Let's remember the achievements of the greatest minds of the past that changed our lives forever. Who are these famous natural scientists and what are their discoveries?
Who are naturalists?
The answer to this question is on the surface. Scientific naturalists are people who study the phenomena of the surrounding world, the nature around us, everything that is connected with it: plants, animals, meteorological phenomena.
These scientists are interested in many questions, from the origin or structure of an object or natural phenomenon, to the features of their interaction, as well as ways of development, and so on.
The promotion of this trend was greatly facilitated by travel and geographical discoveries, development of science and technology, formation of modern teachings. The works of these scientists formed the basis of such disciplines as: chemistry, physics, geography, astronomy and so on.
Famous naturalists of the world
Charles Darwin
I believe that the name of this naturalist is known to everyone. Charles Darwin became famous as an outstanding researcher into the origins of life on earth. His work entitled "The Origin of Species by Means of natural selection, and the preservation of favorable races in the struggle for life” formed the basis of the doctrine of the evolution of objects in the living world.
The scientific work “The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, and the Preservation of Favorable Races in the Struggle for Life” was published on November 24, 1859. This work is based on the concept of the development of living organisms, under the influence of the external environment, their interaction with nature and with each other, which leads to variability in living systems, endowing them with new abilities.
Of course, this work was significantly ahead of its time and therefore not all scientists of that time perceived it favorably. There were many authoritative minds who criticized the doctrine called Darwinism. The main argument for criticism was the question: why is modification not happening now? existing species?
Paracelsus
Paracelsus was a recognized expert in the field of medicine. The scientist discovered ways to treat diseases that were considered incurable before him. His works formed the basis of modern therapeutic medicine.
Paracelsus, back in the sixteenth century, suggested that all living beings and other objects around us have a similar chemical composition. This discovery allowed the scientist to create unique medicinal drugs with which it was possible to fight various ailments.
Anthony van Leeuwenhoek
One of the greatest scientists of the seventeenth century, the importance of whose works is difficult to overestimate. Of course, his greatest invention is the optical microscope, which made it possible to magnify images 200-300 times. Throughout his life, the natural scientist improved his discovery.
Anthony van Leeuwenhoek discovered a microscopic world populated by myriads of bacteria to the world, and this happened back in 1673, when the scientist studied dental plaque under a microscope.
Later he discovered similar creatures in other environments, including food. The scientist was dismayed by how many living creatures inhabit the world hidden from human eyes.
Leeuwenhoek was the first to discover blood circulation in biological tissue. Before this, scientists did not even suspect the presence of a network of capillaries. This happened shortly after the discovery of microbes. This discovery occurred during microscopic examination of a piece of skin taken from a finger injury.
Mikhail Vasilievich Lomonosov
One of the greatest minds of the eighteenth century, an academician who made a huge number of discoveries, created many scientific directions, which largely determined the directions of development of science and technology.
It is difficult to briefly formulate the main inventions of Mikhail Vasilyevich, but, nevertheless, on July 16, 1748, while conducting an experiment with heating lead plates in a sealed vessel, which became covered with oxides under the influence of temperature, the scientist was surprised to discover that total weight the substance inside the flask remained unchanged. This is how the law of conservation of matter was revealed to the world, or, as the natural scientist called it, “the universal natural law.”
In 1761, a scientist using a telescope observed the process of the planet Venus passing between the sun and the earth. Having discovered the thinnest “rim” around celestial body Mikhail Vasilyevich came to the conclusion that Venus also has an atmosphere, but it is significantly different from the earth’s. In addition, the scientist came up with a new design for a telescope of the so-called reflective type, which had the ability to magnify objects, unprecedented at that time.
Carl Linnaeus
One of the most important achievements of this scientist is the systematization of the animal and plant world. In those days, science knew a significant number of genera and species of the living world. Obviously, without a systematic approach it became more and more difficult.
Around the middle of the eighteenth century, it’s quite difficult to say more accurately, Carl Linnaeus proposed the so-called binary nomenclature - a system of naming plants and animals, which used the name of the genus and the specific epithet. This system quickly took root and is still used today.
