Mikhail Filippov (physicist)

In 1903, Russian professor Mikhail Mikhailovich Filippov announced his invention of a weapon that was terrible in its effects. With its appearance, according to the scientist, wars will become impossible and long-awaited and lasting peace will come to the planet. However, soon after this statement, Filippov was killed, and all his manuscripts concerning the invention disappeared without a trace.

Wanted to abolish wars

On June 11, 1903, the editors of the newspaper “St. Petersburg Vedomosti” received a rather unusual letter from the famous professor Mikhail Mikhailovich Filippov. In it he wrote: “All my life I have dreamed of an invention that would make war almost impossible. Surprising as it may seem, the other day I made a discovery, the practical development of which will actually abolish war. We are talking about a method I invented for electrically transmitting an explosion wave over a distance, and, judging by the method used, this transmission is possible over a distance of thousands of kilometers, so that, having made an explosion in St. Petersburg, it will be possible to transmit its effect to Constantinople. The method is amazingly simple and cheap. But with such warfare at the distances I have indicated, war actually becomes madness and must be abolished. I will publish the details in the fall in the memoirs of the Academy of Sciences. The experiments are slowed down by the extraordinary danger of the substances used, some very explosive, and some extremely poisonous.”

Apparently, this frank letter, containing information about a certain epoch-making discovery, became fatal for the scientist. The very next morning he was found dead on the floor in his laboratory. The widow Lyubov Ivanovna said that the day before Mikhail Mikhailovich was going to work late in the laboratory and spend the night there. She didn’t hear anything suspicious at night, so she went to see her husband only after noon.

The door to the laboratory was locked, and the husband did not respond to her persistent and loud knocking. Suspecting something was wrong, she called her family, they opened the door and saw the scientist lying face down on the floor. He was dead. Abrasions were visible on Filippov’s face; it seemed as if he had suddenly fallen, as if knocked down. After examining the deceased, the doctor came to the conclusion that the scientist died from sudden cardiac arrest caused by overwork and nervous strain. The forensic expert did not find anything criminal in Filippov’s death.

There was no investigation into the strange death of the famous scientist. However, police from the St. Petersburg Security Department seized Filippov’s entire archive, the manuscript of his latest book with mathematical calculations and the results of “exploding at a distance” experiments, as well as all the drugs and equipment from the professor’s laboratory. After this, the scientist was allowed to be buried.

Scientist, writer and revolutionary

Professor Filippov’s grave turned out to be next to the graves of Russian writers, and this is not surprising, since he was also involved in literary work. It is worth remembering that his novel “Besieged Sevastopol” at one time evoked admiring reviews from such world-famous writers as Leo Tolstoy and Maxim Gorky. The journal Scientific Review, founded and published by Filippov, was also widely known in scientific and literary circles. It published articles by many prominent scientists and writers. For example, publications by Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky appeared there more than once. The chemist D.I. Mendeleev, psychiatrist V.M. Bekhterev and many other famous scientists actively collaborated with the magazine.

For some time it was even assumed that under the pseudonym “V. Ul”, Vladimir Ulyanov-Lenin himself was published in the magazine, but this was not confirmed. However, the leader of the world proletariat was clearly interested in the work of Professor Filippov, because the famous words about the inexhaustible nature of the electron in Lenin’s work “Materialism and Empirio-criticism” were borrowed from one of the scientist’s works. It is worth noting that Filippov was a convinced Marxist and did not hide this, despite the possibility of certain repressions. As a true revolutionary, he tried to convert all the people he knew, including Leo Tolstoy. Because of his beliefs, the professor was under special police surveillance.

Perhaps such a scientist was worth keeping an eye on, because he was a genius and at the same time a revolutionary. This, especially in the case of Professor Filippov, represented a rather explosive combination. Long ago, at a young age, the future scientist read somewhere that the advent of gunpowder reduced the bloodshed of wars waged on the planet. Since then, he was obsessed with the idea of creating such a powerful weapon that all wars using it would become real madness, and then, according to Filippov, people would simply abandon them.

