Ivan Yefremov
Encyclopedia
Ivan Antonovich Yefremov , last sometimes spelled Efremov, was a Soviet
paleontologist
, science fiction
author and social thinker. He originated taphonomy
, the study of fossilization patterns.
on April 9 (22), 1908. His parents divorced during the Russian Revolution. His mother married a Red Army
commander and left the children in Kherson
to be cared for by an aunt who soon died of typhus
. Yefremov survived on his own for some time then joined a Red Army unit as a "son of the regiment" and reached Perekop
with it. In 1921, he was discharged and went to Petrograd (today's Saint Petersburg
) to study. He completed his school education there while combining his studies with a variety of odd jobs. He later commented that "the Revolution was also my own liberation from philistinism
" ("Революция была также и моим освобождением от мещанства").
In 1924, due to the influence of academician Sushkin, he became interested in paleontology
. Yefremov entered the Leningrad State University but dropped out later. In mid-1930s, he took part in several paleontological expeditions to the Volga region
, the Urals, and Central Asia
. He headed a research laboratory at the Institute of Paleontology. In 1935, he took exit examinations and graduated from the Leningrad Mining Institute. The same year he got his Candidate of Science degree in Biological Sciences. In 1941, he got his doctorate degree
in Biological Sciences.
In the 1940s, Yefremov developed a new scientific field called taphonomy
, for which he was awarded the Stalin prize in 1952. His book Taphonomy was published in 1950. He applied many taphonomic principles in his field work during a paleontological expedition to the Gobi desert in Mongolia
. During these years, he was recognized as a successful scientist and won a state science award.
Yefremov wrote his first work of fiction, a short story, in 1944. His first novel The Land of Foam
(Great Arc, 1946) was published in 1946. His most widely recognized science fiction novel Andromeda Nebula (Andromeda: A Space-Age Tale came out in 1957. This book is a panegyric to utopia
n "communist" future of mankind. The society developed such that there is no material inequality between individuals, and each person is able to pursue their self-development unrestricted. The intergalactic communication system binds the mankind into the commonwealth of sentient civilizations of the Universe - the Great Ring of Civilizations. The book became a moral guideline for many people in the Soviet Union. Besides the heavy didactic aspect, the book also contained an interesting space travel adventure subplot, so a lot of people appreciated it for its educational and entertainment value.
2269 Efremiana
discovered in 1976 by Soviet
astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh
is named after him.
Short fiction:
", Moscow)
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
paleontologist
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
, science fiction
Russian science fiction and fantasy
Russian science fiction and fantasy are genres of speculative and fantastic fiction that have been part of mainstream Russian literature since the 19th century, though SF did not emerge as a coherent genre until the early 20th century through the influence of translated works by authors such as...
author and social thinker. He originated taphonomy
Taphonomy
Taphonomy is the study of decaying organisms over time and how they become fossilized . The term taphonomy was introduced to paleontology in 1940 by Russian scientist Ivan Efremov to describe the study of the transition of remains, parts, or products of organisms, from the biosphere, to the...
, the study of fossilization patterns.
Biography
Born in the village of Vyritsa in Saint Petersburg GovernorateSaint Petersburg Governorate
Saint Petersburg Governorate , or Government of Saint Petersburg, was an administrative division of the Russian Empire, which existed in 1708–1927....
on April 9 (22), 1908. His parents divorced during the Russian Revolution. His mother married a Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
commander and left the children in Kherson
Kherson
Kherson is a city in southern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Kherson Oblast , and is designated as its own separate raion within the oblast. Kherson is an important port on the Black Sea and Dnieper River, and the home of a major ship-building industry...
to be cared for by an aunt who soon died of typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
. Yefremov survived on his own for some time then joined a Red Army unit as a "son of the regiment" and reached Perekop
Perekop
Perekop is a village located at the Perekop Isthmus connecting Crimean peninsula to the Ukrainian mainland. It is known for the Fortress Or Qapi that served as the gateway to Crimea...
with it. In 1921, he was discharged and went to Petrograd (today's Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
) to study. He completed his school education there while combining his studies with a variety of odd jobs. He later commented that "the Revolution was also my own liberation from philistinism
Philistinism
Philistinism is a derogatory term used to a particular attitude or set of values perceived as despising or undervaluing art, beauty, spirituality, or intellectualism. A person with this attitude is referred to as a Philistine and may also be considered materialistic, favoring conventional social...
