The year 1980 in science and technology observed many events, some of which are included in the list below.

Astronomy and space exploration

• November 12 - Voyager program: The NASA space probe Voyager I makes its closest aproach to Saturn when it flies within 77,000 miles of the planet's cloud-tops and sends the first high resolution images of the world back to scientists on Earth.

Biology

• (date unknown) - Celltech becomes the UK's first biotechnology company. Reference: Medical Research Council (UK) (14 May 2002). Cambridge symposium celebrates wealth creation at MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology. Press release. Retrieved 2005-02-21.

Technology

• September 5 - The St. Gothard Tunnel opens in Switzerland as the world's longest highway tunnel at 10.14 miles (16.32 km) stretching from Goschenen to Airolo.

Awards

• Nobel Prizes
  • Physics - James Watson Cronin, Val Logsdon Fitch
  • Chemistry - Paul Berg, Walter Gilbert, Frederick Sanger
  • Medicine - Baruj Benacerraf, Jean Dausset, George D. Snell
• Turing Award - C. A. R. Hoare

Births

Deaths

• January 8 - John Mauchly (b. 1907), co-inventor of the ENIAC computer.
• February 7 - Secondo Campini (b 1904), Italian jet engine pioneer.
• May 28 - Rolf Nevanlinna (b. 1895), mathematician.
• November 4 - Elsie MacGill (b. 1905), aeronautical engineer, "Queen of the Hurricanes".
• December 16 - Hellmuth Walter (b. 1900), engineer and inventor.