Stunning Photos of Scientific Giants from the Former Soviet Union

These vibrant images showcase the remnants of Soviet scientific megaprojects, built to replace religious edifices with centers of knowledge and technology.

Photographer Eric Lusito explored numerous Soviet sites for his new book, Soviet Scientific Institutes. Starting in Ukraine, he dedicated four years to traveling across the former Soviet Union, engaging with scientists and discovering locations that have been inaccessible since the Soviet era.

His initial stops were in Ukraine during late 2021, just before the onset of the Russian invasion. Memories of childhood comics like Blake and Mortimer and The Adventures of Tintin resonated with him. “These scientific locations were captivating, igniting my desire to explore further,” says Lusito. “I was enchanted by their mystical beauty and rich history.”

While many sites lay in disrepair, others remain impressively intact. For instance, the control room of Armenia’s Orgov radio-optical telescope, designed in the 1970s by Soviet scientist Paris Herony, echoes its historical significance. Lusito learned from Herony’s niece that the scientist faced substantial opposition from Moscow’s scientific hierarchy to realize his vision.

At the peak of operations, these institutes were bustling with scientists utilizing colorful attendance boards to record their time. For example, the vibrant history of the Institute of Radiation Physics and Electronics at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine stands as a testament to Soviet scientific ambition.

Some researchers focused on critical practical applications, such as those at the High Voltage Hall of the former Institute of Electrotechnical Technology in Kharkiv. This hall was pivotal in generating lightning-like energy to fortify the first integrated power grid in Ukraine, featuring a mural of a hand gripping a lightning bolt.

On the other hand, some researchers delved into fundamental science, as exemplified by the MAKET-ANI experiment at the Aragats Cosmic Ray Research Base in Armenia, which analyzes high-energy particles that settle on the snowy summit of Mount Aragats.

Many of the scientific facilities in Ukraine that Lusito explored halted their research activities due to the ongoing war, including the Ionospheric Research Institute in Kharkiv, which features several parabolic detectors, including a significant 100-meter antenna.

Despite observing many abandoned sites, Lusito found that some facilities are undergoing revitalization. At Kazakhstan’s Assy Turgen Observatory, the 45-meter-high pavilion for the AZT-20 telescope (main image) was initiated in the 1980s but halted post-Soviet collapse. It was revived in the 2010s and completed in 2017, now standing as the largest telescope in Kazakhstan and a significant asset in the post-Soviet region.