Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky (1863-1945) is the world-famous Russian thinker and naturalist. He took an active part in the public life of the country. He is the main founder of complexes of basic Earth sciences. His areas of study included such industries as:
- biogeochemistry;
- geochemistry;
- radiogeology;
- hydrogeology.
He is the creator of most scientific schools. Since 1917 he is an academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and since 1925 - an academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
In 1919 he became the first resident of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, then - a professor at the Moscow Institute. However, he resigned. This gesture was a sign of protest against a bad attitude towards students.
The stated thoughts of Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky became the starting point for the development of the modern picture of the scientific world. The main idea of the scientist was a holistic scientific development of such a concept as the biosphere. According to him, this term defines the living earth shell of the Earth. Vernadsky Vladimir Ivanovich (the “noosphere” is also the term introduced by the scientist) studied a holistic complex in which not only the living shell, but also the human factor plays the main role. The teachings of such an intelligent and judicious professor about the relationship between people and the environment could not but have a significant impact on the scientific formation of the natural consciousness of every sane person.
Academician Vernadsky was an active supporter of Russian cosmism, which is based on the idea of the unity of space and all of humanity. Also, Vladimir Ivanovich was the leader of the party of constitutional democrats and the Zemstvo liberal movement. He received the USSR State Prize in 1943.
Children's years and youth of the future academician
Vernadsky Vladimir Ivanovich (biography confirms this) was born in St. Petersburg on March 12, 1863. He lived in a noble family. His father was an economist, and his mother was the first Russian woman political economist. Parents of the kid were quite famous publicists and economists and never forgot about their origin.
According to family tradition, the Vernadsky family originates from the Lithuanian gentry Verna, who sided with the Cossacks and was executed by the Poles for the support of Bohdan Khmelnitsky.
In 1873, the hero of our story began his studies at the Kharkov gymnasium. And in 1877 his family was forced to move to St. Petersburg. At this time, Vladimir entered the Lyceum and subsequently successfully graduated from it. In the city on the Neva, Vernadsky’s father, Ivan Vasilievich, opened his own publishing company, called Slavic Printing House, and also ran a bookstore on Nevsky Prospekt.
At the age of thirteen, the future academician begins to show interests in environmental studies, Slavs, as well as in active public life.
The year 1881 was eventful. Censorship closed the journal of his father, who at the same time was also paralyzed. And Alexander the Second was killed. Vernadsky himself successfully passed the entrance exams and began his student life at St. Petersburg University.
Desire to become a scientist
Vernadsky, whose biography is as popular as his scientific achievements, began his studies at St. Petersburg University in 1881. He was lucky to get to Mendeleev's lectures, which encouraged students, and also strengthened their faith in themselves and taught them how to overcome difficulties with dignity.
In 1882, a scientific and literary society was created at the university, in which Vernadsky had the honor of conducting mineralogy. Professor Dokuchaev drew attention to the fact that a young student is learning to observe natural processes. The expedition organized by the professor became a great experience for Vladimir, which allowed the student to go through the first geological route in a few years.
In 1884, Vernadsky became an employee of the mineralogical cabinet of St. Petersburg University, taking advantage of the offer of the same Dokuchaev. In the same year, takes over the estate. And two years later she marries a beautiful girl Natalia Staritskaya. Soon they have a son, George, who in the future will become a professor at Yale University.
In March 1888, Vernadsky (a biography describes his life) goes on a business trip and visits Vienna, Naples and Munich. So begins his work in the laboratory of crystallography abroad.
And after the successful completion of the school year at the university, Vernadsky decides to take a trip to Europe in order to visit mineralogical museums. During the trip, he attended the fifth conference of the International Geological Assembly, which was held in England. Here he was admitted to the British Association of Sciences.
University of Moscow
Having arrived in Moscow, Vladimir Vernadsky became a teacher at Moscow University, taking the place of his father. At his disposal were an excellent chemical laboratory, as well as a mineralogical office. Soon, Vernadsky Vladimir Ivanovich (biology was still not so much interested in a young scientist) began to lecture at the medical and physical-mathematical faculties. Listeners spoke positively about the important and useful knowledge that the teacher gave.
Vernadsky described mineralogy as a scientific discipline that allows studying minerals as natural compounds of the earth's crust.
In 1902, the hero of our story defended his doctoral dissertation in crystallography and became an ordinary professor. At the same time, took part in the congress of geologists from around the world, which was held in Moscow.
In 1892, a second child appeared in the Vernadsky family - daughter Nina. At this time, the eldest son was already nine years old.
Soon, the professor notes that he has "grown" a whole new science, which is separating from mineralogy. He spoke about its principles at the next congress of doctors and natural scientists. Since then, a new industry has appeared - geochemistry.
On May 4, 1906, Vladimir Ivanovich became an adjunct in mineralogy at the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. Here he is elected head of the mineralogical department of the Geological Museum. And in 1912, Vernadsky (his biography is a direct confirmation of this) became an academician.
