1762 in science
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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>