1820 in science

The year 1820 in science and technology included many events, some of which are listed here.

Astronomy

• Royal Astronomical Society founded

Biology

• Christian Friedrich Nasse formulates Nasse's law: hemophilia occurs only in males and is passed on by unaffected females

Computing

• Charles Xavier Thomas de Colmar makes his "Arithmometer", the first mass-produced calculator

Exploration

• January 27 – Antarctica is sighted for the first time by British navy captain Edward Bransfield

Physics

• Hans Christian Ørsted discovers relationship between electricity and magnetism
• Laws of electrodynamics established by André-Marie Ampère

Awards

• Copley Medal – Hans Christian Ørsted

Births

• March 24 – Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel (d. 1891), physicist.
• April 16 – Victor Alexandre Puiseux (d. 1883), mathematician.
• July 2 – William John Macquorn Rankine (d. 1872), physicist.
• August 2 – John Tyndall (d. 1893), physicist.

Deaths

• June 19 – Joseph Banks (b. 1743), naturalist.