When a genius appears in the world, one can recognize him at least by the fact that all the dumb-headed people unite in the struggle against him.
D. Swift

What is the difference between genius and ordinary person? First of all, the fact that a genius lives outside of time and thinks in completely different categories than ordinary and even very talented people. Therefore, it is not surprising that many brilliant scientists who made a real breakthrough in science were not recognized during their lifetime: few of their contemporaries were able to appreciate the depth of their scientific thought and the importance of their discoveries. It is enough to recall a few names known to the whole world to be convinced of this.

Nicolaus Copernicus (1473 - 1543), Polish astronomical reformer, creator heliocentric system peace

The teachings of the Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus became truly revolutionary during the Middle Ages, when the power actually belonged to the church. The scientist literally threw down a challenge to church authority, turning over the idea of ​​mankind about the universe. The main thought of Copernicus was the discovery that the Earth is not the center of the universe, as the church claimed, - it is just one of the many planets that exist in space. His system was set out in a book, which 3 years before Copernicus' death was compiled by his student Johann Retik. The main work of the scientist "On rotations celestial spheres”Saw the light only in the year of his death.

Despite the fact that the teachings of Copernicus seemed fantastic to many, churchmen quickly realized that his system was a direct undermining of the foundations of theology, and therefore of church authority. It is not surprising that in 1616 the Inquisition adopted a Decree by which the work of Copernicus was recognized as heresy and was included in the index of forbidden books. The ban on the works of the scientist lasted more than two hundred years.

Johannes Kepler (1571–1630), German astronomer and mathematician

Johannes Kepler, known to science as the founder of celestial mechanics, was the successor of the ideas of N. Copernicus, outlining his hypotheses about motion celestial bodies in the treatise "The Abridgement of Copernican Astronomy". Having received a versatile education, the scientist taught for a long time in high school the Austrian city of Graz mathematics and astronomy. Then he moved to Prague, where he helped the astronomer T. Braga in calculating the orbits of the planets. solar system in particular Mars. It was during this period that Kepler made one of his major discoveries: the planets move in elliptical rather than circular orbits, and the Sun is located at one of the foci of these orbits. Moreover, the degree of elongation of the orbit of each planet is different from the others. In addition, the scientist deduced several more mathematical laws of motion of celestial bodies, known to modern mathematicians and physicists as Kepler's laws.

Unfortunately, the works of the scientist did not find support from his contemporaries, who considered him a dreamer and an eccentric. Kepler died in poverty, never having received his salary for several years. After his death, the imperial treasury owed the family of the scientist 13 thousand guilders of the salary that was due to him - but his wife and four children never received this money.

Galileo Galilei (1564 - 1642), Italian astronomer, physicist and mechanic, one of the founders of natural science

The basis of Galileo's worldview is the objective existence of the world, that is, outside human consciousness and regardless of it. The world is infinite, matter is eternal - the scientist believed. Nothing in nature and its processes is destroyed or generated - only change occurs relative position bodies or their parts, and matter itself consists of indivisible atoms. And the heavenly bodies obey the same laws of mechanics, like the Earth.

In 1597, while working in Padua, Galileo wrote: “I came to the opinion of Copernicus many years ago and, proceeding from it, found the causes of many natural phenomena that are far from being explained with the help of ordinary hypotheses. He wrote many considerations and refutations of opposing arguments, which, however, he did not dare to publish, frightened by the fate of our teacher Copernicus. From a few he acquired immortal glory, and by countless multitudes - for such is the number of fools - he was ridiculed and booed.

Galileo himself was “ridiculed and booed” during his lifetime: the Inquisition, on the orders of the Pope, opened a case against the scientist. An elderly sick man was brought to Rome under escort on a stretcher and forced to publicly renounce his teachings, having read out a text prepared by the Inquisition. But, despite this formal renunciation, Galileo continued to work, and after 5 years the world saw the light of his main work, "Conversations about two new sciences", which became the foundation for his followers - scientists of the next generations.

Giordano Bruno (1548 - 1600), Italian materialist philosopher, fighter against theology and scholasticism, passionate propagandist of the teachings of N. Copernicus

The whole life of Giordano Bruno is a worthy example of fearless service to science. In his writings, Bruno developed the Copernican theory of the heliocentric structure of the world. Just like Copernicus, he believed that the Sun is not the center of the world, since the Universe is infinite, and any star in it can be taken as such a center. He taught that in the Universe there are an infinite number of stars like our Sun, the same laws prevail in it - which means that there is no opposition between the Earth and the sky. The main philosophical conclusion that followed from the teachings of Bruno was the statement about the multitude of inhabited worlds in the Universe, which undermined the foundations of the church worldview.

