1680 in science explained

The year 1680 in science and technology involved some significant events.

Astronomy

• 14 November NS – Great Comet of 1680 observed by Gottfried Kirch, the first comet discovered by telescope.^[1]

Biology

• English comparative anatomist Edward Tyson publishes Phocæna, or The anatomy of a porpess, dissected at Gresham Colledge, concluding that the porpoise is a mammal.g
• Robert Morison publishes Plantarum Historiae Universalis Oxoniensis, Pars Secunda, seu Herbarum Distributio Nova per Tabulas Cognationis et Affinitatis ex Libro Naturae observata et detecta, utilising his method of taxonomy.^[2]

Chemistry

• 30 September – Robert Boyle reports to the Royal Society of London his manufacture of phosphorus. He uses it to ignite sulfur-tipped wooden splints, forerunners of the match.^{[3] [4]}

Physics

• 8 July – Robert Hooke observes the nodal patterns associated with the vibrations of glass plates.^{[5] [6]}

Deaths

• 17 February – Jan Swammerdam, Dutch naturalist, founder of both comparative anatomy and entomology (born 1637)
• 22 March – François Cureau de La Chambre, French physician (born 1630)^[7]
• Marie Meurdrac, French chemist and alchemist (born 1610)

Notes and References

1. Web site: The Great Comet of 1680. James W. Werner. 2006-02-05. 24 June 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20060624133119/http://home.att.net/~jwwerner51/Comet.html. dead.
2. Book: Oliver, Francis Wall. Makers of British Botany. Cambridge University Press. 1913. 15–16. Robert Morison 1620–1683.... 2 April 2011 .
3. Book: Datta, N. C.. The Story of Chemistry. Universities Press. 2005. 74.
4. Book: Metabolism of the Anthroposphere. Peter. Baccini. Paul H.. Brunner. MIT Press. 2012. 978-0262300544. 288.
5. Web site: Ernst Florens Friedrich Chladni. Institute for Learning Technologies, Columbia University. 8 May 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110514140121/http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/projects/bluetelephone/html/chladni.html. 14 May 2011 .
6. Book: 101. Oxford Dictionary of Scientists. limited. Oxford University Press. 1999.
7. Book: L'Anthropologie . 1894 . Masson. . 270 . fr.