Traveling around the world, the scientist collects and brings home the most diverse collections of stones. And in 1910, the Italian naturalist will call the mineral discovered by Vladimirov Ivanovich the mineral "Vernadskite."
The professor graduated from Moscow University in 1911. It was during this period that the government defeated the cadet nest. In protest, a third of the teachers left the institution.
Life in Petersburg
In September 1911, scientist Vladimir Vernadsky moved to St. Petersburg. One of the problems that the professor was interested in was the transformation of the Mineralogical Museum of the Academy of Sciences into a global institution. In 1911, the museum’s assortment received a record number of collections of minerals - 85. Among them were stones of unearthly origin (meteorites). Exhibits were found not only in Russia, but also imported from Madagascar, Italy and Norway. Thanks to the new collections, the St. Petersburg Museum has become one of the best in the world. In 1914, due to the increase in staff, the Mineralogical and Geological Museum was formed. Vernadsky becomes its director.
During his stay in St. Petersburg, the scientist tries to create the Lomonosov Institute, which was supposed to consist of several departments: chemical, physical and mineralogical. But, unfortunately, the Russian government did not want to allocate finances for it.
Since the First World War began, loans for radium work in Russia began to decline significantly, moreover, foreign relations with the luminaries of science were rapidly cut short. Academician Vernadsky came up with the creation of a committee that will study the natural productive forces of Russia. The Council, which consisted of fifty-six people, was headed by the scientist himself. And at that time Vladimir Ivanovich began to understand how all scientific and state life was being built. Despite the fact that in Russia everything was getting worse, the commission, on the contrary, was expanding. And already in 1916 he was able to organize fourteen scientific expeditions to various regions of the country. In the same period, academician Vernadsky was able to lay the foundations of a completely new science - biogeochemistry, which was to study not only the environment, but also the nature of man himself.
The role of Vernadsky in the formation of Ukrainian science
In 1918, Vernadsky’s house, built in Poltava, was defeated by the Bolsheviks. Even despite the fact that the Germans came to Ukraine, the scientist was able to organize several geological excursions, as well as make a presentation on the theme "Living matter".
After the power changed, and the hetman Skoropadsky began to rule, it was decided to organize the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. This important task was entrusted to Vernadsky. The scientist believed that the Russian Academy of Sciences would be the best solution. Such an institution was supposed to contribute to the development of the material and spiritual culture of the people, as well as an increase in productive forces. Vernadsky, whose biography is a confirmation of many events that took place then in Ukraine, agreed to do such an important thing, but on condition that he would not become a citizen of Ukraine.
In 1919, the UAE was opened, as well as a scientific library. At the same time, the scientist worked on the opening of several universities in Ukraine. However, even this was not enough for Vernadsky. He decides to experiment with living matter. And one of these experiments gave a very interesting and important result. But with the advent of the Bolsheviks, being in Kiev becomes dangerous, so Vladimir Ivanovich moves to the biological station in Staroselye. An unforeseen danger forces him to go to Crimea, where his daughter and wife were waiting for him.
Science and philosophy
Vladimir Vernadsky believed that philosophy and science are two completely different ways of knowing the world by man. They differ in the object of study. Philosophy has no boundaries and reflects on everything. And science, on the contrary, has a limit - the real world. But at the same time, both concepts are inseparable. Philosophy is a kind of "nutrient" environment for science. Scientists suggested that life is exactly the same eternal part of the universe as energy or matter.
In the last years of his life, Vladimir Ivanovich expressed the philosophical idea of the development of the field of life into the field of the mind, that is, the biosphere into the noosphere. He believed that the human mind is the guiding force of evolution, so elemental processes are replaced by conscious ones.
Geochemistry and biosphere
In 1924, Vladimir Vernadsky published a book called Geochemistry. The work was written in French and released in Paris. And only after three years, "Essays on Geochemistry" appeared in Russian.
In this work, the scientist summarizes practical and theoretical information that relates to the atoms of the earth's crust, and also studies the natural composition of the geosphere. In the same essay, the concept of “living matter” was given - a set of organisms that can be studied in the same way as any other substance: to describe their weight, chemical composition and energy. Defined geochemistry as a science that studies the chemical composition and laws of the distribution of chemical elements on Earth. Geochemical processes can cover all shells. The most ambitious process is the separation of substances in the process of hardening or cooling. But the source of all geochemical processes is considered to be the energy of the Sun, gravity and heat.
Using the laws of distribution of chemical elements, Russian scientists are developing geochemical forecasts, as well as ways to search for minerals.
Vernadsky made the conclusion that any manifestation of life can exist only in the form of the biosphere - a huge system of the "area of the living." In 1926, the professor published the book "Biosphere", which outlined all the foundations of his teachings. The publication turned out to be small, written in a simple creative language. Enthralled so many readers.
Vernadsky formulated the biogeochemical concept of the biosphere. In it, this concept was considered as living substance, consisting of many chemical elements found in all living organisms in the aggregate.
