The year 1888 in science and technology included many events, some of which are listed here.

Astronomy

• January 3 - The 91 cm refracting telescope at Lick Observatory is first used. The telescope was the largest refractor in the world at the time, and the observatory was the first established at the top of a mountain.
• The 76 cm refracting telescope is completed at Nice Observatory.

Chemistry

• Methyl isocyanate is discovered.
• Henri-Louis Le Chatelier states that the response of a chemical system perturbed from equilbrium will be to counteract the perturbation.

Geography

• January 27 - The National Geographic Society is founded in Washington, D.C. by Gardiner Greene Hubbard.

Mathematics

• The American Mathematical Society is founded by Thomas Fiske.
• Hilbert's basis theorem is first proved by David Hilbert.

Physics

• Heinrich Rudolf Hertz discovers radio waves

Technology

• September 4 - George Eastman registers the trademark Kodak, and receives a patent for his camera which uses roll film.
• Gramophone patented by Emile Berliner.
• Nikola Tesla patents the induction motor.
• The ballpoint pen is invented by John Loud.
• John Boyd Dunlop invents the pneumatic tube tire.

Awards

• Copley Medal: Thomas Henry Huxley
• Wollaston Medal for Geology: Henry Medlicott

Births

• February 17 - Otto Stern (d. 1969), physicist, Nobellaurette in Physics in 1943.
• August 13 - John Logie Baird (d. 1946), inventor.
• November 15 - Harald Ulrik Sverdrup (d. 1957), meteorologist and oceanographer.

Deaths

• January 19 - Anton de Bary (b. 1831), surgeon, botanist, microbiologist, and mycologist.
• August 23 - Philip Henry Gosse (b. 1810), science writer.
• August 24 - Rudolf Clausius (b. 1822), physicist.
• September 12 - Richard Anthony Proctor (b. 1837), astronomer.
• November 1 - Nikolai Przewalski (b. 1839), explorer.