Short history of the Romanian science

S C I E N C E	Home Page Romania Index Science Index Contact Last update: 1999, August 18		A system of knowledge in several domains as mathematics, astronomy, mining technique, grist, medicine was developed in Antiquity and in the Middle Age. The Humanism was affirmed in the Middle Age, in Transylvania, and toward the end of the Middle Age, in all three Romanian Provinces, the enlightenment. In the 17 th- 19th centuries some philosophical and historical studies developed regarding the beginning of the formation of the Romanian nation; this period produced encyclopedical spirits like Nicolae Milescu, Constantin Cantacuzino, Dimitrie Cantemir. The activity of the Transylvanian School, at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, is important in history, philosophy and philology (Samuil Micu Clain, Gheorghe Şincai, Petru Maior, P. Iorgovici, Ion Budai-Deleanu). At the end of the 18th century the ophthalmologist surgeon I. Piuariu-Molnar had and European fame. Gheorghe Asachi (1813) and Gheorghe Lazăr (1818) put the foundations of the national education and prepared engineers. At the abolition of the Phanariot ruling (1821), in the Principates begin a period of cultural pioneering, of European culture assimilation, mostly the French one. The period of the 1848 Revolution and of the national state founding is dominated by the revolutionary and democratic thinking of Nicolae Bălcescu. Representative figures from this period are in social sciences E. Poteca, Ion Heliade Rădulescu, C. Moroiu, D. Bojinca, A. Donici, Chr. Flechtenmacher, Utopian socialism T. Diamant, A. T. Laurian, Mihail Kogălniceanu, Simion Bărnuţiu, G. Bariţiu, St. L. Roth, and in natural sciences P. Vasici, I. Cihac, M. Zotta, Th. Stamati, I. Ionescu de la Brad, I. Baraş etc. In the first half of the 19th century the Hungarian mathematician from Transylvania János Bolyai, put, independently from Lobacevski and Gauss, the foundations of the non-Euclidean geometry. Many important educational and cultural institutions are established: Sf. Sava school from Bucharest (1818), Society of physicians and naturalists from Iaşi (1833), the "Mih&259;ileană" Academy from Iaşi (1835), Medicine school from Bucharest (1856), University from Iaşi (1860), Naturale sciences society (1865), Romanian literary society (1866, which become in 1879 the Romanian Academy), Hungarian university from Cluj (1872), National school for bridges and roads from Bucharest (1881, transformed in 1920 in the Romanian polytechnic school from Bucharest). In the second half of the 19th century, together with the industrial development, grows the amount of natural and applied sciences in the researches regarding the natural resources of our country. In the period before the state independence (1877) are affirming the physicist and mathematician Emanoil Bacaloglu, the chemist Alexe Marin, the physicians N. Kretzulescu and Carol Davila, founder of the medical higher education. Geologists Gr. Stefănescu and Grigore Cobălcescu (author of the first Romanian treatise on geology) are the first Darwinist from our country. In the social sciences we remark the activity of the philologist Teodor Cipariu, the great linguist and historian Bogdan Petriceicu Haşdeu, the historians E. Hurmuzaki and Al. Papiu-Ilarian, the archaeologist Alexandru Odobescu, the economists Ion Ghica, D. Pop-Martian, P. S. Aurelian, philosopher and aesthetician Titu Maiorescu the materialist philosopher Vasile Conta. Among the jurists are remarked C. Brăiloiu, C. Bozianu, G. Costaforu and V. Boerescu. The second half of the 19th century grows the interest in the national economy development, in the use of science and technique in production. The development of the economy, education and culture strengthened the formation process of the intellectuals who played an important role in the socio-political life of the country. In the last quarter of the 19th century begin the original scientific researches in the universities and are set up our national schools in several domains of the science. Romanian science begins to bring contribution to the universal science, some of the Romanian discoveries being of international fame. Nicolae Teclu studies the burning and creates the bulb having his name, and other inventions, C. Miculescu makes and precise determination of the mechanical equivalent of the calorie (1891), and D. Hurmuzescu discovers the ionizing effect of the X radiation (1896). The engineer Anghel Saligny builds the bridge from Cernavodă (1890-1895), then the longest bridge from Europe (3850 m) and the first silos from reinforced concrete. Traian Vuia makes, in 1906, the first lift of the ground of a plain only with the own means of the apparatus. Henri Coandăa designs and piloted, in 1910, the first jet plain from the world, and Aurel Vlaicu obtains important successes in the air techniques. G. Constantinescu makes the first buildings from reinforced concrete in the country, starting with 1912, and creates a new scientific domain, the sonic. Lazar Edeleanu elaborates, in 1908, the oil distillery process with sulphur dioxide, introduced later in the whole world. Elie Radu begins to build in our country bridges with reinforced concrete. The foundations of the mathematics school are established. Important contributions have Spiru Haret, C. Gogu, N. Coculescu, the founder of the Astronomical Observatory from Bucharest (celestial mechanics), A. Davidoglu (partial differential equations), D. Emmanuel (theory of the functions with a complex variable) etc. In 1895 was founded the review of mathematics "Gazeta mathematică". In chemistry are remarked Petru Poni and C. I. Istrati, founders of the Romanian chemistry school, researchers of the natural resources of the country (oil, salt etc.). In geology is remarked Sabba Stefănescu, in hydrology M. Drăghicescu, in botanic Dimitrie Brîndză, founder of the Botanical