Yakov Zeldovich

Soviet physicist, physical chemist and cosmologist (1914-1987)
Person human Q366471
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Yakov Zeldovich

Summary

Yakov Zeldovich is a human[1]. His place of birth was Minsk[2]. He passed away in Moscow[3]. He worked as a physicist[4], astrophysicist[5], inventor[6], chemist[7], and university teacher[8]. He ranks in the top 0.7% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (300 views/month, #7,024 of 1,000,298).[9]

Key Facts

  • Yakov Zeldovich's place of birth was Minsk[2].
  • Yakov Zeldovich died in Moscow[3].
  • Burial took place at Novodevichy Cemetery[10].
  • A child of Yakov Zeldovich was Boris Yakovlevich Zel'dovich[11].
  • Yakov Zeldovich held citizenship in Soviet Union[12].
  • Yakov Zeldovich worked as a physicist[4].
  • Yakov Zeldovich's professions included astrophysicist[5].
  • Yakov Zeldovich worked as an inventor[6].
  • Yakov Zeldovich worked as a chemist[7].
  • Yakov Zeldovich's professions included university teacher[8].
  • Yakov Zeldovich's field of work was physical chemistry[13].
  • Yakov Zeldovich's field of work was physics[14].
  • Among Yakov Zeldovich's employers was Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics[15].
  • Yakov Zeldovich was employed by National Research Nuclear University[16].
  • Among Yakov Zeldovich's employers was Lomonosov Moscow State University[17].
  • Yakov Zeldovich's education included a stint at Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of the Saint Petersburg University[18].
  • Yakov Zeldovich's education included a stint at Peter the Great Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University[19].
  • Yakov Zeldovich's education included a stint at Saint Petersburg State University[20].
  • Yakov Zeldovich's doctoral advisor was Lev Landau[21].
  • Yakov Zeldovich received the Stalin Prize, 2nd degree[22].
  • Yakov Zeldovich received the Order of Lenin[23].
  • Yakov Zeldovich received the Hero of Socialist Labour[24].
  • Yakov Zeldovich received the Order of the October Revolution[25].
  • Yakov Zeldovich received the Order of the Red Banner of Labour[26].
  • Yakov Zeldovich received the Order of the Badge of Honour[27].

Body

Origins and Family

Yakov Zeldovich was born in Minsk[2].

Education

Educated at Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of the Saint Petersburg University[18], a faculty[28], in Russian Empire[29], founded in 1819[30]; Peter the Great Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University[19], a national research university[31], in Russia[32], founded in 1899[33]; and Saint Petersburg State University[20], a public university[34], in Russia[35], founded in 1724[36], headquartered in Saint Petersburg[37]. Yakov Zeldovich's doctoral advisor was Lev Landau[21]. He earned the academic degree of Doctor of Sciences in Physics and Mathematics[38].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include physicist[4], astrophysicist[5], inventor[6], chemist[7], and university teacher[8]. Fields of work include physical chemistry[13], a branch of chemistry[39] and physics[14], a branch of science[40]. Employers include Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics[15], an Institute of the Russian Academy of Science[41], in Soviet Union[42], founded in 1931[43]; National Research Nuclear University[16], a national research university[44], in Russia[45], founded in 1942[46], headquartered in Moscow[47]; and Lomonosov Moscow State University[17], a public university[48], in Russia[49], founded in 1755[50], headquartered in Moscow[51]. Doctoral students include Nikolai Shakura[52], Alexei Starobinski[53], Gurgen Askaryan[54], Gennady Bisnovaty-Kogan[55], Viktor Mikhaylov[56], and Sergei Kopeikin[57].

Recognition

Awards received include Stalin Prize, 2nd degree[22], a class of award[58]; Order of Lenin[23], an order[59], in Soviet Union[60], founded in 1930[61]; Hero of Socialist Labour[24], a title of honor[62], in Soviet Union[63], founded in 1938[64]; Order of the October Revolution[25], an order[65], in Soviet Union[66], founded in 1967[67]; Order of the Red Banner of Labour[26], a socialist order of merit[68], in Soviet Union[69], founded in 1928[70]; and Order of the Badge of Honour[27], a socialist order of merit[71], in Soviet Union[72], founded in 1935[73].

Personal Life

A child of Yakov Zeldovich was Boris Yakovlevich Zel'dovich[11]. His religion is recorded as atheism[74].

Death and Burial

Yakov Zeldovich passed away in Moscow[3]. He is buried at Novodevichy Cemetery[10].

Works and Contributions

Things named for Yakov Zeldovich include Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect[75], ZND detonation model[76], Zel'dovich number[77], 11438 Zeldovich[78], and Ya. B. Zeldovich Gold Medal[79].

