The year 1718 in science was marked by a pivotal astronomical discovery by Edmond Halley and continued, though early, observations of medical advancements from other cultures.
Events
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Astronomy:
- Edmond Halley's discovery of proper motion: The English astronomer [[Edmond Halley]] published his groundbreaking observation that stars are not truly "fixed" in their positions but possess individual movements through space. By meticulously comparing the contemporary positions of bright stars like [[Sirius]], [[Arcturus]], and [[Aldebaran]] with those recorded by ancient Greek astronomers such as [[Hipparchus]] and [[Ptolemy]], Halley demonstrated that these stars had perceptibly shifted their celestial coordinates over centuries. This discovery, detailed in a paper titled "Considerations on the Change of the Latitudes of Some of the Principal Fixt Stars" in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, was a fundamental shift in astronomical understanding, challenging the long-held belief in a static stellar sphere and providing early evidence for the dynamic nature of the cosmos.
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Medicine:
- Observations on smallpox inoculation: While not formally introduced to Western Europe until slightly later, the year 1718 saw [[Lady Mary Wortley Montagu]], wife of the British ambassador to the [[Ottoman Empire]], observe and document the practice of [[variolation]] (smallpox inoculation) during her time in [[Constantinople]] (modern-day [[Istanbul]]). Her firsthand accounts and subsequent advocacy played a crucial role in bringing this preventative measure against smallpox to the attention of European medical and scientific circles, setting the stage for its eventual adoption and further development.
Births
- February 16 – [[Johann Andreas Cramer]], German metallurgist and mineralogist (d. 1788).
- May 16 – [[Maria Gaetana Agnesi]], Italian mathematician and philosopher (d. 1799).
- October 29 – [[James Keir]], Scottish chemist and geologist (d. 1820).
Deaths
- August 13 – [[Michael Weninger]], German Jesuit, astronomer, and cartographer (b. 1645).