Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov was an Russian-born American writer and professor of <a href="/facts/Biochemistry/fa2pWEBp">biochemistry</a> at <a href="/facts/Boston_University/Vcyr2qAh">Boston University</a>. During his lifetime, Asimov was considered one of the "Big Three" <a href="/facts/Science_fiction/d9hE2Lwt">science fiction</a> writers, along with <a href="/facts/Robert_A._Heinlein/h0oY0898">Robert A. Heinlein</a> and <a href="/facts/Arthur_C._Clarke/2XJ6UGDB">Arthur C. Clarke</a>. A prolific writer, he wrote or edited more than 500 books. He also wrote an estimated 90,000 letters and <a href="/facts/Postcard/hqGE0alm">postcards</a>. Best known for his <a href="/facts/Hard_science_fiction/7n1v9KTA">hard science fiction</a>, Asimov also wrote <a href="/facts/Mystery_fiction/6GX6KBYy">mysteries</a> and <a href="/facts/Fantasy/gkujmhJg">fantasy</a>, as well as <a href="/facts/Popular_science/cnhLw9rI">popular science</a> and other <a href="/facts/Non-fiction/8YkF8zrG">non-fiction</a>.
Asimov's most famous work is the <a href="/facts/Foundation_(book_series)/2ecSHfct">Foundation</a> series, the first three books of which won the one-time <a href="/facts/Hugo_Award/E7VlgHeF">Hugo Award</a> for "Best All-Time Series" in 1966. His other major series are the <a href="/facts/Galactic_Empire_series/NLlWkNl5">Galactic Empire</a> series and the <a href="/facts/Robot_series/wbkhzW4H">Robot</a> series. The Galactic Empire novels are set in the much earlier history of the same fictional universe as the Foundation series. Later, with <a href="/facts/Foundation_and_Earth/E7Xf4rRh">Foundation and Earth</a> (1986), he linked this distant future to the Robot series, creating a unified "<a href="/facts/Future_history/2C2maDRq">future history</a>" for his works. He also wrote <a href="/facts/Isaac_Asimov_short_stories_bibliography/dTcgt16X">more than 380 short stories</a>, including the <a href="/facts/Social_science_fiction/6U1pctFf">social science fiction</a> novelette "<a href="/facts/Nightfall_(Asimov_novelette_and_novel)/BKmtL0l2">Nightfall</a>", which in 1964 was voted the best short science fiction story of all time by the <a href="/facts/Science_Fiction_Writers_of_America/VslMun5l">Science Fiction Writers of America</a>. Asimov wrote the <a href="/facts/Lucky_Starr_series/wmsUlBbI">Lucky Starr</a> series of <a href="/facts/Young_adult_fiction/0MYR9L8o">juvenile</a> science-fiction novels using the pen name Paul French.
Most of his popular science books explain concepts in a historical way, going as far back as possible to a time when the science in question was at its simplest stage. Examples include <a href="/facts/The_Intelligent_Man%2527s_Guide_to_Science/TtIKeRhn">Guide to Science</a>, the three-volume <a href="/facts/Understanding_Physics/8THcwLgX">Understanding Physics</a>, and Asimov's Chronology of Science and Discovery. He wrote on numerous other scientific and non-scientific topics, such as <a href="/facts/Chemistry/SrNqkGVm">chemistry</a>, <a href="/facts/Astronomy/0ArJVM1p">astronomy</a>, <a href="/facts/Mathematics/pxTouaz4">mathematics</a>, <a href="/facts/History/bSKgXaCA">history</a>, <a href="/facts/Exegesis/aN3v40ap">biblical exegesis</a>, and <a href="/facts/Literary_criticism/sj0LQGdF">literary criticism</a>.
He was the president of the <a href="/facts/American_Humanist_Association/YD16Ibwz">American Humanist Association</a>. Several entities have been named in his honor, including the <a href="/facts/Asteroid/g7Ulr1VB">asteroid</a> <a href="/facts/5020_Asimov/clLL6DhB">(5020) Asimov</a>, a <a href="/facts/Asimov_crater/bWcnYn1T">crater</a> on <a href="/facts/Mars/AQGtVvz0">Mars</a>, a <a href="/facts/Brooklyn/UnUzxCFe">Brooklyn</a> elementary school, <a href="/facts/Honda/asGvEBbW">Honda</a>'s humanoid robot <a href="/facts/ASIMO/dTGmS9jf">ASIMO</a>, and <a href="/facts/Isaac_Asimov_Awards/9KM92pM1">four literary awards</a>.

Isaac Asimov open-in-new

Isaac Asimov