Due to persecution by the Inquisition, Giordano Bruno was forced to travel to different cities and countries of Europe, promoting his worldview. In 1592, at the invitation of the Venetian patrician Mocenigo, he moved to Venice, where he was betrayed by a clergyman and, falling into the hands of the Inquisition, was accused of heresy. Bruno spent the last 8 years of his life in prison, but even there he courageously defended his convictions, refusing to renounce them. As a result, the Inquisition sentenced the scientist to death, and he was publicly burned in the Roman Square of Flowers.

Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky (1792 - 1856), Russian mathematician, creator of non-Euclidean geometry

The great mathematician Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky, who made a revolutionary revolution in philosophy and geometry, was respectfully called by the English mathematician Clifford "our Copernicus of geometry." The genius of the scientist manifested itself early: he graduated from the university at the age of 19, having received a master's degree in science, and at the age of 24 he already became a professor of mathematics at Kazan University. Contribution of N.I. Lobachevsky in science can hardly be overestimated. He is the creator of "non-Euclidean geometry", and the discoveries of the scientist were half a century ahead of the development of mathematical thought of that time. For this reason, during his lifetime, he fell into the difficult position of an "unrecognized scientist", and his theories were subjected to ridicule and harsh criticism. And only 50 years later, one of his followers bitterly wrote:

"Nikolai Ivanovich, forgive us,

This is how the Euclidean world works.

In life, even cretins are rewarded,

After death - to geniuses alone!

Évariste Galois (1811–1832), French mathematician

The life of a brilliant French mathematician was, unfortunately, too short - at the age of 21, he was killed in a duel arranged by his political enemies. However, in this short time he managed to submit to the French Academy of Sciences three scientific work who made a significant contribution to the development of mathematics. But that was later, and during the life of the young genius no one took seriously, and even the manuscripts were lost for a long time.

The brilliant works of Evariste Galois received full recognition only in the seventies of the XIX century. And today the name of this genius with an amazing fate is one of the most famous and popular in mathematics.

Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky (1857 - 1935), Russian and Soviet scientist, founder of the theory of interplanetary communications

The main works of the Russian and Soviet scientist K.E. Tsiolkovsky were dedicated to four important issues: the creation of a streamlined airplane, scientific justification all-metal balloon (airship), designing an air cushion train and designing a rocket for interplanetary travel.

First scientific work about airships was "Metal controlled balloon", (1892), where Tsiolkovsky gave a scientific and technical justification for the design of an airship with a metal shell. However, despite the progressiveness, the Tsiolkovsky airship project was not supported by the state - the author was denied a subsidy for the construction of the model. Tsiolkovsky appealed for support and General base Russian army - but also unsuccessfully.

Belongs to the scientist and the idea of ​​creating an airplane with a metal frame. In his article "Airplane or Bird-like (aviation) flying machine", published in 1894, the scientist gave a description and presented drawings of a monoplane, which, according to appearance and aerodynamic characteristics anticipated the design of aircraft that appeared only after 15-18 years. But the work on the airplane also did not receive recognition either from the state or from official representatives. Russian science. For further research, Tsiolkovsky had neither the means nor the moral support.

In 1897, Tsiolkovsky built the first wind tunnel in Russia with an open working part, and many years later, in 1932, he developed a flight theory jet aircraft in the stratosphere, as well as presented to the scientific community schemes for arranging aircraft for flying at supersonic speeds.

The most important scientific results received Tsiolkovsky in the theory of rocket motion, as well as, already in Soviet times, in the development of the theory of multi-stage rockets. His works significantly contributed to the development of rocket and space technology both in the USSR and in other countries.

Throughout his long and difficult life, the great scientist was ridiculed, and his theories aroused bewilderment and distrust. And only in 1932, three years before his death, the Soviet scientist K.E. Tsiolkovsky was recognized by science and the state and was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor for "Special services in the field of inventions of great importance for the economic power and defense of the USSR."