Conclusion
Modern science did not appear overnight. The greatest discoveries of our time were preceded by stunning discoveries of the past. Who knows what the world would be like without these inventions. Do you know who the naturalist writer Alexander Cherkasov is? If not, you will soon be able to read about it on the pages of the site.
The First All-Russian Conference “Natural Scientists: forgotten names and facts”, dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the birth of the Orenburg scientist and teacher Mikhail Antonovich Skavronsky (1897-1981). The organizers of the conference were the Institute of Steppe of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Ecology of the Volga Basin of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Orenburg Regional Universal science Library them. N.K. Krupskaya, Togliatti branch of the Russian Botanical Society. The conference was attended by employees of Orenburg, Togliatti and Moscow universities and scientific- research institutes.
The main goal of the conference is to remember and honor the names and merits of scientists who made a great contribution to the development of the natural sciences, but for one reason or another remained forgotten. Nevertheless, their archives, collections, drafts and manuscripts are still in demand by contemporaries to this day.
Mikhail Antonovich Skavronsky was precisely such a researcher in the field of botany, and the conference was dedicated to the 120th anniversary of whose birth. Mikhail Antonovich made a huge contribution to botanical research Orenburg region. During the beginning of the virgin lands campaign, he studied the flora eastern regions region, considering “it is necessary to fix the vegetation of this territory before plowing.” He prepared a monograph “Higher Plants of the Orenburg Region”, which included detailed information about 111 families, 600 genera and approximately 1500 species higher plants, found in the territory of the Orenburg region, which was never destined to see the light of day (“due to lack of paper” in the publishing house). As a result of many years of work, the scientist collected and processed a large herbarium material, part of which is carefully stored in the collection (ORIS) of the Institute of the Steppe of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It was the high-quality samples of the herbarium, signed by the hand of the researcher, that attracted the attention of the staff of the Institute of the Steppe Natalia Olegovna Kin, Olga Gennadievna Kalmykova and Tatyana Nikolaevna Savinova, which led to the expression of interest in the activities of M.A. Skavronsky, studying his biography became the prerequisite for organizing the first conference of its kind.
Separate sheets of the herbarium collected and identified by M.A. Skavronsky, were presented at the exhibition in the conference room.
After the report on the researcher’s activities, time was devoted to the memories of eyewitnesses who knew Mikhail Antonovich. Relatives invited to the conference (the grandson of M.A. Skavronsky, candidate medical sciences, Associate Professor Batalin Vadim Aleksandrovich), colleagues and students, now graduate employees of universities and research institutes in Orenburg, shared their impressions of the teacher and little known facts from his life.
In addition, reports were made on the activities of the economist and scientist in the field of agricultural statistics Alexei Fedorovich Fortunatov, zoologist Pyotr Artemyevich Polozhentsev, botanists Dmitry Erastovich Yanishevsky and Georgy Ivanovich Stepnin.
The report of Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Chief research fellow Institute of Ecology of the Volga Basin RAS (Tolyatti) Gennady Samuilovich Rosenberg “On the speed of forgetting of natural scientists, names and facts.”
The organizers of the conference made a proposal to hold the All-Russian Conference “Natural Scientists: Forgotten Names and Facts” once every five years. The proposal was fully supported by the participants and invited persons.
THE PROGRAM of the First All-Russian Conference “Natural Scientists: Forgotten Names and Facts”, dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the birth of the Orenburg scientist and teacher Mikhail Antonovich Skavronsky (1897-1981) is presented on the website.
First Russian scientist world-renowned poet who became the founder of the modern Russian language, artist, historian, development advocate national science and culture, who was practically illiterate until the age of 9. You can name it without difficulty. (Mikhail Vasilievich Lomonosov.)
