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Isaac Asimov: 1920-1992

Isaac Asimov was born in the former Soviet Union, but grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He taught biochemistry at Boston University until he retired in 1958 to become a full-time writer. Asimov had been publishing short stories since the late 1930s, and in 1952 published his first novel. The author of the classic I, Robot series and The Foundation Trilogy, Asimov wrote more than 400 books and won every major science fiction award.

He also wrote popular books and essays on science and technology, earning him the nickname "The Great Explainer."

Robotics, a branch of engineering, is also a popular source of inspiration in science fiction literature; the term originated in that field. Many authors have written about robot behavior and their interaction with humans, but in this company Isaac Asimov stands supreme. He entered the field early, and from 1940 to 1990 he dominated it.

Most subsequent science fiction literature expressly or implicitly recognizes his Laws of Robotics.