1980 in science

The year 1980 in science and technology involved some significant events, listed below.

Astronomy and space exploration

* November 12 - Voyager program: The NASA space probe "Voyager I" makes its closest approach to Saturn when it flies within 77,000 miles of the planet's cloud-tops and sends the first high resolution images of the world back to scientists on Earth.

Biology

* (date unknown) - Celltech becomes the UK's first biotechnology company. Reference: Medical Research Council (UK) (14 May 2002). " [http://www.mrc.ac.uk/index/public-interest/public-news_centre/public-press_office/public-press_releases_2002/public-14_may_2002.htm Cambridge symposium celebrates wealth creation at MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology] ". Press release. Retrieved 2005-02-21.

Technology

* September 5 - The St. Gothard Tunnel opens in Switzerland as the world's longest highway tunnel at 10.14 miles (16.32 km) stretching from Goschenen to Airolo.

Awards

* Nobel Prizes
** Physics - James Watson Cronin, Val Logsdon Fitch
** Chemistry - Paul Berg, Walter Gilbert, Frederick Sanger
** Medicine - Baruj Benacerraf, Jean Dausset, George D. Snell
* Turing Award - C. A. R. Hoare

Births

Deaths

* January 8 - John Mauchly (b. 1907), co-inventor of the ENIAC computer.
* February 7 - Secondo Campini (b 1904), Italian jet engine pioneer.
* May 28 - Rolf Nevanlinna (b. 1895), mathematician.
* November 4 - Elsie MacGill (b. 1905), aeronautical engineer, "Queen of the Hurricanes".
* December 16 - Hellmuth Walter (b. 1900), engineer and inventor.