Мilutin Мilаnkоvić

A famous Serbian scientist, geophysicist, astronomer and climatologist (1879–1958). The first professor of celestial mechanics at the Belgrade University. A great scientist in the field of solar climate and planet temperatures. He gave the theory of the ice ages in the Earth’s distant past. He developed astronomy, as well as the history of science in general. Мilutin Мilаnkоvić was born in Dаlј, near Оsiјеk. He studied in Vienna, where he graduated civil engineering and obtained a Ph. D. in engineering. After completing the studies he remained in Vienna, where he worked on construction of dams, bridges and other concrete structures.

In his thirties he comes to Belgrade, where he becomes a professor of applied mathematics. During the WWI he was taken to Budapest as a prisoner. There he had good conditions for dedicating himself to serious scientific work.

The WWII and the years after he spent in Belgrade.

Мilutin Мilаnkоvić is one of the most quoted scientists of all times. A crater on the dark side of the Moon is named after him, as well as a small planet 1605 Мilаnkоvić. Мilаnkоvić is also an author of two quite interesting popular-science books; one is  Through Space and Centuries, the other Through the Realm of Science.

RELIGION AND TRADITION

As a member of an official Serbian delegation at the assembly of the Orthodox Churches in Constantinople, he proposed a reform of the church calendar, which was at first widely accepted, and then, for some reasons, postponed in Serbia.

HISTORY

The real recognition of his scientific results came only after his death, when through experimenting, the accuracy of his theoretical calculations were proven correct. Then the whole world saw what a huge significance the Мilаnkоvić’s scientific contribution had