This is a Russian physicist creator hydrogen bomb. Like many scientists, imagining the catastrophic consequences of the use of their terrible developments, he advocated a ban on testing nuclear weapons. Prominent public figure, he saw further development humanity only in uniting the efforts of countries in the fight against global problems, opposed the introduction Soviet troops to Afghanistan, for which he was deprived of all government awards. The European Parliament has established a prize for humanitarian work in the field of human rights, named after him. Who is this scientist academician and a public figure and human rights activist? (Andrey Dmitrievich Sakharov.)
The most famous Russian general practitioner, one of the founders of the clinic of internal diseases as a scientific discipline in Russia, founder largest school Russian clinicians. A famous Moscow hospital is named after him, as is an infectious disease. (Sergei Petrovich Botkin.)
Great Russian biologist, from 1931 to 1940 he was president of the All-Russian Geographical Society, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences, founder of the modern doctrine of biological basis selection and teaching about the centers of origin of cultivated plants, which was repressed in the US for its commitment to genetics Stalin times. (Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov.)
The name of this Russian scientist of the 19th century should be well known to young chemists, for he is the founder of the Russian scientific school of organic chemistry. Thanks to his discoveries (the reaction for producing aromatic amines), synthetic dyes, aromatic substances, medicines. Who is this famous chemist? (Nikolai Nikolaevich Zimin.)
In the name of the founder of the complex modern sciences about Earth geochemistry, biogeochemistry, radiogeology, hydrogeology, etc., his theories are named, which served as the basis for the formation of modern scientific picture world, for example, the doctrine of the biosphere, living matter and the evolution of the biosphere into the noosphere, the doctrine of the relationship between nature and society, which influenced the formation of modern environmental consciousness. The Institute of Geochemistry and analytical chemistry Russian Academy of Sciences. Who is this great one Russian scientist? (Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky.)
The most famous Russian physicist of the 20th century, the creator of the Soviet physical school, a pioneer in semiconductor research who experimentally proved the existence of ion permeability in crystals, he made major contributions to the applications of semiconductors. His students were such great physicists as A.P. Aleksandrov, P.L. Kapitsa, G.V. Kurdyumov, I.V. Kurchatov and many others. Hero Socialist Labor, winner of many government awards and prizes, corresponding member of world academies and universities. Died in 1960. (Abram Fedorovich Ioffe.)
In 1889 in St. Petersburg Academy Sciences was named the first woman awarded the title of corresponding member, which was awarded to her for great success in the field of mathematics. In addition to the main works on mathematical analysis, mechanics and astronomy, she also wrote novels: “Nihilist”, “Childhood Memories”. What was the name of this talented woman? (Sofya Vasilievna Kovalevskaya.)
The name of this great scientist and designer of the 20th century is associated with the flights of both ballistic missiles and the first artificial satellites Earth, and the first manned flight in history, the first exit into open space. Without a doubt, we can say that, along with Tsiolkovsky, he became the father of Russian cosmonautics. Who is this great man? (Sergei Pavlovich Korolev.)
This academician, Russian physicist, three times Hero of the Soviet Union, became the organizer and leader of work on atomic science and technology. Under his direct leadership, the first domestic cyclotron was built, mine protection for ships was developed, and the first in Europe was created atomic reactor, the first in the USSR atomic bomb, the world's first thermonuclear bomb. Who is this tamer of the “peaceful and non-peaceful” atom? (Igor Vasilievich Kurchatov.)
During the Great Patriotic War, fighter planes created by a Russian aircraft designer destroyed the fascists in the sky. major general aviation engineering service, which later developed a number of jet aircraft. To give a hint about the name of this great Russian designer Let's give one of the names of the LAGG-3 fighters he created. (Semyon Alekseevich Lavochkin.)
The discovery of this Russian mathematician, published in 1826, did not receive recognition from his contemporaries, but it revolutionized the understanding of the nature of space. Who is this scientist who influenced the further development of mathematics as a whole? (Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky.)
Versatile late scientist XIX beginning XX century. But he is known to the world primarily as an author basic research in chemistry, chemical technology(what is one industrial method of fractional separation of oil worth), one of the types of smokeless gunpowder and a very interesting system that every schoolchild has seen... Who is this scientist, and what system are we talking about? (Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev, periodic table Mendeleev.)
