Gavriil Tikhov

Astrobotanist

Gavriil Adrianovich Tikhov astrobotany
  • Full Name: Gavriil Adrianovich Tikhov (Гавриил Адрианович Тихов)
  • Affiliation: USSR Space Program
  • Country: Kazakhstan
  • Focus Areas: Astronomy, Astrobiology
  • Type: Ground Control Only
  • Summary: Gavriil Tikhov was a Belarusian astronomer who is credited with coining the term ‘astrobotany’ in approximately 1945.  He was a Soviet pioneer in astrobiology and was appointed head of astrobotany in Almaty (fmr. Alma-ata) during his career.  Tikhov gave astrobotany legitimacy by recognizing and defining it as a distinct field.  
  • Accolades:
      • First to coin “astrobotany” in 1945