1939 in science

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List of years in science (Table)
… 1929 • 1930 • 1931 • 1932 • 1933 • 1934 • 1935 • 1936 • 1937 • 1938 – 1939 – 1940 • 1941 • 1942 • 1943 • 1944 • 1945 • 1946 • 1947 • 1948 • 1949 …
Related time period or subjects
… 1936 • 1937 • 1938 – 1939 – 1940 • 1941 • 1942 … … 1900s • 1910s • 1920s – 1930s – 1940s • 1950s • 1960s … … 19th century – 20th century – 21st century …
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The year 1939 in science and technology involved some significant events, listed below.

1 Astronomy
2 Medicine
3 Physics
4 Technology
5 Awards
6 Births
7 Deaths

Astronomy

Robert Oppenheimer and H. Snyder predict the existence of a new type of celestial objects that would come to be called black holes (Phys.Rev. 56, 455-459, 1939).
Robert Oppenheimer and G. Volkoff first calculate the structure of neutron stars, a new type of celestial object (Phys.Rev. 55, 374-381 1939).

Medicine

John H. Lawrence used beams of energized neutrons from a particle accelerator to treat a patient with leukemia.

Physics

Nuclear fission is discovered independently by Lise Meitner and Otto Hahn.

Technology

January 11 - First flight of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning.
December 9 - First flight of the Consolidated XB-24 "Liberator" bomber prototype.
Kirlian photography is invented by Semyon Kirlian.