It is worth adding to this that because of his Marxist beliefs, Mikhail Mikhailovich dreamed of liberating the peoples of the world from the capitalist yoke. He wrote: “The use of such weapons in a revolution will lead to the fact that peoples will rebel and wars will become completely impossible.” By the way, his last manuscript, seized by the police, was titled “Revolution through Science, or the End of Wars.” This clearly could have alerted the authorities.

Mysterious death rays

There is no doubt that Mikhail Mikhailovich Filippov was a wonderful person, it’s just that at that time many famous and respectable people were imbued with revolutionary ideas. None of them then even imagined how the revolution would end for them. Not everyone managed to find themselves and survive under the new government. Some left their homeland, others were shot or ended up in camps.

Could he really invent a weapon that, even now, even if a number of states have atomic bombs, would pose a very serious danger? Filippov graduated from the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg and the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Odessa University. The scientist was engaged in the study of electromagnetic waves, he was a brilliant inventor and, without a doubt, could achieve sensational results in his work.

Of course, then, at the beginning of the 20th century, after the death of Professor Filippov, journalists wrote a lot about his mysterious invention. They proposed many different versions, to the point that the scientist could be wishful thinking and in fact there was no superweapon. However, in an interview with St. Petersburg Vedomosti, Professor A. S. Trachevsky, who was friends with Filippov, expressed complete confidence in the reality of the invention. When he talked with Filippov, he told him: “It’s so simple, and cheap! It’s amazing how they haven’t figured it out yet.” In addition, Mikhail Mikhailovich added, “this problem was approached in America, but in a completely different and unsuccessful way.” Most likely, he had in mind the experiments of Nikola Tesla.

The great chemist D.I. Mendeleev also spoke out in defense of the scientist’s honorable name: “There is nothing fantastic in Filippov’s main idea: the wave of an explosion can be transmitted, like a wave of light or sound.” By the way, according to Trachevsky, Professor Filippov told him that the idea had already been tested experimentally, and successfully. Ten years after the mysterious murder of the scientist, journalists from Russkiy Slovo managed to establish that in 1900 the professor visited Riga several times, where, as the newspaper wrote, he “carried out experiments in exploding objects at a distance.”

Subsequently, journalists began to write about some mysterious death rays of Professor Filippov and even that he invented laser weapons. Most likely they are exaggerating. There were no rays, and the scientist did not invent a laser. This is what he said in one of his letters: “I can reproduce the entire force of an explosion with a beam of short waves. The blast wave is completely transmitted along the carrier electromagnetic wave, and thus a charge of dynamite detonated in Moscow can transmit its effect to Constantinople. The experiments I have carried out show that this phenomenon can be caused at a distance of several thousand kilometers.”

Murder or accident?

Almost without exception, all materials about Professor Filippov and his invention say that the scientist was killed, but no evidence of this is provided. The scientist’s body was first discovered by his wife and relatives; they would hardly have hidden it if there had been knife or bullet wounds on it. That means they weren't there. The door to the laboratory was locked from the inside; however, an open window is mentioned, through which the killer could have entered. But how did he kill the scientist? Did you hit him on the head with something heavy or inject him with poison with a syringe?

It was not possible to find any mention of a broken head; they only spoke of abrasions on the face and the fact that the scientist fell as if knocked down, without even having time to put his hands forward. Maybe there was no murder? By the way, the professor’s experiments with electromagnetic radiation could well have affected his health, including the cardiovascular system. At that time, no one knew about the negative impact of electromagnetic radiation on the human body, and Filippov, not sparing himself, conducted numerous experiments for at least three years.

By the way, in the scientist’s laboratory there was a piece of paper on the table on which he wrote the following: “Experiments on transmitting an explosion over a distance. Experiment No. 12. To carry out this experiment, anhydrous hydrocyanic acid is required. In this case, the greatest caution must be exercised!” It is known that hydrocyanic acid is a strong poison. What if the tired scientist, so to speak, lost his vigilance and accidentally poisoned himself? The possibility of an accident should not be ruled out.

