1553 in science
The year 1553 CE in science and technology included a number of events, some of which are listed here.Astronomy
- Leonard Digges publishes his popular English language ephemeris, A General Prognostication.
Cryptography
- 'Vigenère cipher' first described by Giovan Battista Bellaso in his book La cifra del. Sig. Giovan Battista Bellaso.
Exploration
- May 10 – Sir Hugh Willoughby and Richard Chancellor set out from the River Thames to seek the Northeast Passage.
- * August 14 – Willoughby sights what is probably Novaya Zemlya.
- * August – Chancellor enters the White Sea and reaches Arkhangelsk.
- Naturalist Pierre Belon publishes Observations .
- Conquistador Pedro Cieza de León publishes the Primera Parte of his Crónicas del Perú.
Physics
- Venetian mathematician Giambattista Benedetti publishes Resolutio omnium Euclidis problematum, proposing a new doctrine of the speed of bodies in free fall.
- Michael Servetus publishes Christianismi Restitutio, including an account of the circulation of the blood.
- Publication in Spain of , considered the first book on the benefits of physical exercise for health.
Births
- November 23 – Prospero Alpini, Italian physician and botanist
- Robert Hues, English mathematician and geographer
- Thomas Muffet, English naturalist and physician
- Luca Valerio, Italian mathematician
Deaths
- February 19 – Erasmus Reinhold, German astronomer and mathematician
- August 8 – Girolamo Fracastoro, Italian physician
- October 27 – Michael Servetus, Aragonese polymath
- Pierre Desceliers, French cartographer and hydrographer
