Many researchers have tried to find out whoLomonosov for Russian science. It is rather difficult to define this shortly, because this scientist was a universal specialist. He was interested in both the exact sciences and the humanities.
Mikhail Lomonosov was born on November 19, 1711 in thethe village of Mishaninskaya. This place was located on the outskirts of Russia - in the far northern Arkhangelsk province. The future scientist by nationality belonged to Pomor people. His father Vasily Dorofeevich was a well-to-do merchant by local standards. He was fishing. When Michael grew up, his father took him on a trip.
Belonging to the far North is important as oneof the main features that determined who Lomonosov was. Already in maturity, Mikhail Vasilievich devoted a lot of his scientific works to his native land, as well as to the peculiarities of local nature, for example, to the amazing phenomenon of the Northern Lights.
Lomonosov grew up as a curious youth, but in his native place there was not a single institution where he could get an education. Even he learned to read and write only thanks to the efforts of the local clerk.
In 1730, a nineteen-year-old boy escaped fromAt home, and together with the trade caravan, he went to Moscow. He did not tell his father and stepmother about his intentions, and for a long time he was considered missing. Who Lomonosov was (an artificial Pomor) could prevent him from entering the Slavic-Greco-Roman Academy. There they took only children from noble families. But the young man wanted more than anything in the world to learn. And he, having told the noble son, nevertheless was enrolled in the academy.
Lomonosov quickly established himself as athe best student. He was sent to continue his education first to Kiev, and then to Petersburg. At this time, the National Academy of Sciences has just started its work. She chose the best students and sent them abroad at public expense. So Lomonosov got to Marburg University in Germany. There he became acquainted with Western science, which for several decades was ahead of Russia. The state tried to develop education in the young empire, but even for this it was necessary to hire foreign specialists. When Lomonosov returned to his homeland in 1741, he was determined to instill in the fatherland Western norms in relation to science.
To understand who Lomonosov was, enoughlist those places where he managed to work for his long and bright academic career. In the 40s the young specialist did not leave the offices of the Kunstkamera, where he was immersed in the world of natural science. He successfully translated Western scientific texts from Latin and German into Russian.
In 1745, an event occurred whichLomonosov waited a long time. Professorship was his cherished dream throughout his youth. It was awarded to a 35-year-old scientist for his thesis on chemistry on the topic of the properties of metals. Together with the title of professor Lomonosov also received a noble title. Since then, he tirelessly worked in the Moscow Academy of Sciences.
For the entire XVIII century, Russia had no morea notable scholar than Mikhail Lomonosov. What science was most interested in him? This question can not be answered unambiguously. Lomonosov at various times devoted himself to history, mechanics, chemistry and mineralogy. He was fond of creativity, including drawing and poetry.
As a prominent scientist, Lomonosov was always close tosupreme power. Most of his work fell on the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna. With her in 1754 by the project of Lomonosov Moscow State University was founded. Mikhail Vasilyevich as no one understood the importance of popularizing education in the country.
When preparing a project of a higher educational institutionLomonosov was assisted by a prominent statesman Ivan Shuvalov. He also became the first curator of an important university. Even after the death of Lomonosov, the university received his name, which he still wears.
Most famous Russian scientistknown as an explorer of the natural sciences. Many works were devoted to them, the author of which was Lomonosov. The physicist was a supporter of the atomic theory of the structure of matter. In the XVIII century, it was not yet proved, and she had many opponents. Nevertheless, thanks to many years of observations and experiments, Lomonosov came to the conclusion that each substance consists of molecules, which he called corpuscles.
Mikhail Vasilievich liked to study chemistry with the help ofphysics and explaining natural phenomena through these sciences. In this field Lomonosov discovered the law of conservation of mass. He also first gave a scientific definition of physical chemistry. No wonder Lomonosov did it. The physicist has studied a huge stratum of the then western natural-science literature. He translated into Russian a lot of terms that were not previously in the domestic lexicon.
Mikhail Lomonosov, whose years of life were notcabinet, and mainly in the Academy of Sciences, a lot of publicly spoke. He had to debate with his opponents, prove the correctness of his decisions on paper, etc. Therefore, in the 1950s Lomonosov thoroughly engaged in rhetoric.
His scientific mindset made every thoughtto put on paper as a theory. In particular, therefore, Mikhail Vasilievich wrote and published "A Brief Guide to Rhetoric", which was then popular for a long time in universities.
The rich and complex Russian language was anotherLomonosov was interested in this sphere. The field of science of grammar was thoroughly studied by him. He rightfully considered the Russian language to be living matter, which was constantly changing. This was particularly acute in the 18th century, when Russia was under the great influence of European and especially German culture.
Of course, Lomonosov could not stay away fromthese processes. He wrote "Russian grammar," in which he set forth in detail all the rules for the use of the Russian language. At that time, the national humanitarian science did not know such detailed and accurate studies on this topic.
Mikhail Lomonosov died on April 15, 1765.The cause of death of the scientist was pneumonia. The light of Russian science was only 53 years old. Already during his lifetime, his name received a worthy fame. This is confirmed by the fact that shortly before his death, Empress Catherine II visited Lomonosov. She recently appeared on the throne, but always appreciated the activities of the scientist, since she herself was extremely educated.
Many universities in Europe were happy to dohis professor of such a fruitful researcher as Lomonosov. What title did he receive besides this? For example, in the Bologna and Stockholm academies of science he was elected an honorary member.