Of course, the version of the murder appeared due to the fact that the professor, who did not complain about his health, mysteriously lost his life immediately after he announced his invention of a superweapon. If he actually died naturally, then this is undoubtedly a unique coincidence that is difficult to believe. Who killed the scientist if his death was actually violent?

The French popularizer of science Jacques Bergier, world-famous for a number of his very interesting books, believes that M. M. Filippov was killed by agents of the Tsarist secret police on the direct orders of Nicholas II. According to him, in this way not only was the dangerous revolutionary eliminated, but the world, which was on the verge of destruction due to the scientist’s invention, was also saved.

Bergier wrote: “If Filippov had time to make his method public, it would undoubtedly have been perfected and used in the First World War. And all the major cities of Europe, and possibly America, would have been destroyed. What about the wars of 1939-1945? Wouldn't Hitler, armed with Filippov's method, completely destroy England, and the Americans - Japan? I'm afraid that we might have to give an affirmative answer to all these questions. And it is possible that Emperor Nicholas II, whom everyone unanimously condemned, should be counted among the saviors of mankind.”

And here is his opinion about the use of such weapons by revolutionaries: “Imagine a group of people dissatisfied with the existing regime, who would not place explosives under the doors of houses, but would blow up the Elysee Palace or Matignon using Filippov’s method! Filippov’s invention, whether it is used by the military or revolutionaries, is, in my opinion, one of those that can lead to the complete destruction of civilization.”

On the night of June 11-12, 1903, forty-five-year-old St. Petersburg chemist Mikhail Mikhailovich Filippov was found dead in his laboratory, located in his own apartment, at house number 37 on Zhukovsky Street. The scientist was lying face down on the floor without a frock coat. The abrasions on his face indicated that he fell as if knocked down, without even having time to raise his arms.

The police, however, treated the incident without apparent interest, somehow carelessly. The police doctor, having quickly examined the deceased, made a hasty conclusion that death was due to overstrain of the body.

“Apoplectic stroke,” the doctor remarked categorically and waved the police report, which, among other things, said that recently the scientist had been working a lot, sometimes sitting in his laboratory all night long. The investigator took all the scientist's papers, including the manuscript of the book, which was supposed to be his 301st publication, and allowed the deceased to be buried.

“The explosion wave is available for transmission”...

Meanwhile, everything was far from being as simple as the police wanted to show. The press became interested in the mysterious death of the scientist. And not only because she saw Mikhail Mikhailovich as a fellow worker: among other things, Filippov was also the founder, publisher and editor of the Scientific Review magazine, published since 1894, and in which chemists D.I. considered it an honor to collaborate. Mendelev and N.N. Beketov, psychiatrist and psychologist V.M. Bekhterev, astronomer S.P. Glazenap and other prominent scientists of that time.

Meanwhile, the editors of the newspaper “St. Petersburg Vedomosti” received a letter from M.M. Filippov, dated June 11, 1903 - that is, it was written and sent just before that tragic night. Its author wrote that from his youth he had been thinking about how to stop wars and make them impossible. “Surprisingly,” Filippov reported, “the other day I made a discovery, the practical development of which will actually abolish war. We are talking about a method I invented for electrically transmitting an explosion wave over a distance, and, judging by the method used, this transmission is possible over a distance of thousands of kilometers... But with such warfare at the distances I indicated, war actually becomes madness and should be abolished. I will publish the details in the fall in the memoirs of the Academy of Sciences.”

Filippov's friend, professor A.S. Trachevsky gave an interview to St. Petersburg Vedomosti, in which, in particular, he said: “As a historian, Mikhail Mikhailovich could tell me about his plan only in general terms. When I reminded him of the difference between theory and practice, he firmly said: “Checked. I’ve had some experiments, and I’ll do more.” Filippov outlined the essence of the secret to me approximately, as in a letter to the editor. He repeated more than once, hitting the table with his hand: “It’s so simple, and cheap! It’s amazing how they haven’t figured it out yet.” I remember Mikhail Mikhailovich added that this problem was approached in America, but in a completely different and unsuccessful way.”

Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev also considered it his duty to speak in print, noting that “the ideas of M.M. Filippova may well withstand scientific criticism.” And in a conversation with Trachevsky, the great chemist expressed himself even more clearly: “There is nothing fantastic in Filippov’s basic idea: the wave of an explosion is transferable, like a wave of light and sound.”

Researcher - revolutionary

And although the government reacted very coolly to all these publications, the newspapermen did not calm down and continued the excavations. Thus, the Moscow newspaper “Russkoye Slovo” eventually found out that the inventor quite often traveled to Riga, where back in 1900 “in the presence of some specialists he carried out experiments in exploding objects at a distance.” And upon returning to St. Petersburg, he said that he was extremely pleased with the results of the experiments.

When the newspaper's correspondents tried to find the drugs and equipment from Filippov's laboratory, seized during a search by the St. Petersburg security department, as well as his papers, including the manuscript of the book, it turned out that all this had disappeared without a trace, and with the assistance of members of the royal family, and even the emperor himself Nicholas II.

The case became even more intriguing when it turned out that the seized manuscript was called "Revolution through Science, or the End of Wars." Moreover, it was not a purely theoretical work. Filippov wrote to friends - and his letters must have been opened and read by the secret police - that he had made an amazing discovery. It seems that he actually found a way to reproduce the effect of an explosion using a directed beam of short radio waves.

“I can reproduce the full force of an explosion with a beam of short waves,” he wrote in one of the found letters. - The blast wave is completely transmitted along the carrier electromagnetic wave, and thus a charge of dynamite detonated in Moscow can transmit its effect to Constantinople. Experiments I have carried out show that this phenomenon can be caused at a distance of several thousand kilometers. The use of such weapons in a revolution will lead to the fact that peoples will rebel, and wars will become completely impossible.”

Lenin and Filippov

But maybe this is all a bluff, and all Filippov’s statements are nothing more than science fiction? Let's try to figure it out...

Before going into the details of the case, let us provide some information about Filippov himself. Yes, Mikhail Mikhailovich was a good writer. When he published the novel “Besieged Sevastopol” in 1889, Tolstoy and Gorky admired him with one voice. Yes, he had remarkable imagination, intelligence and talent. These qualities were enough for him to appreciate, for example, the work of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky “Exploration of World Spaces with Jet Instruments” and publish it in his “Scientific Review” - the first, by the way, popular science magazine in Russia. So if it weren’t for Filippov, perhaps no one would have ever known about Tsiolkovsky - the Kaluga teacher would have dried up in his wilderness. It turns out that to some extent we owe the first satellite and modern cosmonautics to Mikhail Mikhailovich.

In addition, Filippov translated it into French and thereby gave the whole world the opportunity to get acquainted with Mendeleev’s main work - “Fundamentals of Chemistry”, where his famous law was formulated and the periodic table of elements was given.

In short, as you can see, Filippov does not make a frivolous science fiction writer. In addition, he was a convinced Marxist, and, despite the danger to which he exposed himself, he spoke about it openly. So, on November 19, 1900 L.N. Tolstoy wrote in his diary: “I argued about Marxism with Filippov; he spoke very convincingly.”

For a long time there was even a legend that V.I. was also published in Scientific Review. Lenin. In any case, reviews of books signed “V.Ul.” occasionally appeared on its pages, and some believed that this signature pointed to Vladimir Ulyanov. In this way a direct connection would be established between Lenin and Filippov.

However, modern research has shown that these reviews were written by a certain V.-D. Ulrich. It’s a pity, it would be nice to include Lenin among the magazine’s staff!

