Biography
Scottish scientist Robert Brown made a huge contribution to the biology, presenting a description of unknown species, plant classifications and cell core. Thanks to the innovative use of the microscope, he opened the Brownian movement, which was the confirmation of the theories of Norbert Wiener and Albert Einstein.Childhood and youth
Robert Brown was born in Scotland on December 21, 1773 in the family of a clergy-Jacobinz and his first and only wife. The boy visited the local gymnasium, and then Marisal College in Aberdeen, but did not graduate from education because of moving to the country's capital.
After the death of his father, Robert filled the existing gaps in knowledge and, deciding to study medicine, entered the University of Edinburgh. On the 2nd course, the guy's interests switched to botany, and he with the teacher John Walker held a number of subsequent years in expeditions.
Considering the descriptions of the plant's descriptions, which were found on the Scottish highlands, the future scientist collected collections and opened the unknown form of grass. Soon there was a research work dedicated to Alopecurus Alpinus, which was presented to experts in the Edinburgh Society of Natural History.
In 1794, the Brown was recruited on military service and as an army surgeon was in the territory of Ireland. Having enough free time, he studied cryptograms and local flora and conducted correspondence with Sir Joseph Banx and other outstanding botany.
Personal life
About the personal life of Robert Brown's descendants are not known, presumably, he had no free time to make his wife and children. He often absent at home, being in expeditions or laboratory, where he was engaged in unique research and writing scientific articles.The science
In December 1800, Robert learned that the research expedition sent to the southern hemisphere was required by Botanic and Naturalist. He hoped that it would open a new page in his biographies and unfamiliar territories are guaranteed to prevent surprise.
And indeed, 2 thousand new types of ferns, colors and herbs were found at the Cape of Good Hope and Islands of Western Australia. For four years, the scientist collected the materials and eventually became the author of the most valuable collection, which he studied and described in detail on returning to his homeland.
Having developed a unique systematics of species, Brown made as a talented morphologist, able to disassemble objects to molecules and smallest atoms and particles. This was reflected in the scientific work of PRODROMUS FLORAE NOVAE HOLLANDIA ET INSULAE VAN DIEMEN, which caused the praise of colleagues and high-ranking public individuals.
As a reward of Scotland, the post of librarian Sir Joseph Banks, and after the death of the baronet and naturalist, became the heir of the collection of books. He handed over to the British Museum in the middle of 1827, as evidenced by copies of documents and records listed in the personal diary.
In the same period, based on the provisions formulated by the predecessors of the cell theory, the Brown made schematic drawings and gave a new definition of the vegetable nucleus. Other discoveries of scientist were the classification of botanical objects and correction of errors in attributing species to a particular natural department.
Studying the physiology of plants, Robert conducted a study of the development of the anther and discovered the smallest particles and moving plasma tales. In 1827, he became the author of a number of experiments, in which the chief object of study was a flower pollen.
In the course of the experiments under the microscope, Robert immersed the grain into the liquid and watched the movement under the influence of light and heat. As a result, the principles of chaotic Brownian movement, published in the report for the London Royal Society, were opened.
In the modern world, scientists doubted the methods described in the works of Brown, and tried to cancel the discovery, referring to the insufficiently powerful apparatus. Physicists of one of the British universities repeated the Scot Experiment and confirmed the accuracy of the behavior of pollen grains enclosed in a square.
Death
At the sunset of a long life, Robert Brown, imprinted on portraits, was located in the capital of Great Britain, dedicating the time of the editor of the work. Death for an unexplained reason on June 10, 1858 was a surprise for a scientist society and shocked the entire British people.Memory
In the middle of the 20th century, in memory of the famous Naturalist, the Council of the London Royal Society has established a marble slab in the Soho. Earlier, a number of open plants received the name of Robert Brown along with the Abbreviation R.Br., introduced in 1822.