This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2009)

List of years in science (Table)
… 1710 • 1711 • 1712 • 1713 • 1714 • 1715 • 1716 •    1717 • 1718 • 1719 – 1720 – 1721 • 1722 • 1723 •    1724 • 1725 • 1726 • 1727 • 1728 • 1729 • 1730 …
Related time period or subjects
… 1717 • 1718 • 1719 – 1720 – 1721 • 1722 • 1723 … … 1690s • 1700s • 1710s – 1720s – 1730s • 1740s • 1750s … … 17th century – 18th century – 19th century …
Art Archaeology Architecture Literature Music Science more

The year 1720 in science and technology involved some significant events.

[edit] Technology

• A theodolite is developed by Jonathan Sisson of England.
• Pinchbeck, an alloy which was a commercially-produced gold substitute, is invented by English watchmaker Sir Christopher Pinchbeck: pinchbeck is an alloy of 83% copper and 17% zinc, creating a strong, hard-wearing metal which has the appearance and weight of genuine 20k gold.
• An early chronograph is invented which has only mechanical parts in it.
• Saumarez develops an instrument called the Marine Surveyor, for the dual purpose of measuring a ship's course and ascertaining velocity.
• The pedal harp is developed, as the first single-action pedal harp which could raise the pitch of the selected strings by a half step.
• The five-pedal single-action harp is developed by Jacob Hochbrucker of Bavaria.
• Edmond Halley is appointed as Astronomer Royal

[edit] Births

• March 13 - Charles Bonnet, Swiss naturalist and philosophical writer (died 1793)
• July 18 - Gilbert White, English naturalist (died 1793)
• James Hargreaves, English inventor (died 1778)

[edit] Deaths