But one way or another, Lenin knew the works of Filippov, who undoubtedly had a great influence on him. The famous passage from “Materialism and Empirio-Criticism”, which talks about the inexhaustible nature of the electron, is taken directly from Filippov’s work. There is also reason to believe that it was he who came up with the famous formula: “Communism is Soviet power plus the electrification of the entire country,” taken up by the first leader of the Soviet state.

The forerunner of the argon bomb?

This is what this man was like: a scientific popularizer, a major writer, mathematician, economist, chemist, experimenter, theorist of the connections between science and the ideology of Marxism, a convinced revolutionary, who had been under police surveillance since the assassination of Emperor Alexander II! It is clear that Nicholas II, especially his wife Alexandra Fedorovna, did not lose sight of such a large figure.

I insist on this version for the following reasons. Remember, these events took place before the First World War. The wife of our last emperor was of German descent, and many secrets of the Russian court immediately became the property of the German court.

It is also known that the Germans have been diligently working on ray weapons since the beginning of the century. Moreover, having not received proper results under the Kaiser, they continued their research under the Fuhrer, right up to the very end of World War II (see details in TM, No. 9, 1997). And it’s not Filippov’s fault that German specialists were never able to really take advantage of his legacy.

Similar work was carried out overseas. Remember Mikhail Mikhailovich’s hint that this problem “was approached in America, but in a completely different and unsuccessful way.” In all likelihood, this refers to the research and experiments NikolTesla conducted in his laboratory in Colorado Springs. Around these years, he demonstrated the possibility of lighting an electric garland without connecting it to the electrical network and was toying with the idea of a “worldwide telegraph.” The tower of this installation, which, in theory, was supposed to solve the problem of transmitting electricity without wires over any distance, even began to be built. However, the First World War broke out, and construction was stopped...

The ideas of Tesla and Filippov were remembered only in the 60s, after World War II, when work with lasers began in full swing. And in the 70s, as far as I know, the so-called argon bomb was successfully tested in the USA.

The principle of its operation is as follows: when a charge of dynamite or other explosive placed in a quartz cylinder explodes, argon gas is compressed and it begins to glow intensely. This light energy is concentrated into a laser beam and transmitted over a long distance.

In this way, they managed to set fire to an aluminum model of an airplane at an altitude of 1000 m. They say that airplanes are now prohibited from flying over some regions of the United States where such experiments are being carried out. During the Star Wars era, it was envisioned that such weapons could be mounted on missiles and used to destroy other missiles, which would constitute an effective defense even against multi-stage hydrogen bomb launch vehicles.

Therefore, Filippov’s idea, albeit in a truncated form, was actually implemented.

The professor, of course, did not know the laser, but he studied ultrashort waves about a millimeter in length, which he received using a spark generator. He published several works on this topic. Even today, the properties of such waves are not fully understood, and Filippov could well have found a way to convert the energy of the explosion into a narrow beam of ultrashort waves.

How exactly he wanted to convert the acoustic shock wave of the explosion into microwave radiation would be a good idea to find out. Look, it would be useful for modern inventors...

Progress is driven by loners

To some, it may seem unrealistic that a scientist alone made such an important discovery, now completely lost. But there are many arguments against this objection.

First of all, Filippov was not a lone scientist in the full sense of the word. He maintained relationships with the most prominent figures in science around the world, read all scientific journals, was gifted with an encyclopedic mind, and could work at the intersection of many sciences and synthesize their results. In addition, despite everything that is said about the invaluable role of teams of scientists, no one has yet denied the fact that discoveries, as before, are still made by individuals.

Filippov had little money, but he did not have to deal with administrative formalities to get the necessary device, and this made it possible to advance quite quickly. And then he worked at a time when the study of ultrahigh frequencies was just beginning, and pioneers often see undiscovered areas better than those who replace them

The famous French popularizer of science Jacques Bergier is generally convinced that the murder of M.M. Fillipov was carried out by the Tsarist secret police on the direct orders of the initiator of the Hague Convention on the Laws and Customs of War, Nicholas II, who, thereby, not only destroyed a dangerous revolutionary, but also saved the world on the verge of death...

