The year 1737 in science and technology involved some significant events.

Astronomy

May 28 - The planet Venus passes in front of Mercury. The event is witnessed during the evening by amateur astronomer John Bevis at the Royal Greenwich Observatory in England. As of 2006, it is still the only such planet/planet occultation that has been directly observed.

Geology

Francesco Serao is the first person to use the word lava in connection with extruded magma in a short account of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius which took place between May 14 and June 4.
October 11 - An earthquake in Calcutta, India causes 300,000 deaths.
[NB. This is now in question. It was probably a cyclone; deaths are estimated at 3,000.]
October 16 - An earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 8.3 strikes offshore of the Kamchatka Peninsula.

Technology

John Harrison presents the first stable marine chronometer, thereby allowing for precise longitude determination while at sea.

Awards

Copley Medal: John Belchier

Births

September 9 - Luigi Galvani, Italian physicist (died 1798)

Deaths