Institute and of the Botanical Garden from Bucharest, and in mineralogy V. Butureanu. Romanian medicine is known due to some world famous authorities: dr. Victor Babeş, promoter of the serotherapy, together with V. Cornil, author of the first treatise of bacteriology in the world (1885), dr. Ioan Cantacuzino, founder of the Romanian school of microbiology and experimental medicine, and dr. Gheroghe Marinescu, founder of our school of neurology. Romanian medicine was also represented by dr. Constantin I. Parhon, one of the creators of the endocrinology and co-author, with M. Goldstein, of the first treatise of endocrinology (1909), by the surgeon Thoma Ionescu, by dr. C. Levatidi, one of the founders of the infra-microbiology, and by the physiologist I. Athanasiu s.o. Important reseach and authoring activities in biology have had dr. N. Leon (parasitology), Grigore Antipa (hydrobiology), St. C. Michăilescu, P. Bujor, D. Voinov (cytology), Em. Teodorescu, I. Borcea s.o. Emil Racoviţă created in 1907 biospeleology. S. Mehedinţi and Gh. Vîlsan founded the Romanian scientific geography. Important development knows our philosophy school, represented by savants like Bogdan Petriceicu Haşdeu, Alexandru Philipide, Ovidiu Densuşianu, Sextil Puşcariu etc., as well as the history school represented by D. Onciul, Gr. Tocilescu and mostly by A. D. Xenopol, historian and philosopher of world wide renown. Remarkable are R. Rosetti and G. Giurescu, but Nicolae Iorga and Vasile Pârvan obtain international notoriety. Between the two world wars, despite the lack of material resources and the unfavorable socio-political conditions, Romanian science obtained in all domains superior results by the work of many savants from the older generation, who had created in this period their fundamental works, and by the contribution of many young savants, becoming important in this period. Traditional scientific schools are strengthening, also are appearing new scientific institutions in universities and of the Academy, laboratories, experimental stations, scientific societies, specialized publications etc. In mathematics are known the important activities of Gheorghe Ţiteica (differential geometry), and Dumitru Pompeiu (equation with partial differentials, mechanics), Traian Lalescu (integral equations). In the domain of astronomy and seismology important contributions have had C. Popovici, Gh. Demetrescu, C. Pîrvulescu, in physics ST. Procopiu, Horia Hulubei, in chemistry G. G. Longinescu, Gh. Spacu (creator of complex combinations), Petre Bogdan (organic chemistry), N. Costachescu (inorganic and analytical chemistry), in biology Traian Săvulescu, Gh. Ionescu Siseşti (founder of the Agronomical Research Institute), in geology Gh. Macovei, I. Athanasiu, in geography M. Popescu-Spinei, G. Vâlsan (researches in the villages typology), in medicine Francisc I. Tainer (anatomy and anthropology), Dimitrie Bagdasar (neurosurgery), H. Gh. Lupu (general medicine). In techniques, N. Vasilescu-Karpen, C. I. Budeanu, I. S, Gheorghiu, Pl. Andronescu and C. A. Parteni put the foundations of the research in electrotechnic. D. Ghermani brings new contributions in hydrodynamics and establishes a method of systematic determination of the similitude relations. E. Carafoli makes important researches in the aerodynamic field and in the fluids mechanics. Many methods and procedures, phenomena and effects, formula and reactions, biological formations, devices, notions have the names of the savants that created it (Babes-Negri diagnostics-relevant corpuscles, Cantacuzino phenomenon, Coandă effect, Constantinescu couple converter, Spacu reaction, Hurmuzescu electroscope, Edeleanu procedure, Carafoli profiles etc.). Is affirming a new generation of historians and archaeologist A. Otetea, Constantin Daicoviciu, C. C. Giurescu. The Romanian sociology is developing represented by Dimitrie Gusti, founder of the sociology school (monographic) from Bucharest. After the second world war, in mathematics, most of all the important savants continue their activity starting with S. Stoilov. Important results are obtained by Dan Barbilian (ideals theory), Gh. Mihoc (mathematical statistics), Grigore Moisil (partial differential equations, algrebriac theory of the automatic mechanisms, mathematical logic), affirmed by valuable works since the period between the two world wars and N. Cioranescu, Al. Fronda, Caius Iacob etc. In astronomy are remarked Calin Popovici, C. Drîmbă. In physics the team having H. Hulubei as leader makes important researches in the domain of radioactive isotopes and in application of these in geological prospecting, medicine etc. In chemistry C. D. Neniţescu and his team develop the organic chemistry school, solving several problems of the chemical industry and approaching important theoretical problems. In biology are remarkable the country flora and fauna monograph, and Traian Săvulescu published valuable works of fitopathology. In medicine remarkable are the important work of C. I. Parhon, D. Danielopolu, N. Gh. Lupu etc. Important scientific and organisatorical contributions have had also St. M Milcu, A. Moga, I. Enescu, Th. Burghele etc. In the technical sciences domain, developed in the institutions of the Academy, in universities and departments of the research institutes, many important researches have been made with praiseworthy results. Humanist and social sciences also developed considerable. In history and archaeology important works have had: A. Oţetea, Constantin Daicoviciu, P. Constantinescu-Iaşi, E. Condurachi and others. In linguistic, philology and lexicography were elaborated: "Literary Romanian Language Dictionary" (1955-1957), "Modern Romanian Language Dictionary" (1958), "Romania Language Grammar" (1954), "Romanian Encyclopedic Dictionary" (1962-1966). Important contributions have had Iorgu Iordan, Emil Petrovici, Al. Rosetti, Alexandru Graur, D. Macrea and others.