“If Filippov had managed to make his method public, it would undoubtedly have been perfected and used in the First World War,” writes Bergier. - And all the major cities of Europe, and possibly America, would have been destroyed. What about the wars of 1939 - 1945? Wouldn't Hitler, armed with Filippov's method, completely destroy England, and the Americans - Japan? I'm afraid that we might have to give an affirmative answer to all these questions. And it is possible that Emperor Nicholas II, whom everyone unanimously condemned, should be counted among the saviors of mankind.”...

What will happen if today someone manages to use Filippov’s method to transmit the energy of an atomic and hydrogen bomb explosion over a distance? It is clear that this would lead to the apocalypse and complete destruction of the world.

And this point of view, whether we are talking about Filippov’s invention or other inventions, is spreading more and more widely. Modern science recognizes that it has become too dangerous. For example, professors Grothendieck and Chevalley, who stood in the 70s. at the head of the “Survive” movement, they tried to isolate science and stop any cooperation between scientists and the military.

“At the same time, the collaboration of scientists with revolutionaries, no matter what their political coloring, should also be stopped. Imagine a group of people dissatisfied with the existing regime who would not place explosives under the doors of houses, but would blow up the Elysee Palace or Matignon using Filippov’s method! - emphasizes Bergier. - Filippov’s invention, whether it is used by the military or revolutionaries, is, in my opinion, one of those that can lead to the complete destruction of civilization. Discoveries of this kind must be under the strictest control."

Peace to the world!

But such inventions can easily be used peacefully. Gorky published a recording of his conversation with Filippov. Most of all, the writer was struck by the possibility of transmitting energy over a distance, which would make it possible to effectively industrialize those countries that need it. And he didn’t say a word about the possibility of using Filippov’s discovery for military purposes.

Glenn Seaborg, chairman of the US Atomic Energy Commission, mentioned a similar possibility: with the help of a beam of energy transmitted from the sky, a developing country could be industrialized very quickly, without any pollution. He also does not talk about the military use of this energy, but he probably has no right to do so.

Filippov, as already mentioned, was both a scientist, open to the scientific world, and a revolutionary. And he, most likely, would have made his discovery public, naively believing that the peoples, having received these weapons from him, would sweep away kings and tyrants from the face of the earth and, thanks to Marxism, establish peace everywhere.

Today we have become smarter. Work on the same argon bomb, on ray weapons, rumors about which from time to time circulate in the open press, in all likelihood, are being carried out in the strictest secrecy and are under proper control. However, fears that scientists are capable of blowing up the world remain. The famous English astrophysicist Fred Hoyle once wrote about this: “I am convinced that some five lines - no more - are capable of destroying civilization.”

Hoyle is certainly knowledgeable about modern science and what it can do. We live in a time when you can make a hydrogen bomb in a home workshop, when some people are already producing LSD or the even more dangerous drug phenylcyclidine at home. Somewhere there are already viruses and microbes stored that can cause diseases, in comparison with which even cancer and AIDS will seem like something like measles and flu...

One can also imagine a desk, in the drawer of which the manuscript that Fred Hoyle spoke of is still locked. Let's hope she stays in this Pandora's box forever.

We asked our regular author, candidate of technical sciences, famous Moscow inventor Yuri Vasilyevich MAKAROV, to analyze the mysterious story from a scientific and technical point of view.

As far as I remember, the magazine already tried to solve this problem once (see TM, No. 11, 1965). And then engineer A. Ivolgin suggested that the phenomenon of detonation through influence most likely took place here. It was discovered by the French Pamar and Coville in 1872, and two years later engineer-colonel A. Shulyachenko (who died, by a strange coincidence, 13 days before Filippov’s death) and captain Konyukhov not only investigated this phenomenon in detail, but also established the ability of dynamite to detonate at a distance, both in the air and under water or underground.

