See also: 1740 in science, other events of 1741, 1742 in science and the list of years in science.
Awards Copley Medal: John Theophilus Desaguliers Births March 17 - William Withering, British physicist who discovered digitalis (died 1799) September 22 - Peter Simon Pallas, German zoologist (died 1811) Deaths December 19 - Vitus Bering, Danish explorer (born 1681)