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Last update:
1999, August 18

A system of knowledge in several domains as mathematics, astronomy, mining technique, grist, medicine was developed in Antiquity and in the Middle Age. The Humanism was affirmed in the Middle Age, in Transylvania, and toward the end of the Middle Age, in all three Romanian Provinces, the enlightenment. In the 17 th- 19th centuries some philosophical and historical studies developed regarding the beginning of the formation of the Romanian nation; this period produced encyclopedical spirits like Nicolae Milescu, Constantin Cantacuzino, Dimitrie Cantemir. The activity of the Transylvanian School, at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, is important in history, philosophy and philology (Samuil Micu Clain, Gheorghe Şincai, Petru Maior, P. Iorgovici, Ion Budai-Deleanu). At the end of the 18th century the ophthalmologist surgeon I. Piuariu-Molnar had and European fame.

Gheorghe Asachi (1813) and Gheorghe Lazăr (1818) put the foundations of the national education and prepared engineers. At the abolition of the Phanariot ruling (1821), in the Principates begin a period of cultural pioneering, of European culture assimilation, mostly the French one.
The period of the 1848 Revolution and of the national state founding is dominated by the revolutionary and democratic thinking of Nicolae Bălcescu. Representative figures from this period are in social sciences E. Poteca, Ion Heliade Rădulescu, C. Moroiu, D. Bojinca, A. Donici, Chr. Flechtenmacher, Utopian socialism T. Diamant, A. T. Laurian, Mihail Kogălniceanu, Simion Bărnuţiu, G. Bariţiu, St. L. Roth, and in natural sciences P. Vasici, I. Cihac, M. Zotta, Th. Stamati, I. Ionescu de la Brad, I. Baraş etc.
In the first half of the 19th century the Hungarian mathematician from Transylvania János Bolyai, put, independently from Lobacevski and Gauss, the foundations of the non-Euclidean geometry.

Many important educational and cultural institutions are established: Sf. Sava school from Bucharest (1818), Society of physicians and naturalists from Iaşi (1833), the "Mih&259;ileană" Academy from Iaşi (1835), Medicine school from Bucharest (1856), University from Iaşi (1860), Naturale sciences society (1865), Romanian literary society (1866, which become in 1879 the Romanian Academy), Hungarian university from Cluj (1872), National school for bridges and roads from Bucharest (1881, transformed in 1920 in the Romanian polytechnic school from Bucharest).