Biogeochemistry
Biogeochemistry is a science that studies the composition, structure, essence of living matter. The scientist has identified several important principles showing a model of the world.
What was Vladimir Vernadsky talking about?
The biosphere - the living shell of the Earth - never returns to its previous state, so it changes all the time. But living matter has a constant geochemical effect on the outside world.
The Earth’s atmosphere is a biogenic formation, since the fight for oxygen throughout the world is much more important than fights for food.
The most powerful and diverse living force on Earth is bacterial, discovered by Levenguk.
In 1943, the scientist was awarded the Order and the Stalin Prize. The professor gave the first half of the monetary reward to the Defensive Fund of the Motherland, and the second half he spent on acquiring geological collections for the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Vernadsky's doctrine of the biosphere and noosphere
Noosphere - an integral geological shell of the Earth, which is formed as a result of the cultural and technical activities of mankind, as well as natural phenomena and processes. The most important postulate of the concept was the role of the conscious influence of people on the environment.
Vernadsky’s doctrine of the biosphere and noosphere considers the emergence of consciousness as a completely logical result of evolution. The professor was also able to predict the expansion of the boundaries of the noosphere, implying the entry of man into space. According to Vernadsky, the basis of the noosphere is the harmony of natural beauty and man. Therefore, beings endowed with reason should be careful about this harmony and not destroy it.
The starting point for the appearance of the noosphere is the emergence of the first tools of labor and fire in a person’s life - this is how he gained an advantage over the animal and plant world, the active processes of creating cultivated plants and taming animals began. And now man begins to act not as a rational being, but as a creator.
But science, which is studying the harmful effects of the representative of the human race on the environment, appeared after the death of Vernadsky and was called ecology. But this science does not study the geological activity of people and its consequences.
Contribution to Science
Vladimir Ivanovich made many important discoveries. From 1888 to 1897, the scientist developed the concept of silicates, defined the classification of siliceous compounds, and introduced the concept of kaolin core.
In the years 1890-1911. became the founder of genetic mineralogy, establishing special relationships between the method of crystallization of a mineral, as well as its composition and formation genesis.
Russian scientists helped Vernadsky systematize and structure knowledge gained in the field of geochemistry. For the first time, a scientist conducted holistic studies not only of the Earth’s atmosphere, but also of the lithosphere and hydrosphere. In 1907 he laid the foundation for radio geology.
In 1916-1940 he determined the basic principles of biogeochemistry, and also became the author of the doctrine of the biosphere and its evolution. Vernadsky Vladimir Ivanovich, whose discoveries struck the whole world, was able to study the quantitative content of the elements of a living body, as well as the geochemical functions that they perform. He introduced the concept of the transition of the biosphere to the noosphere.
A few words about the biosphere
The structure of the biosphere, according to the calculations of Vladimir Ivanovich, was composed of seven main types of matter:
- Scattered atoms.
- Substances arising from living.
- Elements of space origin.
- Substances formed outside of life.
- Elements of radioactive decay.
- Bio-bone.
- Living substances.
What Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky did, every self-respecting person knows. He believed that any living substance can develop only in real space, which is characterized by a certain structure. The chemical composition of living matter corresponds to a certain space, so the more substances, the more such spaces.
But the transition of the biosphere to the noosphere was accompanied by several factors:
- The intelligent human population of the entire surface of planet Earth, as well as his victory and dominance over other living things.
- Creation of a single information system for all mankind.
- The discovery of new energy sources (especially such as nuclear). After such progress, humanity received a very important and powerful geological force.
- The ability of a person to manage the broad masses of the people.
- The increase in the number of people who are engaged in science. This factor also gives humanity a new geological power.
Vladimir Vernadsky, whose contribution to biology is simply invaluable, was an optimist and believed that the irreversible development of scientific knowledge is the only significant evidence of the existing progress.
Conclusion
Vernadsky Avenue is the longest street in Moscow, which leads to the south-west of the capital. It starts near the Institute of Geochemistry, the founder of which was a scientist, and ends with the Academy of the General Staff. Thus, it symbolizes Vernadsky’s contribution to science, which is reflected in the country's defense. On this avenue, as the scientist dreamed, there are several research institutes and educational universities.
In terms of the breadth of his scientific horizons and the variety of scientific discoveries, Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky stands perhaps apart from other great natural scientists of our time. In many ways, he thanked his teachers for his achievements. Often fought for the lives of his friends and students who became victims of the punitive system. Thanks to a bright mind and outstanding abilities, together with other scientists, he was able to create strong scientific institutions of world significance.
The life of this person was cut short suddenly.
December 25, 1944 Vladimir Ivanovich asked his wife to bring coffee. And while she went to the kitchen, the scientist had a brain hemorrhage. A similar misfortune befell his father, and his son was very afraid to die the same death. After the incident, the scientist lived another thirteen days, never regaining consciousness. Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky died on January 6, 1945.