular_motion/r4YaTspL">circular motion</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/The_Iron_Bridge/NRPylF35">The Iron Bridge</a> is erected across the <a href="/facts/River_Severn/sw9KLcCH">River Severn</a> in <a href="/facts/Shropshire/6JcmluAA">Shropshire</a>, England; the first all-<a href="/facts/Cast_iron/lASt55k2">cast-iron</a> bridge ever built.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> It will open to traffic on January 1, 1781.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a></li> <li>The <a href="/facts/Spinning_mule/wzLTeajo">spinning mule</a> is perfected by the <a href="/facts/Lancashire/XmzHoIsl">Lancashire</a> inventor <a href="/facts/Samuel_Crompton/VVMeuUVV">Samuel Crompton</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a></li> <li>The British <a href="/facts/Royal_Navy/Xdy8YCH7">Royal Navy</a> adopts the <a href="/facts/Carronade/DTEPaYaA">carronade</a>.</li> <li>The <a href="/facts/Girandoni_Air_Rifle/F5JcNXj3">Girandoni Air Rifle</a> is designed in <a href="/facts/Austrian_Empire/AnAU9bdG">Austria</a>.</li></ul> <h2 id="births">Births</h2> <ul><li>January 5 – General <a href="/facts/Zebulon_Pike/2Bv5xyV6">Zebulon Pike</a>, American explorer (died <a href="/facts/1813_in_science/z2PuMIQM">1813</a>)</li> <li>May 1 – <a href="/facts/Alexander_Morison/g6lVdYNY">Alexander Morison</a>, <a href="/facts/Scottish_people/0rp2bd12">Scottish</a> <a href="/facts/Physician/qJ3woFvG">physician</a> and <a href="/facts/Psychiatrist/hS7EnAU6">psychiatrist</a> (died <a href="/facts/1866_in_science/pLoM3mjz">1866</a>)</li> <li>August 7 <ul><li><a href="/facts/J%25C3%25B6ns_Jacob_Berzelius/HakSv3sP">Jöns Jacob Berzelius</a>, <a href="/facts/Swedes/gAeGfw2N">Swedish</a> <a href="/facts/Chemist/N09K7Bdm">chemist</a> (died <a href="/facts/1848_in_science/A16HGzWh">1848</a>)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Louis_de_Freycinet/owMUo5cT">Louis de Freycinet</a>, French explorer of coastal regions of <a href="/facts/Western_Australia/1ouCbwNh">Western Australia</a> (died <a href="/facts/1842_in_science/cTr4lNw4">1842</a>)</li></ul></li></ul> <h2 id="deaths">Deaths</h2> <ul><li>January 22 – <a href="/facts/Jeremiah_Dixon/9Lx3fRp7">Jeremiah Dixon</a>, English <a href="/facts/Surveying/qchGcnRC">surveyor</a> and <a href="/facts/Astronomer/ronF8j4a">astronomer</a> (born <a href="/facts/1733_in_science/5BvdnSco">1733</a>)</li> <li>February 14 – <a href="/facts/James_Cook/wy3cXCXp">James Cook</a>, English <a href="/facts/List_of_explorers/83eyR34D">explorer</a> (born <a href="/facts/1728_in_science/YHVL3nBg">1728</a>)</li> <li>June 28 – <a href="/facts/Martha_Daniell_Logan/vWpyQddb">Martha Daniell Logan</a>, American botanist (born <a href="/facts/1704_in_science/1uIutsBc">1704</a>)</li> <li>October 18 – <a href="/facts/Patrick_d%2527Arcy/MUuLWc0g">Patrick d'Arcy</a>, <a href="/facts/Irish_people/6Ykz2Dxl">Irish</a>-born <a href="/facts/Mathematician/eaFSR8Fx">mathematician</a> (born <a href="/facts/1725_in_science/dUypdw7u">1725</a>)</li> <li>November 16 – <a href="/facts/Pehr_Kalm/Rxcvc53G">Pehr Kalm</a>, Swedish botanist (born <a href="/facts/1716_in_science/kT9uhtPr">1716</a>)</li> <li><i>undated</i> – <a href="/facts/John_Kay_(flying_shuttle)/J2hwckJc">John Kay</a>, English inventor (born <a href="/facts/1704_in_science/1uIutsBc">1704</a>)</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Knight, David (2004). "Higgins, Bryan (c. 1741–1818)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/13228. Retrieved 2011-06-20. (subscription or UK public library membership required) <a href="http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/13228" target="_blank">http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/13228</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Icons, a portrait of England 1750-1800". Archived from the original on 2007-08-17. Retrieved 2007-08-27. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070817164134/http://www.icons.org.uk/theicons/icons-timeline/1750-1800" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20070817164134/http://www.icons.org.uk/theicons/icons-timeline/1750-1800</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Williams, Hywel (2005). Cassell's Chronology of World History. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. pp. 333–334. ISBN 0-304-35730-8. <a href="0-304-35730-8" target="_blank">0-304-35730-8</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Williams, Hywel (2005). Cassell's Chronology of World History. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. pp. 333–334. ISBN 0-304-35730-8. <a href="0-304-35730-8" target="_blank">0-304-35730-8</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>