This famous Russian biologist and pathologist of the 19th century, one of the founders of immunology, the creator of a series of works devoted to the epidemiology of many diseases, paid great attention to the problem of aging, believing that old age, like any disease, can be treated. The founder of the Russian school of microbiologists and immunologists, he worked in Paris for many years. Streets and hospitals in many cities in Russia bear his name. Who is this great scientist? (Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov.)
Supersonic aircraft developed under the leadership of this aircraft designer were and are in service with our army. This is a galaxy of MIG fighters, which at one time set 55 world records. Who is this design engineer? (Artem Ivanovich Mikoyan.)
The most famous biologist-breeder, our fellow countryman, the author of many varieties of fruit and berry crops, who developed methods for their selection. Yes, those who are engaged in growing or breeding garden crops are often called by his name, or rather, by his surname. (Ivan Vladimirovich Michurin.)
When we talk about instincts, we remember the person with whom everything conditional and unconditional in our life is connected. He is the founder of the largest physiological school of our time, his research nervous activity had a huge influence on the development of physiology, medicine, psychology and pedagogy. Now you can easily name this scientist. (Ivan Petrovich Pavlov.)
Do you know the person whose name is associated with the creation of a radio receiver and, in general, the principle of wireless information transmission? Here are his words: “I am proud that I was born Russian. And if not my contemporaries, then perhaps our descendants will understand how great my devotion to our homeland is and how happy I am that a new means of communication has been discovered not abroad, but in Russia.” (Alexander Stepanovich Popov.)
The great Russian aircraft designer, colonel general, developer of famous Russian aircraft, including the first passenger jet. His aircraft made 28 unique flights, one of which was the flight of V.P. Chkalov and M.M. Gromov through the North Pole to the USA. And to this day, airliners bearing the name of their creator carry passengers and cargo to distant points in Russia and many countries around the world. (Andrey Nikolaevich Tupolev.)
He is considered the founder of world astronautics. As a child, having lost his hearing, he independently pursued his education and worked until the end of his days as a physics and mathematics teacher in Kaluga. It was he who first substantiated the possibility of using rockets for interplanetary communications, and found a number of the most important engineering solutions for the design of rockets and liquid rocket engines. He also developed the so-called “cosmic philosophy”, the ideas of which formed the basis of Russian cosmism. Who is this scientist-inventor? (Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky.)
These two serf factory owners, the Demidovs, father and son, became the first designers of steam engines, of which they produced more than 20 during their careers. And in 1834, the first steam locomotive was created. Now you can easily name the names of famous Russian inventors who for a long time The Demidovs remained serfs. (Efim Alekseevich and Miron Efimovich Cherepanov.)
In Paris in 1878, the World Exhibition was held, at which a lighting system called “Russian light” was demonstrated. Do you know the great Russian electrical engineer to whom we owe this invention and use of the light bulb? (Pavel Nikolaevich Yablochkov.)
This scientist made a huge contribution to the development of Earth science. He concluded that the largest part solar radiation absorbed by the World Ocean. This energy is spent mainly on the evaporation of water, causing its circulation. Therefore, the oceans, huge reservoirs of heat and moisture, play a gigantic role in shaping the Earth's climate. Along with the American scientist M.F. Mori, he became the founder of the doctrine of the interaction of the ocean with the atmosphere. (Emily Christianovich Lenz.)
Russian physicist and engineer, member of the London Royal Society(1929), Academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences (1939), Hero of Socialist Labor (1945, 1974). Works on the physics of magnetic phenomena, physics and technology of low temperatures, quantum physics condensed matter, electronics and plasma physics. B developed pulse method creating super strong magnetic fields. In 1934 he invented and built a machine for adiabatic cooling of helium. In 1937 he discovered the superfluidity of liquid helium. In 1939 he gave new method air liquefaction using a low pressure cycle and a highly efficient turbo expander. Nobel Prize (1978). USSR State Prize (1941, 1943). Gold medal named after. Lomonosov Academy of Sciences of the USSR (1959). Medals of Faraday (England, 1943), Franklin (USA, 1944), Niels Bohr (Denmark, 1965), Rutherford (England, 1966), Kamerlingh Onnes (Netherlands, 1968). (Petr Leonidovich Kapitsa.)
