Background
KURCHATOV, Igor’ was born on January 12, 1903 in village Simskiy Zavod, Ufa Province (now Sim, Chelyabinsk Oblast). Son of a surveyor.
KURCHATOV, Igor’ was born on January 12, 1903 in village Simskiy Zavod, Ufa Province (now Sim, Chelyabinsk Oblast). Son of a surveyor.
1923 graduate Physics and Mathematics Faculty, Crimean University, Simferopol’.
From 1924 at Magnctometeorological Observatory at Pavlovsk, near Leningrad. From 1925 at Physics Engineer Institute, USSR Academy of Sciences and other Academy establishments. 1927-1929 also taught at Leningrad Polytech Institute.
1935-1941 taught at Leningrad Teachers’ Training Institute. Presidium member, USSR Academy of Sciences. After World War 2 director, Institute of Atomic Energy', USSR Academy of Sciences.
Studied electr properties of Seignctte salt crystals and laid basis for study of Seignette electr. From 1933 studied nuclear physics and helped establish high-voltage proton accelerator at Physics Engineer Institute, USSR Academy of Sciences. Also directed installation of cyclotron at Radium Institute.
1935 discovered important property of nuclear isomerism in artificially radioactive elements. Then studied fission of heavy nuclei in field of neutron physics. 1940 supervised research which led to discovery of autonomous fission of uranium-238 atoms.
During World War 2 worked for defense industry. Then studied uses of atomic energy. Helped develop First Soviet atomic bomb.
Instrumental in establishing Soviet atomic eng industry. Did research on controlled thermonuclear reactions and studied economics applications of atomic energy. Designed and built 10-Bev proton accelerator.
Also designed 50-Bev accelerator. Wrote some 90 works; 1955 member, Soviet deleg at International Conference on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy in Geneva. 1956 accompanied Khrushchev and Bulganin in their tour of Britain.
Deputy, USSR Supreme Soviet of 1950, 1954 and 1958 convocations.
Religion is bad because it stops people thinking in a rational and objective way.
Marxism–Leninism as the only truth could not, by its very nature, become outdated.
Member. USSR Academy of Sciences from 1943. Communist Party member from 1948.