It's difficult to pinpoint one single "first scientist" who measured speed and distance over time. The concept of speed as distance traveled in a certain time is fundamental and likely understood intuitively by early humans.

However, we can point to some key figures who made significant contributions to measuring and understanding motion:

* Ancient Greeks: Philosophers like Aristotle (4th century BC) studied motion, but their approaches were more philosophical than experimental.

* Medieval Scholars: During the Middle Ages, scholars like John Philoponus (6th century AD) began to question Aristotle's ideas about motion and made observations that paved the way for later developments.

* Galileo Galilei: This Italian Renaissance scientist (16th-17th century) is often credited with making the first truly scientific studies of motion. He used inclined planes and carefully measured distances and times to study the acceleration of falling objects, demonstrating the relationship between speed, distance, and time.

So, while there wasn't one single "first scientist" who invented the concept of measuring speed and distance, Galileo Galilei stands out as a key figure in the development of our modern understanding of motion and its measurement.