The year 1773 in science and technology included many events, some of which are listed here.

See also: 1772 in science, other events of 1773, 1774 in science and the list of years in science.

Chemistry

• Hilaire Rouelle discovers urea

Exploration

• January 17 - Captain James Cook becomes the first European explorer to cross the Antarctic Circle

Awards

• Copley Medal: John Walsh

Births

• January 29 - Friedrich Mohs, mineralogist (died 1839)
• May 19 - Arthur Aikin, chemist, mineralogist (died 1854)
• June 10 - Robert Brown, botanist (died 1858)
• June 13 - Thomas Young, physicist (died 1829)
• July 23 - Thomas Brisbane, astronomer (died 1860)
• December 27 - George Cayley, naturalist and inventor (died 1857)

Deaths

• July 23 - George Edwards, naturalist (born 1693)