1720 in science

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The year 1720 in science and technology involved some significant events.

Astronomy

A theodolite is developed by Jonathan Sisson of England.
Pinchbeck is invented by English watchmaker Christopher Pinchbeck; it is an alloy of 83% copper and 17% zinc, creating a strong, hard-wearing metal which has the appearance and weight of 20 carat gold.
An early chronograph is invented which has only mechanical parts in it.
Henry de Saumarez (of the Channel Islands) produces an instrument called the Marine Surveyor intended to measure a ship's velocity.^[2]
A single-action five-pedal harp is developed by Jacob Hochbrucker of Bavaria which can raise the pitch of the selected strings by a half step.
approx. date - Joseph Williamson uses a differential gear in a clock.

March 13 - Charles Bonnet, Swiss naturalist and philosophical writer (died 1793)
July 18 - Gilbert White, English naturalist (died 1793)
December ? - James Hargreaves, English inventor (died 1778)
approx. date - Dmitry Ivanovich Vinogradov, Russian chemist (died 1758)