Born in the town of Krasnoturinsk, Sverdlovsk Oblast in the Urals as the son of a priest, he became interested in natural sciences when he was a child.
Lindi në qytetin e Krasnoturinskit, Sverdlovsk Oblast në Malet Urale si djalë i një prifti, ai u interesua në shkenca që kur ishte fëmijë.