1762 in science

The year 1762 in science and technology involved some significant events.

Biology

• Charles Bonnet's Considerations sur les corps organisées is published in Amsterdam, synthesising current knowledge of cell biology and presenting his theory of palingenesis, intended to refute the theory of epigenesis.
• Courses begin at the first veterinary school, established by Claude Bourgelat in Lyon.

Mathematics

• September – Society for Equitable Assurances on Lives and Survivorships is established in London, pioneering mutual insurance using a method of actuarial science devised by mathematician James Dodson.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Joseph-Louis Lagrange discovers the divergence theorem.<ref>In his 1762 paper on sound, Lagrange treats a special case of the theorem: Lagrange (1762) "Nouvelles recherches sur la nature et la propagation du son" (New researches on the nature and propagation of sound), Miscellanea Taurinensia (also known as: Mélanges de Turin ), 2: 11-172. This article is reprinted as: "Nouvelles recherches sur la nature et la propagation du son" in: Serret, J. A., ed., Oeuvres de Lagrange (Paris: Gauthier-Villars, 1867), 1: 151-316; on pp. 263-265, Lagrange transforms triple integrals into double integrals using integration by parts.</ref>

Pharmacology

• Antoine Baumé publishes his textbook Éléments de pharmacie théorique et pratique in Paris.

Physics

• Joseph Black first makes known his discoveries on latent heat, in Glasgow.<ref>Template:Cite ODNB </ref>

Awards

• Copley Medal: Not awarded<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Births

• April 10 – Giovanni Aldini, Italian physicist (died 1834)
• November 20 – Pierre André Latreille, French zoologist (died 1833)

Deaths

• February 20 – Tobias Mayer, German astronomer (born 1723)
• March 21 – Nicolas Louis de Lacaille, French astronomer (born 1713)
• June 13 – Dorothea Erxleben, German physician (born 1715)
• July 10 – Jan Frederik Gronovius, Dutch botanist (born 1690)
• July 13 – James Bradley, English Astronomer Royal (born 1693)
• July 30 – William Braikenridge, English clergyman and geometer (born 1700)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>