*****

It would seem that historical examples are very indicative, but it turns out that history tends to repeat itself, and modernity is not unique. The same thing that happened to brilliant scientists a hundred, two hundred, three hundred years ago is happening today with our contemporary, Soviet scientist, Russian academician, talented engineer, inventor, creator of the innovative Sky Way string transport. Despite ridicule, misunderstanding and harsh (if not cruel) criticism, Anatoly Yunitskiy has been working hard to improve string technologies for almost forty years, since the times of the USSR. And his work will certainly turn into success, because his invention, like all ingenious, was several steps ahead of its time.

Circles of Time

So, let's imagine our hero: Sir Roger Penrose was born in Colchester (England) on August 8, 1931. Both parents are physicians with a passion for geometry. The love for mathematics was instilled in the boy by his father, Lionel Penrose, a geneticist, professor at University College in London. Together with his father in his youth, Roger discovered two classic impossible figures - an impossible triangle and an endless staircase ( famous artist Maurice Escher, whose drawings inspired the Penroses, subsequently dedicated two of his new paintings to these figures). Graduated from Cambridge. He taught mathematics at Oxford University and geometry at Gresham College in London. Honorary Professor of many foreign universities.

Developer of twistor theory, author of theories related to quantum consciousness, quantum leap, quantum biology. He published a number of scientific works - "The New Mind of the King", "Shadows of the Mind", "The Path to Reality", "Circles of Time". Member of the Royal Society of London, among the awards - the Wolf Prize in Physics (together with Stephen Hawking), the Albert Einstein Medal, the Copley Medal, the Royal Medal of the Royal Society of London and others. In 1994, the Queen of Great Britain awarded him a knighthood for outstanding services to the development of science.

And now, imagine, this giant of thought is not a prim British gentleman in life, but the humblest man with a shy expression on his face, - ready to express his thoughts, for which it would be good to know the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics, as much as possible in plain language, with the help of illustrative examples and pictures drawn by him. So, in particular, he explained his revolutionary theory of the origin of the Universe at a public lecture at the Moscow Polytechnic Museum (there were two more lectures at Baumanka, but there the level is more complicated). Those who wish can listen to the author of the theory on the Internet: http://elementy.ru/penrose

So, modern science tells us that sometime (more than 13.7 billion years) ago, the Universe began with the Big Bang, before which there was nothing. This nothingness condensed into a state of singularity, that is, a tiny point at which temperature, density and entropy (a measure of general disorder) reached infinity. Further, the Universe began to expand (which is why this model of the Universe is called inflationary) at a breakneck pace. The order increased, while the density and temperature fell. Such is the logic prevailing in modern cosmology and physics quantum mechanics.

But they come into great contradiction with the laws of classical physics, Sir Roger notes and is upset that his colleagues stubbornly pass over in silence. According to the main postulate of physics - the second law of thermodynamics - entropy in a closed system must inevitably increase with time. “It grows in England too,” Sir Roger did not fail to joke. This means that the measure of chaos in the Universe is now immeasurably greater than it was at the very beginning. It turns out a paradox - quantum mechanics requires the Big Bang and complete chaos at the beginning, and classical physics - the initial order.

Penrose believes that an unaccounted phenomenon is called upon to eliminate the contradiction - gravity, only it can bring together quantum mechanics and Einstein's general theory of relativity, on which the scientist relies. At the time of the Big Bang, our hero claims, all fundamental interactions were in the most chaotic state, and only gravity was maximally ordered.

Einstein himself, as you know, opposed the uncertainty principle of quantum mechanics, saying his famous: "God does not play dice." He insisted that it only seems to us that God is playing dice with us because we do not understand everything. Thus, he was the first to formulate latent variable hypothesis in the equations of quantum mechanics. Penrose thinks that this variable is gravity.

And in order to understand why the Big Bang happened, Penrose calls to look ... beyond it. For clarity, he suggests using mathematical tricks - in fact, Penrose's last ones are truly virtuoso and worthy of the most serious study (his world scientific fame began with one of them).

I will show you two mathematical tricks, - the scientist said at a lecture at the Polytechnic Museum. - I tried to stretch this point of the Big Bang and turn it into a line, I also squeezed the infinity of the distant future - and both "edges" turned into borders.

This trick is actually a conformal space-time geometry designed to artificially eliminate, smooth or squash (squash) infinity, as if to redefine it to finiteness. Her example can be seen in one of Maurice Escher's paintings. Thus, our Universe is not the only one, it has a beginning and an end, more precisely, as Penrose says, this is just one of the eons of its endless rebirths. In general, the Universe, relatively speaking, does not look like a cone with a base at the moment of the Big Bang, as it is drawn, but like a bamboo trunk, consisting of sections-eons. This is truly a revolution in both cosmology and philosophy - after all, everyone needed a starting point. And what now to be without it? This way you can reach an agreement with the Creator, Who was always and everywhere.

