1817 in science

The year 1817 in science and technology included many events, some of which are listed here.

See also: 1816 in science, other events of 1817, 1818 in science and the list of years in science.

Astronomy

Chemistry

• Discovery of cadmium by Friedrich Strohmeyer
• Discovery of lithium by Johann Arfvedson
• Discovery of selenium by Jons Jacob Berzelius
• Pierre-Joseph Pelletier and Joseph-Bienaime Caventou isolate chlorophyll

Awards

• Copley Medal: Henry Kater

Births

• June 30 - Joseph Dalton Hooker, botanist (died 1911)
• September 10 - Richard Spruce, botanist (died 1893)
• October 10 - Christoph Heinrich Dietrich Buys-Ballot, meteorologist (died 1890)
• October 17 - Alfred Des Cloizeaux, mineralogist (died 1897)

Deaths

• January 1 - Martin Heinrich Klaproth, chemist (born 1743)
• April 12 - Charles Messier, astronomer (born 1730)
• June 11 - William Gregor, mineralogist (born 1761)
• July 28 - Abraham Gottlob Werner, geologist (born 1749)
• November 7 - Jean-André Deluc, geologist (born 1727)