Russian physicist, academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1741). He laid the foundation for the research of electricity in Russia, introduced it quantitative measurements. Together with M.V. Lomonosov, he researched atmospheric electricity. During the experiment he died from a lightning strike. (Georg Richmann.)
He owns the discovery electric arc, a series of studies on electrical conductivity solids, liquids and gases, as well as electrification of bodies. He discovered the dependence of current strength on area cross section conductor, original instruments were designed to study electrical discharge in gases. (Vasily Vladimirovich Petrov.)
The following message was published about the discovery of this scientist: “a professor of physics at Moscow University informs the society about the results of his first studies relating to the pressure of light... The scientist managed to create a device with which it can be measured, and the result of the first experiments is consistent with the prediction of the theory...”. (Peter Nikolaevich Lebedev.)
Russian physicist. Obtained the magnetization curve of iron (1872), systematically studied external photoelectric effect(), discovered the first law of the photoelectric effect. Explored gas discharge, critical condition, etc. Founded (1874) physics laboratory at Moscow University. (Alexander Grigorievich Stoletov.)
In 1864, an artillery officer developed a design for an airplane with a wing triangular shape and “warmth spirit”, that is, the simplest jet engine! That’s how far the inventor looked, almost a hundred years ahead, in our time! (Nikolai Afanasyevich Teleshov)
“Don’t laugh at me by dividing scales, natural scientist’s instruments!” - Faust exclaims in despair in the immortal tragedy of I.V. Goethe. What kind of person is this – a natural scientist? How legitimate is the hero to apply such a definition to himself?
The meaning of the word “naturalist” lies on the surface - “one who experiences nature.” We are, of course, not talking about a “strength test”, which often happens to nature modern man, and about “test”, more precisely – “torture” in the meaning of “ask”. The natural scientist is thus conceptualized as a person who wants to receive answers from nature to human issues– i.e. studies her.
Nature is studied by many sciences - almost all of them: physics, chemistry, geography, astronomy, biology... But this was not always the case. In order for each of these sciences to emerge as something independent, time was needed during which scientists had to accumulate and systematize a sufficient amount of information and formulate some laws (after all, it is the presence of laws that distinguishes a science from a field of knowledge). And initially - about three thousand years ago - man still considered nature as a single whole, which is why knowledge, even within one person, was not limited only to plants, stars or substances - this was the era of “undivided” natural sciences, which in such an initially syncretic form are called natural science (this term remains today as a generalized name for the natural sciences).
Ancient and medieval philosophers looked at the world from this angle. But if philosophy carried in to a greater extent generalized speculative character, then where the description appeared specific facts and experiment, there we can already talk about the activities of the tester. It should be noted that - unlike Goethe's hero - the historical Johann Georg Faust does not fall into this category: contemporaries speak of him as a palmist, testify to his astrological forecasts, but not about scientific research - so from our point of view, he is rather a pseudoscientist.
But even in modern times, when the natural sciences had already become isolated from each other, the term “naturalist” is retained in relation to those who have proven themselves in several sciences.
An example of such a modern naturalist is the German scientist Karl von Reichenbach (1788-1869). This man showed himself in chemistry with the discovery of creosote and paraffin, and at the same time explored nervous system. It was he who first associated disorders such as hysteria, pathological fears and somnambulism with sensitivity - the brightness of sensory abilities.
If we talk about Russian natural scientists, then first of all we need to remember, of course, M.V. Lomonosov, who distinguished himself in physics, chemistry, astronomy, instrument engineering, and metallurgy.
In modern times we will probably no longer meet naturalists. Humanity has accumulated too much information in every science, and in order to achieve something in it, one must devote oneself to it completely, without being distracted by anything else. Therefore, now we can talk about physicists, chemists, astronomers, etc., but not about natural scientists.