     thumb|the inscription on james david forbes' grave james david forbes  (20 april 1809 â 31 december 1868) was a scottish physicist and glaciologist who worked extensively on the conduction of heat and seismology. forbes was a resident of edinburgh for most of his life, educated at the university and a professor there from 1833 until he became principal of the united college of st. andrews in 1859. he invented the seismometer in 1842. == life and work == forbes was born at 86 george street in edinburgh, the fourth son of sir william forbes, 7th baronet, of monymusk and pitsligo (1773â1828) and williamina belches of invermay. his brothers were the advocate and agriculturalist sir john stuart hepburn forbes of fettercairn and pitsligo and the banker charles forbes. he entered the university of edinburgh in 1825, and soon aft
1809_births 1868_deaths 19th-century_Scottish_people Academics_of_the_University_of_Edinburgh Alumni_of_the_University_of_Edinburgh British_seismologists Burials_at_the_Dean_Cemetery Fellows_of_the_Royal_Society Fellows_of_the_Royal_Society_of_Edinburgh Glaciologists People_from_Edinburgh Royal_Medal_winners Scottish_Christians Scottish_geologists Scottish_inventors Scottish_mountain_climbers Scottish_physicists