Trofim Denisovich Lysenko, well-known Russian “scientist”, “biologist” and “agronomist”, academician of Russian Academy of Sciences and winner of numerous national prizes, is born in a small village of Karlovka in 1898. His parents are peasants. Young Trofim starts his education in a horticulture college and continues it in Kiev at two-year plant-breeding courses. After that Trofim Lysenko works at a plant-breeding station and at the same time attends lectures in Kiev Institute of Agriculture, graduating from it in 1925.

In 1922-1925 Lysenko works as senior specialist at Belotserkovskaya plant-breeding station. Later he moves to Azerbaijan and between 1925 and 1929 is employed there at Gandzha plant-breeding station as head of beans breeding department. In 1929 Trofim Lysenko becomes a fellow of All-Russian Institute of Genetics and Selection, where he performs research up to 1934, when he is appointed scientific adviser and director of said institution.

When Trofim Lysenko moves to Moscow, he formulates a “theory”, unscientific concept of heredity, variability and formation of species, which an unknown reason makes him call “concept of Michurin”. Said theory sounds very simple and is easy to understand by anyone. The “scientist” promises to create miraculous plant varieties and to promote rapid crop increase of all known cultures by means of his own techniques, which do not require much effort. Trofim Lysenko considers any plant to be a possible product of artificial techniques, as well as of natural environment effects – this concept is in full conformance with Marxism and ideas of Soviet party leaders. Lysenko denies the theory of chromosomal heredity, which now is recognized all over the world. Trofim Lysenko often uses decisions of the Central Committee of the CPSU as proofs for his scientific theories and works. Inexhaustible Lysenko gushes with fantastic ideas, for instance, in 1929 he suggests a technique for “vernalization”, exposing sprouting wheat grains to freezing temperatures. Academician of Academy of Sciences of Ukrainian Soviet Republic (1934), All-Russian Academy of Agricultural Science named after Lenin (1935) and Soviet Academy of Sciences (1939), Lysenko is the first man of science to announce that science is full of saboteurs and to define scientific discussion as “political sabotage”. Soviet geneticists, his personal enemies, suddenly find themselves in camps and prisons. In 1938, after imprisonment of Nikolay Ivanovich Vavilov, Trofim Lysenko becomes the president of All-Russian Academy of Agricultural Science named after Lenin.

Techniques and ideas of Trofim Lysenko are introduced to Soviet agriculture by administrative means. Lysenko gains total support of Stalin, whom he always praises. Lysenko’s concept is announced to be the only true scientific theory, and any critical words towards it are regarded as sabotage. The “scientist” and his followers change results of their experiments to show fast progress, they become experienced hoaxers. For his “scientific achievements” Trofim Lysenko wins three Stalin Prizes, is awarded Hero of Socialist Labor title and gets 8 Orders of Lenin.

Lysenko’s monopoly in biology, combined with Stalin’s fight with dissidents, causes abolishment of several scientific schools and death of many eminent scientists. Lysenko leads the fight against Soviet genetics and destroys it. However, later scientists prove that all Lysenko’s ideas were fraud, based upon pseudo-scientific research and experimental falsifications. Trofim Lysenko’s activities cause great damage to biology and result in total ban of genetics in the Soviet Union.

Pseudo-scientist dies in Moscow in 1976.

Source:
    Hrono.ru

Kizilova Anna