" ("Революция была также и моим освобождением от мещанства").
In 1924, due to the influence of academician Sushkin, he became interested in paleontology
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
. Yefremov entered the Leningrad State University but dropped out later. In mid-1930s, he took part in several paleontological expeditions to the Volga region
Volga Region
Volga Region is a historical region of Russia that encompasses the territories adjacent to the flow of Volga River. According to the flow of the river, it is usually classified into the Middle Volga Region and Lower Volga Region...
, the Urals, and Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
. He headed a research laboratory at the Institute of Paleontology. In 1935, he took exit examinations and graduated from the Leningrad Mining Institute. The same year he got his Candidate of Science degree in Biological Sciences. In 1941, he got his doctorate degree
Doktor nauk
Doktor nauk is a higher doctoral degree, the second and the highest post-graduate academic degree in the Soviet Union, Russia and in many post-Soviet states. Sometimes referred to as Dr. Hab. The prerequisite is the first degree, Kandidat nauk which is informally regarded equivalent to Ph.D....
in Biological Sciences.
In the 1940s, Yefremov developed a new scientific field called taphonomy
Taphonomy
Taphonomy is the study of decaying organisms over time and how they become fossilized . The term taphonomy was introduced to paleontology in 1940 by Russian scientist Ivan Efremov to describe the study of the transition of remains, parts, or products of organisms, from the biosphere, to the...
, for which he was awarded the Stalin prize in 1952. His book Taphonomy was published in 1950. He applied many taphonomic principles in his field work during a paleontological expedition to the Gobi desert in Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
. During these years, he was recognized as a successful scientist and won a state science award.
Yefremov wrote his first work of fiction, a short story, in 1944. His first novel The Land of Foam
The Land of Foam
The Land of Foam also known as At the Edge of Oikoumene and Great Arc is a novel written by the Soviet writer Ivan Yefremov in 1946.-Plot summary:...
(Great Arc, 1946) was published in 1946. His most widely recognized science fiction novel Andromeda Nebula (Andromeda: A Space-Age Tale came out in 1957. This book is a panegyric to utopia
Utopia
Utopia is an ideal community or society possessing a perfect socio-politico-legal system. The word was imported from Greek by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book Utopia, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both intentional communities that attempt...
n "communist" future of mankind. The society developed such that there is no material inequality between individuals, and each person is able to pursue their self-development unrestricted. The intergalactic communication system binds the mankind into the commonwealth of sentient civilizations of the Universe - the Great Ring of Civilizations. The book became a moral guideline for many people in the Soviet Union. Besides the heavy didactic aspect, the book also contained an interesting space travel adventure subplot, so a lot of people appreciated it for its educational and entertainment value.
Honors
A minor planetMinor planet
An asteroid group or minor-planet group is a population of minor planets that have a share broadly similar orbits. Members are generally unrelated to each other, unlike in an asteroid family, which often results from the break-up of a single asteroid...
2269 Efremiana
2269 Efremiana
2269 Efremiana is a main-belt asteroid discovered on May 2, 1976 by Chernykh, N. at Nauchnyj. It is named after Russian science fiction writer Ivan Yefremov.- External links :*...
discovered in 1976 by Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh
Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh
Nikolay Stepanovich Chernykh was a Soviet and Russian astronomer.Chernykh was born in the city of Usman' in Voronezh Oblast...
is named after him.
Fiction
Novels:- The Land of FoamThe Land of FoamThe Land of Foam also known as At the Edge of Oikoumene and Great Arc is a novel written by the Soviet writer Ivan Yefremov in 1946.-Plot summary:...
