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.^[1]
• Joseph-Louis Lagrange discovers the divergence theorem.^[2]

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.^[3]

Awards

• Copley Medal: Not awarded^[4]

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)^[5]