See also: 1871 in science, other events of 1872, 1873 in science and the list of years in science.
Awards Copley Medal: Friedrich Woehler Wollaston Medal for geology: James Dwight Dana Births Deaths April 2 - Samuel F. B. Morse, inventor (* 1791) December 24 - William John Macquorn Rankine, physicist (* 1820)