(At the Edge of Oikoumene also known as Great Arc, 1946) - Andromeda: A Space-Age Tale (Andromeda Nebula, 1957, 1959)
- Razor's Edge (1963)
- The Bull's HourThe Bull's HourThe Bull's Hour is a social science fiction novel written by Russian author and paleontologist Ivan Yefremov in 1968...
(1968) - Thais of AthensThais of AthensTais of Athens is a historical novel by Ivan Efremov written in 1972. It tells the story of the famous hetaera Thaïs, who was one of Alexander the Great's contemporaries and companions on his conquest of the oikoumene or the known world...
(Thais Athenian, 1972)
Short fiction:
- Olgoi-KhorkhoiOlgoi-KhorkhoiOlgoi-Khorkhoi could refer to:* Olgoi-Khorkhoi, a local name for the cryptid Mongolian Death Worm* Olgoi-Khorkhoi, a short story by Ivan Yefremov...
(1944) - A Meeting Over Tuscarora (1944)
- The Heart of the SerpentThe Heart of the Serpent"The Heart of the Serpent" is a 1958 science fiction short story by the Soviet writer and paleontologist Ivan Yefremov....
(Cor Serpentis, 1958, 1961) - The Yurt of the Raven (1959)
- Aphaneor, The Arkharkhellen's Daughter (1959)
- Five Paintings (1965)
Scientific works
Ivan Yefremov has written more than 100 scientific works. Only few of them were published in languages other than Russian. Below is a list of the works published in German or English. Source - the book "Ivan Antonovich Yefremov" by Petr Tchudinov (issued in 1987 by the Publishing House "NaukaNauka
Nauka is a Russian publisher of academic books and journals. Established in the USSR in 1923, it was called USSR Academy of Sciences Publisher until 1963. Until 1934 the publisher was based in Leningrad, then moved to Moscow. Its logo depicts an open book with Sputnik 1 above it.Nauka was the main...
", Moscow)
- Bentosaurus sushkini, ein neuer Labirinthodont aus den Permo-Triassischen Ablagerungen des Scharchenga-Flussess, Nord-Duna Gouvernement, Izvestia Akademii Nauk SSSR (Proceedings of Acad. Sci. USSR. Phys. and Math.), N. 8, P. 757-770 (1929)
- Über die Labyrinthodonten der UdUSSR. II. Permische Labyrinthodonten des früheren Gouvernement Wjatka, Trudy Paleozoologicheskogo Instituta (Proceedings of Paleozoological Institute), Vol. 2, P. 117-158 (1933)
- Some new Permian reptiles of the USSR, Comptes Rendus (Doklady) Acad. Sci. USSR. Paleontol., Vol 19, N 9, P. 771-776 (1938)
- Die Mesen-Fauna der Permischen Reptilien, Neues Jahrb. Min. Geol. Pal., Bd. 84. Abt. B, S.379-466 (1940)
- Kurze Übersicht uber die Formen der Perm- und Trias Tetrapoden - Fauna der UdSSR, Centralbl. Min. Geol., Abt. B. N 12, S. 372-383 (1940)
- Taphonomy: a new branch of Paleontology, Pan-Amer. Geol., Vol. 74, P. 81-93 (1940)
- Ulemosaurus svijagensis Riab. - ein Deinocephale aus den Ablagerungen des Perm der UdSSR, Nove Acta Leopold. (N. F.). Bd 9, S. 155-205 (1940)
- The Godwana system of India, and the live history in the later Paleozoic, J. Paleontol. Soc. India, Lucknow D.N. Wadia Jubilee number, Vol. 2, P. 24-28 (1957)
- Some consideration on biological bases of Paleontology, Vertebr. Palasiatica, Vol 2, N. 2/3, P. 83-99 (1958)
External links
- Yefremov's bibliography
- Yefremov's books available for download
- Ivan Antonovich Yefremov, his life and creation
- Club of SF and prognostication "Ivan Yefremov"
- Olson, E.C. The other side of the medal: a paleobiologist reflects on the art and serendipity of science. Blacksburg, Virginia, The McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company, 1990, 182 p.