A vivid account of the life and work of the Russian physicist responsible for the expanding universe theory.

Our universe can be described mathematically by a simple model developed in 1922 at Petrograd (St Petersburg) by Alexander Friedmann (1888-1925), who predicted that the whole universe would expand and evolve with time before there was any observational evidence. He was an outstanding Soviet physicist, and this vivid biography is set in a wide historical background. The book is a window on the school and university years, military service, teaching and research during a seminal period of Soviet history. The authors include unique archival material, such as Friedmann's letters from the Front, as well as contemporary records and reminiscences of colleagues. There is a detailed treatment of his work in Theoretical Cosmology (1922-1924), set in the context of the organization of Soviet science at the time.

Preface
1. The Friedmanns and the Vojaceks
2. At the 2nd St Petersburg Gymnasium
3. University years, 1906-1914
4. In search of a way
5. War years
6. Moscow - Perm - Petrograd
7. Theoretical department of the Main Geophysical Observatory
8. Space and time
9. Geometry and dynamics of the Universe
10. Petrograd, 1920-1924
11. The final year
12. Friedmann's world
Conclusion
Main dates in Friedmann's life and work
Bibliography
Name Index.