Discover more about Scottish scientists
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The scientists, inventors, doctors and engineers listed below were either born in Scotland or chose to work in Scotland. All have made discoveries or important improvements to scientific knowledge.
There are hundreds of others to be discovered in the Library resources and in the links below.
Biology and medicine
Charlotte Auerbach, Ian Donald, Alexander Fleming, Joseph Lister, James Young Simpson.
Chemistry
Joseph Black, James Dewar, Ruth Pirret, William Ramsay.
Engineering
James Blyth, Victoria Drummond, Thomas Telford, James Watt.
Geology
Mathematics
Physics and astronomy
David Brewster, James Clerk Maxwell, Williamina Fleming, Lord Kelvin.
Inventions
John Logie Baird, Alexander Graham Bell, Robert Watson Watt, James Young.
More useful links
Scottish engineering hall of fame
Science History Institute – Historical biographies
Did you know?
The word scientist was first used to describe Mary Somerville, a Scottish scientist and mathematician. Until that point, scientists were called ‘men of science’.
Further reading
Discover these titles and more
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The Library catalogue has a Quick List for Scottish science.
Edinburgh was famous for its medical school in the 19th century, but also for the body-snatchers, people who would raid graveyards for bodies to sell to the university doctors.
Fleshmarket by Nicola Morgan tells the story of Robbie, a young boy whose mother dies after an operation without anaesthetic, and decides to get revenge on the doctor responsible. Library copy available.
Seventeen coffins by Philip Caveney is a time travelling mystery also set in 19th century Edinburgh, where people are disappearing. Library copy available.
The mystery of the miniature coffins from the National Museum of Scotland explains more about these intriguing discoveries.
Robert Louis Stevenson grew up in Edinburgh hearing all about the infamous body-snatchers but also the amazing discoveries made by the doctors as a result. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a story about a well-respected scientist whose experiments bring a hidden side of his personality into being, The Library has the original short story and a graphic novel version.
Women in science: 50 fearless pioneers who changed the world by Rachel Ignotofsky provides more stories about amazing scientists.
Rebel science
Literacy and Language
Numeracy
Health and Wellbeing
Rights Respecting Schools
Developing the Young Workforce