"Tricks" - not the only argument for the cyclical nature of the universe. Much more solid look evidence obtained from the study of relic or cosmic microwave background radiation that has come down to us, as it is believed, since the creation of the universe. Penrose agrees with his student and colleague Paul Todd that these are traces of the previous expansion and contraction of the universe. And a little over a month ago, Penrose and his other colleague Vakha Gurzadyan published an article in which they drew the attention of scientists to concentric circles in the cosmic microwave background radiation, which, according to their idea, should diverge in the Universe after some grandiose cosmic cataclysms.

For example, after a collision and absorption of galaxies by each other (in hundreds of thousands of years ours may also collide with the Andromeda galaxy - or rather, it will be a collision of black holes) or the explosion of the last black hole, which, most likely, will end the current eon of the Universe. Black holes are another favorite subject of Penrose's discussion, because there once again this mysterious singularity occurs (as in the point of the Big Bang) - a state in which the laws of physics known to us do not apply. But here, unlike the Big Bang, the measure of chaos is the highest possible. By the way, it is the study of black holes, Penrose believes, that can advance us in finding intelligent life in the Universe.

Assuming that somewhere exists highly developed civilization, which can send signals from one aeon to another, how could it do this? - the scientist shared with Russian journalists. - To do this, you probably need to manipulate supermassive black holes.

When the last black hole in the Universe collapses in the future billions of years away from us, the entropy of gravity will again become almost zero, matter will be ordered and a new eon will begin.

Here Penrose, like other cosmologists (most do not share his bold views), comes to the main question that science is not able to explain: how does this singularity arise, giving birth to new eons of the Universe? What is this “infinitely complex and ordered form of matter” that is not subject to the laws of physics? And again, does this definition fit suspiciously close to the act of the Creation of the world?

Sir Roger partly agrees with this, despite the fact that he considers himself an atheist. As he said in an interview: “I do not believe in any religious concepts. But there is some order in the world. And the fact that consciousness has something to do with how the universe works - of course, I believe in it. For me, the word "god" suggests some kind of intelligence. This is the very consciousness that precedes understanding.”

That is why, according to Penrose, the creation of artificial intelligence is impossible.

Of course, computers can already perform such calculations that humans cannot, Sir Roger popularly explained to me at a press conference. - But if you use them to, for example, decipher astrophysical phenomena, you yourself must first understand what calculations need to be made, from which physical processes it depends, etc.... A computer cannot possess this property of consciousness. Understanding is a quality that we bring to our common cause.

Here it is not far from the definition of the soul.

To answer the question of whether there is a soul, I need a technical definition - as a true scientist says Penrose. - I think that there is something that we do not understand from the point of view of modern science. So far, we do not have sufficient grounds to say that we are well aware of this problem.

Is it all by chance, or does God not play dice?

I don’t know, our hero once admitted, having understood, it seems, everything except the main secret. “But I don't like it when God plays dice. I'd rather think that god's behavior seems random but isn't...

And further:

I can't imagine myself in the place of God. I believe that there are absolute truths and absolute beauty. And the word "God"... well, it doesn't help me...

To Russia with love

82-year-old Penrose did not come to Russia by chance. As one of the organizers of the visit told us, he was attracted here ... by his grandmother, Baumanka (new research) and the unusual theories of scientists from the Institute of Hypercomplex Systems in Geometry and Physics.

First, about my grandmother.

When I was in the USSR in the 1980s, my mother asked me to find the house where her mother lived, my grandmother, Sir Roger entrusted us with his family history. - She was born in Latvia, lived in St. Petersburg, and then went to England and married my grandfather. For some strange reason, perhaps because of the difference in confessions (relatives on the maternal side are Jews), my grandmother completely cut off contact with her family in Russia, she hid everything, her last name was unknown even to my mother. This is what we found out later. I found this house. Now we find out whether my relatives by blood (descendants of my grandmother's brother) remained in St. Petersburg or Moscow ...

