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Anatoly Fomenko

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Anatoly Timofeevich Fomenko is a prominent Russian mathematician and professor at Moscow State University.

Dr Prof Anatoly Fomenko
Dr Prof Anatoly Fomenko

He is a highly respected specialist in the field of topology. Topology is a branch of mathematics that studies the properties of shapes that remain unchanged when they are stretched or bent. Fomenko is also an expert in several related mathematical areas. These include geometry, variational calculus, and symplectic topology. He has also studied Hamiltonian geometry and mechanics, as well as computational geometry. His academic influence is widespread throughout the scientific community.

Fomenko's mathematical research focuses on complex systems and structures. He developed a significant theory regarding the topological invariants of an integrable Hamiltonian system. An invariant is a property that stays the same even as a system changes over time. He has contributed heavily to the literature through 180 scientific publications. Additionally, he has authored 26 textbooks and monographs for students and researchers. His work covers many specialized topics like the Plateau problem and multidimensional minimal surface theory. These studies help mathematicians understand how surfaces behave in different spaces.

Fomenko has achieved many high honors for his mathematical contributions. In 1996, he received the State Prize of the Russian Federation for his excellence in mathematics. He is a full member, or Academician, of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a position he earned in 1994. He also holds memberships in several other prestigious organizations. These include the International Higher Education Academy of Sciences and the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences. In 2009, he became a member of the Russian Academy of Technological Sciences. These roles involve overseeing important scientific progress and dissertation reviews.

His academic career is deeply rooted in Moscow State University. He graduated from the Mechanics and Mathematics Department in 1967. Shortly after, in 1969, he began specializing in differential geometry. He completed his first major thesis in 1970, which focused on Riemannian homogeneous spaces. In 1972, he defended his doctoral thesis regarding multidimensional plateau problems on Riemannian manifolds. By 1981, he had reached the rank of professor of Higher Geometry and Topology. In 1992, he was appointed head of Differential Geometry and Applications at the university.

Beyond pure mathematics, Fomenko is a talented painter and illustrator. His artwork is unique because it is directly inspired by topological objects and structures. He uses his creative skills to visualize the complex mathematical ideas he studies. These drawings serve as a bridge between abstract numbers and visual reality. This artistic side shows how mathematical structures can possess a distinct aesthetic beauty. His original works reflect the very shapes and patterns found in his scientific research.

Fomenko is also widely known for a controversial concept called New Chronology. This idea was inspired by the works of the Russian-Soviet writer Nikolai Alexandrovich Morozov. Through New Chronology, Fomenko uses what he calls empirico-statistical methods to analyze history. He claims these methods prove that many historical dates are incorrect. He asserts that ancient history, including the eras of Greece, Rome, and Egypt, actually reflects events from the Middle Ages. He also claims that much of Chinese and Arab history was fabricated by 17th- and 18th-century Jesuits.

These historical claims are highly disputed by the scientific community. Fomenko suggests that the Trojan War and the Crusades were the same event. He also claims that Genghis Khan and the Mongols were actually Russians. Furthermore, he argues that the American West was once part of a "Siberian-American Empire" that disintegrated in 1775. He even disputes scientific dating methods like radiocarbon dating and dendrochronology. Most Russian scientists and historians worldwide consider his historical work to be pseudoscientific or antiscientific. Despite this, his work remains a significant subject of debate in the study of historical chronology.

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