In the second half of the 19th century, together with the industrial development, grows the amount of natural and applied sciences in the researches regarding the natural resources of our country.
In the period before the state independence (1877) are affirming the physicist and mathematician Emanoil Bacaloglu, the chemist Alexe Marin, the physicians N. Kretzulescu and Carol Davila, founder of the medical higher education.
Geologists Gr. Stefănescu and Grigore Cobălcescu (author of the first Romanian treatise on geology) are the first Darwinist from our country.
In the social sciences we remark the activity of the philologist Teodor Cipariu, the great linguist and historian Bogdan Petriceicu Haşdeu, the historians E. Hurmuzaki and Al. Papiu-Ilarian, the archaeologist Alexandru Odobescu, the economists Ion Ghica, D. Pop-Martian, P. S. Aurelian, philosopher and aesthetician Titu Maiorescu the materialist philosopher Vasile Conta.
Among the jurists are remarked C. Brăiloiu, C. Bozianu, G. Costaforu and V. Boerescu.

The second half of the 19th century grows the interest in the national economy development, in the use of science and technique in production.
The development of the economy, education and culture strengthened the formation process of the intellectuals who played an important role in the socio-political life of the country.
In the last quarter of the 19th century begin the original scientific researches in the universities and are set up our national schools in several domains of the science.
Romanian science begins to bring contribution to the universal science, some of the Romanian discoveries being of international fame. Nicolae Teclu studies the burning and creates the bulb having his name, and other inventions, C. Miculescu makes and precise determination of the mechanical equivalent of the calorie (1891), and D. Hurmuzescu discovers the ionizing effect of the X radiation (1896).
The engineer Anghel Saligny builds the bridge from Cernavodă (1890-1895), then the longest bridge from Europe (3850 m) and the first silos from reinforced concrete.
Traian Vuia makes, in 1906, the first lift of the ground of a plain only with the own means of the apparatus. Henri Coandăa designs and piloted, in 1910, the first jet plain from the world, and Aurel Vlaicu obtains important successes in the air techniques.
G. Constantinescu makes the first buildings from reinforced concrete in the country, starting with 1912, and creates a new scientific domain, the sonic.
Lazar Edeleanu elaborates, in 1908, the oil distillery process with sulphur dioxide, introduced later in the whole world.
Elie Radu begins to build in our country bridges with reinforced concrete.
The foundations of the mathematics school are established. Important contributions have Spiru Haret, C. Gogu, N. Coculescu, the founder of the Astronomical Observatory from Bucharest (celestial mechanics), A. Davidoglu (partial differential equations), D. Emmanuel (theory of the functions with a complex variable) etc. In 1895 was founded the review of mathematics "Gazeta mathematică".
In chemistry are remarked Petru Poni and C. I. Istrati, founders of the Romanian chemistry school, researchers of the natural resources of the country (oil, salt etc.).
In geology is remarked Sabba Stefănescu, in hydrology M. Drăghicescu, in botanic Dimitrie Brîndză, founder of the Botanical Institute and of the Botanical Garden from Bucharest, and in mineralogy V. Butureanu.
Romanian medicine is known due to some world famous authorities: dr. Victor Babeş, promoter of the serotherapy, together with V. Cornil, author of the first treatise of bacteriology in the world (1885), dr. Ioan Cantacuzino, founder of the Romanian school of microbiology and experimental medicine, and dr. Gheroghe Marinescu, founder of our school of neurology.
Romanian medicine was also represented by dr. Constantin I. Parhon, one of the creators of the endocrinology and co-author, with M. Goldstein, of the first treatise of endocrinology (1909), by the surgeon Thoma Ionescu, by dr. C. Levatidi, one of the founders of the infra-microbiology, and by the physiologist I. Athanasiu s.o.
Important reseach and authoring activities in biology have had dr. N. Leon (parasitology), Grigore Antipa (hydrobiology), St. C. Michăilescu, P. Bujor, D. Voinov (cytology), Em. Teodorescu, I. Borcea s.o.
Emil Racoviţă created in 1907 biospeleology.
S. Mehedinţi and Gh. Vîlsan founded the Romanian scientific geography.
Important development knows our philosophy school, represented by savants like Bogdan Petriceicu Haşdeu, Alexandru Philipide, Ovidiu Densuşianu, Sextil Puşcariu etc., as well as the history school represented by D. Onciul, Gr. Tocilescu and mostly by A. D. Xenopol, historian and philosopher of world wide renown.
Remarkable are R. Rosetti and G. Giurescu, but Nicolae Iorga and Vasile Pârvan obtain international notoriety.