At MSTU im. Bauman Penrose read two lectures and listened with interest to the achievements of Russia's largest technical university. He was no less interested in the ideas of the employees of the Institute of Hypercomplex Systems in Geometry and Physics. The organization itself is interesting for its uniqueness - it is the first and probably the only private institution in our country that is engaged in fundamental scientific research and at the same time is not afraid of alternative hypotheses for the construction of the Universe, which they did not fail to tell the English guest about.

In such a field of science, which has not yet received recognition, the state cannot afford financial risk, but business can, - Dmitry Pavlov, director of the research institute, explained to us. - I risk my funds, I persuade my businessmen friends, because if we turn out to be right and the future of physics at least partly turns out to be connected with hypercomplex numbers, with a geometry that is more interesting than the pseudo-Riemannian that dominates today with its derivatives, then not only our investments, but any. But the probability of this, of course, is not 100 percent.

This madness of the brave certainly pleases Sir Roger. Penrose not only attended two seminars and listened to the ideas of Russian colleagues Sergei Siparov and Sergei Kokarev, who propose “ new physics» of our world, but also approved of them.

The reports made the other day by my colleagues are examples of two approaches that are original and very different from what is available in the mainstream, Sir Roger said at a press conference following his visit to Russia. - They are completely self-consistent and well thought out. This is exactly what we would like to have in science: open discussion, originality of ideas, allowance for the right to make mistakes - whether they are true or not, perhaps these ideas will lead to some other ideas. I support this kind of work with all my might...

More importantly, the world-famous scientist announced support for the project of the Institute of Hypercomplex Systems in Geometry and Physics, a scientific and educational center for schoolchildren and students in Russia. According to Dmitry Pavlov, in the case of administrative assistance from the authorities (the construction of the center is supposed to be near the science city of Korolev near Moscow) and the attraction of money from business, the idea can be realized within 2-3 years. It should be a mini scientific city, modeled on those that have long been working in the West, in particular, at the Institute of Higher Scientific Research near Paris. In it, scientists and students live together, study and communicate.

In England, as far as I know, there is no such thing, Sir Roger admitted. So I wish you all the best in your endeavors. The project of the scientific and educational center is important for the further development of science both in Russia and in the world.

From the answers of Roger Penrose at a press conference at RIA Novosti:

- Who were your teachers?

I started as a mathematician, studied at University College London in the Department of Mathematics - we consider pure mathematics and applied mathematics in England. At that time I was concentrating on pure mathematics. I did what I thought was original enough, and on this basis I was allowed to study pure mathematics, algebra, geometry at Cambridge and worked there under the famous scientist William Hodge. I didn’t know then that he would become famous, we had four people in the group, then only two remained - me and Michael Tia, a fairly well-known mathematician in physics.

I think one of the important things that influenced my 1st year student education was the freedom I had. I attended 3 courses in parallel, which had nothing to do with mathematics. These were the lectures of the famous specialist in the field of cosmology, another brilliant course on quantum mechanics was taught by the even more famous scientist Paul Dirac. This course was very clear, understandable, precise, thanks to him I understood quantum mechanics very well. I took another course - in mathematical logic. From there I learned about the Turing machine, about the basics of modern computing.

I think those were the things that shaped me. The Dirac course taught me about the limitations of quantum mechanics, the logic course literally told me how we can transform calculations in order to deeply understand mathematics. This shaped my philosophical outlook and, I think, led to the creation of my book The New Mind of a King. I also got a lot from my friendship with Dennis Sherman. We were good friends and spent a lot of time together, in which he tried to make me more physics than math. He was my inspiring teacher. He was great at popularizing the theory of cosmology. When the Big Bang theory appeared, from a philosophical point of view, it was interesting and exciting. One of the reasons why these models were introduced is that at that time there was a great discrepancy between the age of the universe, which was younger than some of the ancient star systems we are familiar with. It was believed that the Big Bang was born after the birth of these stars. Hence the paradox why this happened. From a philosophical point of view, this new theory is interesting, because it helps not to resort to this paradox and the balance is restored.

I talked about conformal cyclic geometry in my other book Circles of Time. She talks about my model of space-time, about aeons that are not in a stationary state, but that are constantly evolving - expanding from the Big Bang and then again coming to the Big Bang, from which a new aeon begins. This is a rather interesting scenario, I am trying to attract other scientists to it. I think someday we will get evidence of the theory.

- Any mere mortal will confirm to you that a person is guided in making decisions not so much by logic as by emotions and intuition. So why don't artificial intelligence advocates understand this?

