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1940 in science

The year 1940 in science and technology consisted of many events, including those below.

See also: 1939 in science, other events of 1940, 1941 in science, and the list of years in science.

Biology

• February 2 - The first transposons are discovered in maize (Zea mays, aka corn) by Barbara McClintock.

Computer science

• February 2 - The Complex Number Calculator, a calculator for complex arithmetic based on relays, was completed. (see History of computing hardware).

Chemistry

• February 27 - The radioactive isotope carbon-14 is discovered by Martin Karmen and Ram Ruben
• Astatine synthesized by Corson, MacKenzie, and Segre
• Neptunium, the first transuranic element, synthesized by McMillan and Abelson

Physics

• January 5 - FM radio demonstrated to the FCC for the first time
• Magnetron invented by John Randall and Harry Boot

Births

• November 26 - Enrico Bombieri, mathematician