Editing 1872 in science (section)

==Technology==
* April 2 – [[George Brayton]] obtains a United States [[patent]] for a constant pressure internal combustion [[engine]], initially using vaporized gas, and marketed as 'Brayton's Ready Motor'.<ref>Improvement in Gas-Engines (Patent no. 125166).</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Borth|first=Christy|title=Masters of Mass Production|page=152|publisher=Bobbs-Merrill|location=Indianapolis|year=1945}}</ref>
* [[John Hopkinson]] proposes the group flash system for distinguishing [[lighthouse]]s<ref>{{cite ODNB|first=T. H.|last=Beare|title=Hopkinson, John (1849–1898)|year=2004|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/13758|accessdate=2011-06-02|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/13758}} </ref>
* Reverend C. M. Ramus of Sussex, England, devises the single-step [[Hydroplane (boat)|hydroplane]] hull<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Evolution of the Hydroplane|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1914/1914%20-%200796.html|journal=[[Flight (magazine)|Flight]]|volume=6|page=796|date=1914-07-24|accessdate=2012-01-09}}</ref>