1. For the first time — впервые, в первый раз

2. World-known — всемирно известный

3. Side by side with — наряду с

THE FIRST RUSSIAN WOMAN-SCIENTIST (1860-1891)

The great Russian mathematician, Sophia Kovalev­skaya. lived and worked in the second half of the 19th century. It was the period of Russia's progress in science and culture. It was the time when Lobachevsky created a new non-Euclidean geometry and Chebyshev organized a new school of mathematicians.

Sophia was born in Moscow on February 15, 1850 in a well-off family ¹ but spent her childhood in a village. Her father, a well-educated person himself, gave a good education to his children. When Sophia was eight an expe­rienced teacher taught her arithmetic, grammar, litera­ture, geography and history. The girl showed an unusual gift in mathematics and at the age of twelve puzzled her teacher when she gave a new solution to a difficult un­solved problem.

In 1867 Sophia wanted to continue her studies in St. Petersburg, where her family spent winters. But it was impossible for a woman to attend lectures at the Univer­sity. Even Chebyshev who at that time headed the Rus­sian mathematical school had no right to allow her to attend his own lectures. The only way out for her ² was to go abroad, but in this case there was a condition that the woman should be married.⁸ Sophia married Vladimir Kovalevsky and soon left Russia.

Sophia Kovalevskaya studied at Heidelberg Univer­sity, she attended lectures and did a lot of research and practical work.

In 1871 the Kovalevsky^ went to Berlin. During four years in Berlin Sophia wrote three dissertations. When three scientific masterpieces by Kovalevskaya appeared in 1874, Hettingen University awarded her the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

On her return to Russia she vainly tried to get a post at St. Petersburg University. The tsarist Government didn't want to have women-professors. Again S. Kova­levskaya returned to Berlin where she completed her work on the refraction of light in crystals.

In 1883 she accepted the offer of Stockholm Univer­sity and was elected professor of mechanics and held this post until her death in 1891. In her numerous scientific works Kovalevskaya solved the problems which many scientists couldn't solve during many years. When she became a world-famous scientist, Kovalevskaya won recognition * in her own country. In 1889 she was elected a Corresponding member s of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Notes

1. a well-off family — состоятельная семья

2. the only way out for her — единственным выходом для иее ,

3. the woman should be married — женщина должна быть заму­жем

4. to win recognition — получить признание

Б. a Corresponding member — член-корреспондент

HOW CAN THE EFFICIENCY OF UTILIZATION OF SOLAR ENERGY BE IMPROVED? (to be read after Lesson 4)

Annually the sun supplies the earth with 16x 10¹** kilowatt hours of radiant energy, more than 20,000 times greater than the world's total power consumption. Bui only a very small part of the solar energy which reaches the earth becomes useful.

One of the most important problems is the discovery of ways and means of more effective use of solar radia­tion, the energy of unlimited possibilities.

The sun is the source of all main forms of energy. We must learn to gather and store sunlight and convert its energy into other forms of energy. Today man converts solar energy into electricity with an efficiency of about

JO per cent. This is not much, but not long ago this also seemed impossible.

Systematic work on the utilization of solar energy began in the Soviet Union in 1926. At present there are four centres which deal with solar power problems in our country. They do much work on solar energy utilization, especially in Central Asia and Armenia. There are some places there where the amount of solar power that hits the ground at noon is nearly equal to the capacity of the famous Dnieper Hydroelectric Station.

There exists a project of solar electric station which will generate 2,500,000 kwh of electricity a year. That is not very much, but the power will be quite cheap. On the order of the day ² are power stations which will use prin­ciples of direct conversion of solar energy into electric one.

The solar energy is the main power supply source for all space systems—spaceships and rockets as the density of solar radiation in space is half as great as on the earth.

The solar energy provides the conditions which are necessary for man's life on the earth. But man will also make the sun heat³ and cool his homes, produce fresh water from sea water, melt metals and generate great quantities of electric power.

Notes