Origins & Early Life

Nikolay Gennadiyevich Basov (Russian: Николай Геннадиевич Басов; 14 December 1922 – 1 July 2001) was a Soviet physicist and educator. For his fundamental work in the field of quantum electronics that led to the development of laser and maser, Basov shared the 1964 Nobel Prize in Physics with Alexander Prokhorov and Charles Hard Townes. Nikolay Gennadiyevich Basov was born on 14 December 1922 in Usman, Russia, the son of Gennady Fedorovich Basov and Zinaida Andreevna Molchanova. Basov finished high school in 1941 in Voronezh, and was later called for military service at the Kuibyshev Military Medical Academy.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In 1943, he left the academy and served in the Red Army participating in the Second World War with the 1st Ukrainian Front. In 1945, Basov entered the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute (MEPhI). In 1950, he began his postgraduate studies at the MEPhI, although he worked on his Candidate of Sciences thesis at the Lebedev Physical Institute (LPI)—under the supervision of Mikhail Leontovich and Alexander Prokhorov—receiving his degree in 1953. Basov defended his Doctor of Sciences thesis, A Molecular Oscillator, in 1956. In 1950, Basov married Ksenia...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Aage Bohr — Contemporary (Born in 1922) (1922): Pioneering Danish nuclear physicist, Nobel laureate for atomic structure theory.
• Agostinho Neto — Contemporary (Born in 1922) (1922): Angolan communist revolutionary, poet, and first President of Angola.
• Alain Resnais — Contemporary (Born in 1922) (1922): Pioneering French filmmaker exploring memory, consciousness, and narrative structure.
• Aaliyah — Contemporary (Died in 2001) (2001): Pioneering R&B artist known for redefining urban pop and hip hop sounds.
• Anthony Gordon (footballer) — Contemporary (Born in 2001) (2001): English professional footballer known for his time at Everton, Newcastle, and Barcelona.
• Anthony Quinn — Contemporary (Died in 2001) (2001): Passionate Mexican-American actor celebrated for earthy, vital roles in film and theater.
• Andrei Sakharov — Shared historical date (12-14 · Died) (1989): Soviet physicist turned Nobel laureate and fierce advocate for human rights.
• Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham — Shared historical date (12-14 · Died) (1624): English statesman and Lord High Admiral, famed for securing victory against the Spanish Armada.
• Babak Khorramdin — Shared historical date (07-01 · Born) (798): 9th-century Iranian revolutionary leader of the Khorram-Dinān rebellion.
• Baybars — Shared historical date (07-01 · Died) (1277): Mamluk Sultan who defeated the Mongols at Ain Jalut and crushed the Crusaders.
• 1922 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1922
• December 14 (12-14) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on December 14
• 2001 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2001
• July 1 (07-01) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on July 1