Robert Brown (1773-1858)

Scottish botanist Robert Brown was born in Montrose. He served as a naturalist from 1801 to 1805 in an expedition headed by Matthew Flinders for a survey of the Australian coasts. In 1827, Brown observed tiny erratic motions of particles in pollen vacuoles which was later termed Brownian motion.*  He dispelled the theory that the microscopic particles contained a "life force" by carrying out careful experiments with inanimate materials in water.

*The first recored observation of "Brownian motion" was made in 1785 by Jan Ingenhauz where he noted the irregular motion of charcoal powder on an alcohol film.