Why It Matters

Yakov Zeldovich ranks in the top 0.7% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (300 views/month, #7,024 of 1,000,298).[9] He has Wikipedia articles in 23 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[80] He is known by 73 alternative names across languages and contexts.[81]

He has been cited as an influence by Stephen Hawking[82], a theoretical physicist[83], 1942–2018[84], of United Kingdom[85], awarded the Albert Einstein Medal[86], specialised in general relativity[87].

Entities named for him include Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect[75], ZND detonation model[76], Zel'dovich number[77], 11438 Zeldovich[78], and Ya. B. Zeldovich Gold Medal[79].

His notable doctoral advisees include Alexei Starobinski[88], a physicist[89], 1948–2023[90], of Soviet Union[91], awarded the Kavli Prize in Astrophysics[92], specialised in theoretical physics[93]; Igor Novikov[94], a physicist[95], b. 1935[96], of Soviet Union[97], awarded the Eddington Medal[98], specialised in astrophysics[99]; Rashid Sunyaev[100], a physicist[101], b. 1943[102], of Soviet Union[103], awarded the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany[104], specialised in astrophysics[105]; Gurgen Askaryan[106], a physicist[107], 1928–1997[108], of Soviet Union[109], awarded the State Prize of Ukrainian SSR in Science and Technology[110], specialised in plasma physics[111]; Viktor Mikhaylov[112], a physicist[113], 1934–2011[114], of Soviet Union[115], awarded the USSR State Prize[116], specialised in nuclear physics[117]; and Semyon Gershteyn[118].

FAQs

Where was Yakov Zeldovich born?

Yakov Zeldovich's place of birth was Minsk[2].

Where did Yakov Zeldovich die?

Yakov Zeldovich passed away in Moscow[3].

What did Yakov Zeldovich do for work?

Yakov Zeldovich worked as physicist[4], astrophysicist[5], inventor[6], chemist[7], and university teacher[8].

Where did Yakov Zeldovich go to school?

Yakov Zeldovich was educated at Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of the Saint Petersburg University[18], Peter the Great Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University[19], and Saint Petersburg State University[20].

What awards did Yakov Zeldovich receive?

Honors received include Stalin Prize, 2nd degree[22], Order of Lenin[23], Hero of Socialist Labour[24], and Order of the October Revolution[25].

Who did Yakov Zeldovich influence?

Yakov Zeldovich has been cited as an influence by Stephen Hawking[82].

References

Programmatic citations — every numbered marker resolves to a verifiable graph row below.

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [2] . Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1969–1978). Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  2. [3] . wikidata.org.
  3. [12] . wikidata.org.
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  7. [20] . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  8. [13] . wikidata.org.
  9. [14] . wikidata.org.
  10. [4] . wikidata.org.
  11. [5] . wikidata.org.
  12. [6] . wikidata.org.
  13. [7] . wikidata.org.
  14. [8] . wikidata.org.
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  17. [17] . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  18. [10] . wikidata.org.
  19. [74] . wikidata.org.
  20. [22] . Q137732450. wikidata.org.
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  23. [25] . wikidata.org.
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  26. [21] . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  27. [52] . wikidata.org.
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  32. [57] . wikidata.org.
  33. [38] . Q137732450. wikidata.org.

Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

  1. [82] . wikidata.org. → on this site
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  3. [94] . wikidata.org. → on this site
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Class ancestry

  1. [1] . Wikidata. wikidata.org.

Aggregate / graph-position facts

  1. [9] . Wikimedia Foundation. dumps.wikimedia.org.
  2. [80] . Wikidata sitelinks. wikidata.org.
  3. [81] . Wikidata aliases. wikidata.org.

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Use these citations when quoting this entity in research, articles, AI prompts, or wherever provenance matters. We aggregate Wikidata + Wikipedia + authoritative open-data sources; the stitched, scored, cross-referenced view is what 4ort.xyz contributes.

APA 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). Yakov Zeldovich. Retrieved April 10, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/yakov-zeldovich
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Rolling log of changes to this entity's Wikidata record. Values shown reflect the current state of each edited property — follow the history link to see the precise diff for any edit.

  1. 15d ago · Toghrul R · 2026-05-05 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Award received Stalin Prize, 2nd degree, Order of Lenin, Hero of Socialist Labour +23
    "/* wbsetclaim-create:2||1 */ [[Property:P166]]: [[Q56669004]]"
  2. 20d ago · MariuszRokin · 2026-04-30 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Image purged at
    Image purged license
    Prabook id 721088
    Image needs reharvest
    "/* wbcreateclaim-create:1| */ [[Property:P3368]]: 1036051, [[:toollabs:quickstatements/#/batch/257026|batch #257026]]"
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