Definition
Sir Joseph Banks was an English naturalist, botanist, and patron of the natural sciences. He is famous for his participation in Captain James Cook's first voyage to the Pacific Ocean. Banks collected extensive botanical specimens and made significant contributions to the understanding of global flora. He later served as President of the Royal Society for over 40 years. He was a key figure in the scientific exploration of the world. Think of him as a 18th-century version of a celebrity scientist-explorer.