List of years in science (Table)
… 1930 • 1931 • 1932 • 1933 • 1934 • 1935 • 1936 •    1937 • 1938 • 1939 – 1940 – 1941 • 1942 • 1943 •    1944 • 1945 • 1946 • 1947 • 1948 • 1949 • 1950 …
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… 1937 • 1938 • 1939 – 1940 – 1941 • 1942 • 1943 … … 1910s • 1920s • 1930s – 1940s – 1950s • 1960s • 1970s … … 19th century – 20th century – 21st century …
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The year 1940 in science and technology involved some significant events, listed below.

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).

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Chemistry

• February 27 - The radioactive isotope carbon-14 is discovered by Martin Kamen and Sam 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
• Cavity Magnetron invented by John Randall and Harry Boot

Births

• November 26 - Enrico Bombieri, mathematician

Deaths