Editing 1790 in science

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{{Year nav topic5|1790|science}}
{{Science year nav|1790}}

The year '''1790 in [[science]]''' and [[technology]] involved some significant events.

==Astronomy==
* [[Armagh Observatory]], founded in Ireland by [[Richard Robinson, 1st Baron Rokeby]], [[Archbishop of Armagh (Church of Ireland)|Archbishop of Armagh]], begins to function.

==Biology==
* [[English people|English]] [[ornithologist]] [[John Latham (ornithologist)|John Latham]] publishes his ''Index Ornithologicus'', including a scientific description of the [[black swan]].
* English botanical illustrator [[James Sowerby]] begins publication of his ''[[English Botany]]'', with text by [[James Edward Smith (botanist)|James E. Smith]].
* [[Goethe]] publishes ''[[Metamorphosis of Plants]]''.

==Chemistry==
* July 31 – [[Samuel Hopkins (inventor)|Samuel Hopkins]] of [[Vermont]] is granted a [[patent]] for a [[potash]] production technique, the first issued under the [[1st United States Congress]]'s [[Patent Act of 1790]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.htm&r=1&p=1&f=G&l=50&d=PALL&S1=1790$.PD.&OS=ISD/$/$/1790&RS=ISD/1790$$ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415181250/http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.htm&r=1&p=1&f=G&l=50&d=PALL&S1=1790%24.PD.&OS=ISD%2F%24%2F%24%2F1790&RS=ISD%2F1790%24%24 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2016-04-15 |title=Patent Number: US0X0000001 }}</ref>
* Publication in [[Montpellier]] of [[Jean-Antoine Chaptal]]'s ''Élémens de chimie'', in which he coins the word ''[[nitrogen]]'' (''nitrogène'').
* [[Adair Crawford]], working with [[William Cruickshank (chemist)|William Cruickshank]], proposes the existence of the [[alkaline earth metal]] located near [[Strontian]] in Scotland which will later be isolated at [[strontium]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Weeks|first=Mary Elvira|authorlink=Mary Elvira Weeks|title=The discovery of the elements: X. The alkaline earth metals and magnesium and cadmium|journal=[[Journal of Chemical Education]]|year=1932|volume=9|pages=1046–1057|doi=10.1021/ed009p1046|issue=6|bibcode=1932JChEd...9.1046W}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1080/00033794200201411|title=The early history of strontium|year=1942|last=Partington|first=J. R.|journal=[[Annals of Science]]|volume=5|page=157|issue=2}}</ref>

==Physiology and medicine==
* First recorded case of [[artificial insemination]] when British surgeon [[John Hunter (surgeon)|John Hunter]] helps impregnate a linen draper's wife.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1958/feb/26/artificial-insemination-of-married-women|title=Artificial Insemination of Married Women (Hansard, 26 February 1958)|website=api.parliament.uk|access-date=2020-03-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Ombelet|first1=W.|last2=Van Robays|first2=J.|date=2015|title=Artificial insemination history: hurdles and milestones|journal=Facts, Views & Vision in ObGyn|volume=7|issue=2|pages=137–143|issn=2032-0418|pmc=4498171|pmid=26175891}}</ref>

==Technology==
* January 30 – [[Henry Greathead]]'s ''Original'' [[Lifeboat (rescue)|rescue life-boat]] is tested on the [[River Tyne]] in [[England]].<ref name="Pocket On This Day">{{cite book|title=Penguin Pocket On This Day|publisher=Penguin Reference Library|isbn=0-14-102715-0|year=2006}}</ref>

==Awards==
* [[Copley Medal]]: Not awarded<ref>{{cite web |title=Copley Medal {{!}} British scientific award |url=https://www.britannica.com/science/Copley-Medal |website=Encyclopedia Britannica |accessdate=21 July 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

==Births==
* February 3 – [[Gideon Mantell]], English [[paleontologist]] (died [[1852 in science|1852]])
* March 12 – [[John Frederic Daniell]], English [[chemist]] and [[physicist]] (died [[1845 in science|1845]])
* May 23 – [[Jules Dumont d'Urville]], [[French people|French]] explorer (died [[1842 in science|1842]])
* May 30 – [[John Herapath]], English physicist (died [[1868 in science|1868]])
* July 4 – [[George Everest]], [[Welsh people|Welsh]] surveyor and geographer (died [[1866 in science|1866]])
* October 25 – [[Robert Stirling]], [[Scottish people|Scottish]] inventor (died [[1878 in science|1878]])
* November 17 – [[August Ferdinand Möbius]], [[German people|German]] [[mathematician]] (died 1868)
* December 9 – [[Friederike Lienig]], Latvian entomologist (d. [[1855]]) 
* December 19 – [[William Edward Parry]], English [[Arctic]] explorer (died [[1855 in science|1855]])

==Deaths==
* February 5 – [[William Cullen]], Scottish [[physician]] and chemist (born [[1710 in science|1710]])<ref>{{cite web |title=William Cullen {{!}} Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh |url=https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/college-history/william-cullen |website=www.rcpe.ac.uk |access-date=3 December 2020}}</ref>
* March 22 – [[Anthony Addington]], English physician (born [[1713 in science|1713]])
* April 17 – [[Benjamin Franklin]], [[Americans|American]] statesman and polymath, known for his experiments with [[electricity]] (born [[1706 in science|1706]])
* July 17 – [[Johann II Bernoulli]], Swiss mathematician (born 1710)

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:1790 in science| ]]
[[Category:18th century in science]]
[[Category:1790s in science]]