1578 in science
The year 1578 in science and technology included a number of events, some of which are listed here.
Archaeology
Medicine
- Cristóbal Acosta publishes a study of Indian pharmacology, Tractado de las drogas y medicinas de las Indias orientales, in Burgos.
- Roch Le Baillif publishes in Rennes.
- Li Shizhen completes the first draft of the materia medica ''Bencao Gangmu''.
Technology
- English seaman William Bourne publishes a manual, Inventions or Devises, Very Necessary for all Generalles and Captaines, as wel by Sea as by Land, including an early theoretical description of a submarine.
Births
- April 1 – William Harvey, English physician
- Benedetto Castelli, Italian mathematician
- Adriaan van den Spiegel, Flemish-born anatomist and botanist approx. date:
- *Jean de Chastelet, Brabantian mining engineer
- * Philippe d'Aquin, French physician, hebraist, philologist and orientalist