I talked about artificial intelligence (AI) in the books The New Mind of the King and Shadows of the Mind. AI ideas were formulated when I was a graduate student. At that stage, I would probably be a supporter of strong AI, who believe that our brain is a computing machine. But the question is how this is done. We can, of course, create machines and the power of these machines will exceed the power that we can get as a result of the interaction of neurons. When we talk about mental activity, it is very important to separate conscious thinking from the unconscious. Your brain sends signals to your muscles to move around in your chair, but it's all done unconsciously. I think there are many processes going on in the human brain that can be explained by such approaches.

But much more is involved when we talk about conscious thinking. When we talk about emotions, about the perception of colors, beauty, what feelings musical works evoke in us, this is what happens at the level of consciousness. I don't think I can answer your question well because I don't know what goes on in the human brain. I think we should understand that there is a connection with mathematics here. I think that what we understand by mathematics can be fully simulated on a computer. This is the theory formulated by Alan Turing. It goes like this: if you can explain some results, you need regular primes. But when you deduce such mathematical conclusions, you must draw conclusions and understand whether they are true or not, what rules you were guided by.

Some people who do AI use rules that we may not understand. How, for example, can natural selection be explained? Of course, with the help of experience that came to us from our distant ancestors. This is the argument that I would use, and it is convincing enough that we do not start from pure calculations in this case.

If that's not computing, then what is? Some people will say that there is something mysterious going on in the brain that cannot be explained by science. I do not think so. It can be explained by science, it just doesn't exist yet. Maybe this is beyond the scope of existing science...

When I wrote The New Mind of the King, I saw that it could stimulate young scientists and interest scientists working in other fields. For example, Stephen Cameron, an anesthesiologist from the United States, was interested in what happens when you put people to sleep. It turned out that anesthetic drugs act on certain parts of the brain. It is very likely that fundamental components outside of quantum mechanics and physics must be needed. If you ask if strong AI is possible, if that means computing, then no. The computer will never get real consciousness.

- You will participate this summer in the conference in New York "Global Future 2045", where the problem of creating an avatar is actively discussed ...

If it's a separate consciousness, then I don't believe in it. To do this, you need a computer that will have its own consciousness. In addition, if this is a conscious being, you and I will have a moral dilemma to return it to Earth. But if it is a robot controlled by you, for example, on distant planets, then it is possible. This can be explored. You, sitting here, have sensors, move your hands here, and then it is reflected in the robot. But this is complicated by time delays. Imagine a robot climbing a rock: first it will put one hand, and then it will wait until the signal comes to move the other, and so on. This may not be efficient.

- Are there any promising students among your students, who could be the successor of your ideas, research, who are you proud of?

I currently have a very good student and we are discussing these ideas. I have had many students in the past who have achieved great success. It's great to have such students.

- How has Russia changed?

Of course, Moscow has changed - both in the political sense and in others. I see and appreciate these changes. On the other hand, there are traditions. This time my wife and son and I went to a symphony concert and to the Bolshoi Theatre. It was great to see how your culture was preserved. I was in St. Petersburg, too, I saw huge changes. But I was glad that the cultural masterpieces were not destroyed.

Photo by Irina Leskova

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"Science is interesting, and if you don't agree, then fuck off..." - Richard Dawkins, English biologist.

Probably, no one will argue with the fact that science is not only the engine of progress, but also one of the most beautiful and useful forms of creativity for mankind. Each Scientific research is a process of creation, each scientist is a creator, rethinking and changing reality in his own way. Like all creative people, scientists know what inspiration is, how difficult it is sometimes to find and keep it. But if they find it, then they are happy to share their wisdom with everyone - and this is truly pleasing.

November 10 is celebrated as Science Day around the world. By this date website collected famous quotes from great scientists, which we gleaned from their works, letters, Nobel speeches and other sources.

Albert Einstein,
one of the most significant physicists of the 20th century, creator of the special and general theory of relativity, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics (1921).

• Theory is when everything is known, but nothing works. Practice is when everything works, but no one knows why. We combine theory and practice: nothing works ... and no one knows why!
• We are all geniuses. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is a fool.
• If you cannot explain something to a six-year-old child, you yourself do not understand it.
• Only a fool needs order - genius rules over chaos.
• There are only two ways to live life. The first is that miracles do not exist. The second - as if there were only miracles around.
• The only thing that prevents me from studying is the education I received.

