Day of Russia is an occasion to reflect on what the country has given to the world. Not just "Victory" and "Kalashnikov". Not just vodka and caviar. Russian names in world science stand alongside Newton and Einstein. From Mendeleev's periodic table to the laser, from radio to "Sputnik". Let's remember scientists whose discoveries changed civilization, honestly assess Russia's contribution to scientific progress.Mikhail Lomonosov: the first Russian encyclopediaLomonosov is our pride. Physicist, chemist, astronomer, geographer, metallurgist, poet. He discovered the atmosphere of Venus, formulated the law of conservation of matter, created mosaic production. Without his work, there would be no Russian science as we understand it today. On a global scale, Lomonosov was ahead of his time, especially in physical chemistry. However, his works were often unknown abroad due to the language barrier. Nevertheless, his influence on European science in the 18th century was significant.Nikolai Lobachevsky: the father of non-Euclidean geometryBefore Lobachevsky, everyone thought that Euclidean geometry was the only possible one. Lobachevsky created a geometry where several parallel lines can be drawn through a point. At first, he was mocked. But then it turned out that non-Euclidean geometry describes space near black holes. Without Lobachevsky, there would be no Einstein's theory of relativity. This discovery turned mathematics and physics upside down. Today, Lobachevsky's name stands alongside the greatest mathematicians.Dmitry Mendeleev: the periodic lawThe periodic table of chemical elements is perhaps the most famous Russian contribution to world science. Mendeleev did not just order the elements; he predicted the properties of yet-to-be-discovered ones. In a dream? Legend. In fact, the result of years of work. Today, Mendeleev's table hangs in every school and every laboratory. It has become the foundation of chemistry. Mendeleev also worked on oil, metrology, aerodynamics. ...
Read more