1512 in science
The year 1512 in science and technology included a number of events, some of which are listed here.
Astronomy
Possible date – Nicolaus Copernicus begins to write Commentariolus, an abstract of what will eventually become De revolutionibus orbium coelestium; he sends it to other scientists interested in the matter by 1514.Exploration
- António de Abreu discovers Timor island and reaches the Banda Islands and Seram.
- Francisco Serrão reaches the Moluccas.
- Juan Ponce de León discovers the Turks and Caicos Islands.
- Pedro Mascarenhas discovers Diego Garcia and reaches Mauritius in the Mascarene Islands.
Pharmaceutics
- Hieronymus Brunschwygk's Big Book describes medicinal herbs and the construction of stills for processing them.
Technology
- Martin Waldseemüller produces and describes the first theodolite.
Births
- March 5 – Gerardus Mercator, Flemish cartographer approx. date – Robert Recorde, Welsh-born mathematician and physician