Leonardo da Vinci
Italian painter, sculptor, architect, scientist, engineer of the Renaissance.

• Whoever wants to get rich in a day will be hanged in a year.
• Work on a work of art can never be completed, but can only be abandoned.
• An adversary who reveals your mistakes is more useful to you than a friend who wants to hide them.
• Experience flight once, and your eyes will forever be fixed on the sky. Once you have been there, you are doomed to yearn for it for the rest of your life.
• Where hope dies, there is emptiness.

Lev Landau,
Soviet theoretical physicist, founder of a scientific school, academician of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, laureate Nobel Prize in Physics (1962).

• The greatest achievement of human genius is that man can understand things he can no longer imagine.
• English must be known! Even the most stupid English people know him well.
• The worst sin is being bored! … The Last Judgment will come, the Lord God will call and ask: “Why didn’t you enjoy all the blessings of life? Why did you miss it?
• Everyone has enough strength to live life with dignity. And all this talk about what a difficult time it is now is a clever way to justify your inaction, laziness and various dullness. It is necessary to work, and there, you see, times will change.

Nikola Tesla,
inventor in the field of electrical and radio engineering, engineer, physicist.

• Do you know the expression "You can't jump above your head"? It's a delusion. Man can do everything.
• The action of even the smallest creature leads to changes in the entire universe.
• Modern scientists think deeply instead of thinking clearly. To think clearly, you need to have common sense, but you can think deeply even when you are completely crazy.

Niels Bohr,
Danish physicist and philosopher, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics (1922).

• There are such serious things in the world that one can only talk about them in jest.
• An expert is a person who has made every possible mistake in a very narrow specialty.
• Your idea is, of course, insane. It's all about whether she's crazy enough to be true.

Peter Kapitsa,
Soviet engineer, physicist, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences, laureateNobel Prize in Physics (1978).

• Freedom of creativity - freedom to make mistakes.
• A person is young when he is not afraid to do stupid things.
• Leading means not interfering good people work.

Now humanity enjoys the benefits of civilization and the technical process, without thinking about how much effort and time was spent on their invention. Who are they - the people who made the most important discoveries on our planet?

Aristotle

Philosopher and scientist ancient greece. Developed the foundations of logic, studied natural sciences- astronomy, biology and physics. He is considered one of the greatest scientists in the history of mankind and the most influential in ancient times.

Archimedes

Another famous scientist from ancient Greece. He was especially famous for his work in the field of mathematics. But he also studied physics, astronomy, engineering. Defined the basic principles of hydrostatics, and formulated an explanation of the principle of action on the lever.

Nikola Tesla

He is considered the greatest figure in the world of science. He was engaged in physics, electromechanics, he achieved the greatest success in the field of alternating current, magnetism and electrical engineering. He discovered fluorescent light, wireless transmission of energy over a distance, voiced the basics remote control. He is the inventor of the first electric clock, an engine based on solar energy.

Isaac Newton

Everyone knows that the discovery of the law gravity belongs to Newton. The discoverer of the laws of motion. In addition, the scientist formulated the principle of conservation of momentum, voiced the empirical law of heat transfer, developed the basic principles of modern physical optics, developed the theory of color and many other theories in various branches of science.

Albert Einstein

German physicist, Nobel laureate. The author of the theory of relativity - major discovery in physics. However, the famous scientist received the award for his other achievement - the discovery of the law photoelectric effect. He also studied quantum theory and Brownian motion.

Galileo Galilei

Considered one of the most famous astronomers. He had a significant impact on the development of mathematics, physics and philosophy. Improved the telescope, confirmed the phases of Venus, discovered the satellites of Jupiter. For his advanced views was in conflict with the Catholic Church.

Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev

One of the most outstanding scientists in the history of mankind. His main discovery is the periodic law chemical elements to which all things are subject. This is far from his only achievement in the field of science; many of them became the basis of human progress.

Niels Bohr

Known for his work on quantum theory and the structure of the atom. In 1922 he was awarded the Nobel Prize. One of the chemical elements "Borium" is named after him. The scientist took an active part in the creation of CERN - European organization for nuclear research

Marie Curie

Known for studying radioactive elements. Together with her husband Pierre, Curie discovered polonium and radium. She won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry and Physics. Before her, no woman had received this award. She is the only scientist who has received this award for various sciences.

Not all of these people were understood and appreciated by their contemporaries. However, their names are inscribed in the history of mankind and will remain in it forever.