Between the two world wars, despite the lack of material resources and the unfavorable socio-political conditions, Romanian science obtained in all domains superior results by the work of many savants from the older generation, who had created in this period their fundamental works, and by the contribution of many young savants, becoming important in this period.
Traditional scientific schools are strengthening, also are appearing new scientific institutions in universities and of the Academy, laboratories, experimental stations, scientific societies, specialized publications etc.
In mathematics are known the important activities of Gheorghe Ţiteica (differential geometry), and Dumitru Pompeiu (equation with partial differentials, mechanics), Traian Lalescu (integral equations).
In the domain of astronomy and seismology important contributions have had C. Popovici, Gh. Demetrescu, C. Pîrvulescu, in physics ST. Procopiu, Horia Hulubei, in chemistry G. G. Longinescu, Gh. Spacu (creator of complex combinations), Petre Bogdan (organic chemistry), N. Costachescu (inorganic and analytical chemistry), in biology Traian Săvulescu, Gh. Ionescu Siseşti (founder of the Agronomical Research Institute), in geology Gh. Macovei, I. Athanasiu, in geography M. Popescu-Spinei, G. Vâlsan (researches in the villages typology), in medicine Francisc I. Tainer (anatomy and anthropology), Dimitrie Bagdasar (neurosurgery), H. Gh. Lupu (general medicine).
In techniques, N. Vasilescu-Karpen, C. I. Budeanu, I. S, Gheorghiu, Pl. Andronescu and C. A. Parteni put the foundations of the research in electrotechnic. D. Ghermani brings new contributions in hydrodynamics and establishes a method of systematic determination of the similitude relations. E. Carafoli makes important researches in the aerodynamic field and in the fluids mechanics.
Many methods and procedures, phenomena and effects, formula and reactions, biological formations, devices, notions have the names of the savants that created it (Babes-Negri diagnostics-relevant corpuscles, Cantacuzino phenomenon, Coandă effect, Constantinescu couple converter, Spacu reaction, Hurmuzescu electroscope, Edeleanu procedure, Carafoli profiles etc.).
Is affirming a new generation of historians and archaeologist A. Otetea, Constantin Daicoviciu, C. C. Giurescu. The Romanian sociology is developing represented by Dimitrie Gusti, founder of the sociology school (monographic) from Bucharest.

After the second world war, in mathematics, most of all the important savants continue their activity starting with S. Stoilov. Important results are obtained by Dan Barbilian (ideals theory), Gh. Mihoc (mathematical statistics), Grigore Moisil (partial differential equations, algrebriac theory of the automatic mechanisms, mathematical logic), affirmed by valuable works since the period between the two world wars and N. Cioranescu, Al. Fronda, Caius Iacob etc. In astronomy are remarked Calin Popovici, C. Drîmbă.
In physics the team having H. Hulubei as leader makes important researches in the domain of radioactive isotopes and in application of these in geological prospecting, medicine etc.
In chemistry C. D. Neniţescu and his team develop the organic chemistry school, solving several problems of the chemical industry and approaching important theoretical problems.
In biology are remarkable the country flora and fauna monograph, and Traian Săvulescu published valuable works of fitopathology.
In medicine remarkable are the important work of C. I. Parhon, D. Danielopolu, N. Gh. Lupu etc. Important scientific and organisatorical contributions have had also St. M Milcu, A. Moga, I. Enescu, Th. Burghele etc.
In the technical sciences domain, developed in the institutions of the Academy, in universities and departments of the research institutes, many important researches have been made with praiseworthy results.
Humanist and social sciences also developed considerable. In history and archaeology important works have had: A. Oţetea, Constantin Daicoviciu, P. Constantinescu-Iaşi, E. Condurachi and others. In linguistic, philology and lexicography were elaborated: "Literary Romanian Language Dictionary" (1955-1957), "Modern Romanian Language Dictionary" (1958), "Romania Language Grammar" (1954), "Romanian Encyclopedic Dictionary" (1962-1966). Important contributions have had Iorgu Iordan, Emil Petrovici, Al. Rosetti, Alexandru Graur, D. Macrea and others.