title: 1586 in science
text: # 1586 in science
  
  The year 1586 in science and technology included a number of events, some of which are listed here.
  
  ## Astronomy
  
  * The last time Mercury and Venus transit the sun at the same time.
  
  ## Botany
  
  * Jacques Daléchamps publishes Historia generalis plantarum in Lyon, describing 2,731 plants, a record number for this time.
  
  ## Cryptography
  
  * Blaise de Vigenère publishes Traicté des chiffres ou secretes manières d'escrire in Paris, describing an autokey cipher of his invention.
  
  ## Exploration
  
  * July 21 – Thomas Cavendish sets out from Plymouth in the Desire on the first deliberately planned circumnavigation.
  
  ## Mathematics
  
  * Francesco Barozzi publishes Admirandum illud geometricum problema tredecim modis demonstratum quod docet duas lineas in eodem plano designare, a treatise on the construction of parallel lines.
  
  ## Medicine
  
  * Timothy Bright publishes A Treatise of Melancholie; containing the causes thereof, & reasons of the strange effects it worketh in our minds and bodies: with the phisicke cure, and spirituall consolation... in London.
  
  ## Physics
  
  * Galileo publishes La Billancetta, describing an accurate balance to weigh objects in air or water.
  * Simon Stevin publishes De Beghinselen der Weeghconst in Leiden, discussing static forces; and De Beghinselen des Waterwichts, discussing the weight of water.
  
  ## Births
  
  * February 26 – Niccolò Cabeo, Italian polymath (died 1650)
  * December 6 – Niccolò Zucchi, Italian astronomer (died 1670)
  * John Mason, English explorer (died 1635)
  * Giovanni de Galliano Pieroni, Italian military engineer and astronomer (died 1654)
  * approx. date – Guy de La Brosse, French physician and botanist (died 1641)
  
  ## Deaths
  
  * January 9 – Paul Wittich, German astronomer and mathematician (born c. 1546)
  * January 22 - Louis Duret, French physician (born 1527)
  * May 29 – Adam Lonicer, German botanist (born 1528)
  * June 1 − Martín de Azpilcueta, Spanish theologian and economist (born 1491)
  * October 19 – Ignazio Danti, Italian mathematician and astronomer (born 1536)
  