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Evgeny Lifshitz

1915 – 1985

Soviet physicist

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About Evgeny Lifshitz

Lived 1915 – 1985 (aged 70). Evgeny Lifshitz was a Russian physicist, university teacher, non-fiction writer and theoretical physicist, known for BKL singularity, Course of Theoretical Physics and Landau–Lifshitz model.

Evgeny Mikhailovich Lifshitz (; ; 21 February 1915 – 29 October 1985) was a Soviet physicist and brother of the physicist Ilya Lifshitz.

Work Born into a Jewish family in Kharkov, Kharkov Governorate, Russian Empire (now Kharkiv, Ukraine). Lifshitz is well known in the field of general relativity for coauthoring the BKL conjecture concerning the nature of a generic curvature singularity. , this is widely regarded as one of the most important open problems in the subject of classical gravitation.

With Lev Landau, Lifshitz co-authored Course of Theoretical Physics, an ambitious series of physics textbooks, in which the two aimed to provide a graduate-level introduction to the entire field of physics. These books are still considered invaluable and continue to be widely used.

Lifshitz was the second of only 43 people ever to pass Landau's "Theoretical Minimum" examination. He made many invaluable contributions, in particular to quantum electrodynamics, where he calculated the Casimir force in an arbitrary macroscopic configuration of metals and dielectrics.

Since 1975, a special multicritical point, the Lifshitz point, carries his name.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Known for
BKL singularity, Course of Theoretical Physics, Landau–Lifshitz model, Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert equation, Multicritical point
Education
Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute, Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology, University of Kharkiv
Employers
Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology, P.L. Kapitza Institute for Physical Problems RAS
Awards
Stalin Prize; Order of the Red Banner of Labour; Order of Friendship of Peoples; Lenin Prize; Landau Gold Medal; Foreign Member of the Royal Society; Mikhail Lomonosov Award; Order of the Red Star; Stalin Prize, 2nd degree
Also known as
Evgeny Mikhailovich Lifshitz

People in Evgeny Lifshitz's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Evgeny Lifshitz's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Evgeny Lifshitz?

Soviet physicist (1915-1985)

When was Evgeny Lifshitz born?

Evgeny Lifshitz was born on 8 February 1915 in Kharkiv.

When did Evgeny Lifshitz die?

Evgeny Lifshitz died on 29 October 1985 in Moscow.

What was Evgeny Lifshitz's occupation?

Evgeny Lifshitz was a physicist, university teacher, non-fiction writer and theoretical physicist.

What was Evgeny Lifshitz known for?

Evgeny Lifshitz was known for BKL singularity, Course of Theoretical Physics, Landau–Lifshitz model, Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert equation and Multicritical point.

What nationality was Evgeny Lifshitz?

Evgeny Lifshitz was Russian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Evgeny Lifshitz

· Wikidata: Q931452

· DBpedia: Evgeny Lifshitz

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Evgeny Lifshitz. https://biography.guide/evgeny-lifshitz/

MLA: "Evgeny Lifshitz." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/evgeny-lifshitz/.

Chicago: "Evgeny Lifshitz." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/evgeny-lifshitz/.

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