However, here we are only talking about the propagation of the shock wave of the explosion, and it does not allow initiating the explosion of another charge at a distance exceeding several tens of meters. Probably Filippov came up with something else.

Let's try to look at this problem from the other side. Is it possible to light a pack of cigarettes or a block of wood a hundred meters away from you? Any more or less sensible inventor will call this question childish. And he will immediately offer several options for solving the problem to choose from.

It’s easier, of course, to ignite both with a powerful laser beam. But there is a much smarter way to do the same thing without attracting everyone's attention. Using an alternating magnetic field or microwave radiation, you can ignite an object just as well. Only in the first case is it necessary for the pack to be in aluminum foil, and for the wooden block to have at least one nail, and in the second case, it is necessary to accurately focus the microwave radiation on the object.

By the way, microwave radiation, like ultrasound, is widely used in industry for accelerated drying of wood. But in this case our brains are turned on one side, directed in a militaristic direction; so it only remains to add to what has been said that the same pack of cigarettes, like coal, flour or sugar dust, if desired, can be blown up no worse than dynamite.

And if this is the case, another question arises: is it possible to initiate an unauthorized explosion of real explosives at a distance? Let's say, a bomber is flying, and suddenly, out of the blue, bombs explode on board... Or the same terrorist intends to carry or smuggle explosives into a supermarket or some other crowded place, when - boom ! - takes off on its own, long before the scheduled time and place.

Let's try to solve this problem in reverse. And to do this, let’s consider what happens during the explosion of at least the same TNT. The detonation of explosives is, in the language of chemists, a rapid transformation of a substance (in about 0.0001 s) from one state of aggregation to another, say, from solid to gaseous. This releases a large amount of energy, which is mostly a shock wave. It is she who does the mechanical work to destroy this or that object.

However, during an explosion, radio waves are also emitted, which are registered even by an ordinary radio receiver. In addition, intense infrared (thermal) and light radiation can be detected. Moreover, as a detailed study shows, the electromagnetic spectrum with a wavelength from 0.1 μm to 1 m accounts for a considerable share - up to half of the total energy.

And this is already quite interesting, since it allows us to use the well-known inventive principle of influencing like with like. Let us explain what “this” means in this particular case using this example. It is known that the same TNT burns quietly in a fire. An aircraft bomb falling at a speed of 900 km/h from a height of 2000 m onto a reinforced concrete floor, however, does not explode if its fuse suddenly malfunctions. And at the same time, the slightest spark in the detonator is enough for everything to go to hell.

And it’s enough to put the fuse in only one big bomb - the rest will explode “for company.” Moreover, detonation can be caused at a considerable distance. Thus, back in 1869, German expert F. Abel explained that the explosion of a neighboring powder magazine, located several tens of meters from the first one, occurred precisely as a result of detonation, and not at all due to planned and coordinated sabotage.

Well, if this is so, then isn’t it possible to initiate an explosion by induced radiation from the electromagnetic spectrum? It turns out that this is quite possible using even relatively simple technical means.

Let's say, at one time in the USSR, magnetic-cumulative generators MK-1 and MK-2 were developed. Such a generator consists of two coils, one of which creates the initial magnetic field, and the second is used to explosively “collapse” it. As a result, the initial magnetic field of 100 Oe is enhanced to 1 million Oe or more. In separate experiments, by “collapsing” the magnetic field, Soviet physicists obtained magnetic fields with strengths of up to 25 million Oe, that is, 100,000 times greater than the initial field.

Thus, all that remains is to direct the impulse in the right direction. This can be done in several ways. The easiest way, perhaps, is to use a detonation tube, on the inside of which an explosive substance is sprayed. It is essentially a classical waveguide, which is used in high-frequency radio engineering (for example, radar) to transmit electromagnetic energy with a wavelength of less than 10 cm.

Various types of reflectors are also suitable, including field ones - like those magnetic traps with the help of which modern physicists try to hold and direct a plasma cord in the desired direction.

So, in principle, detonating TNT or other explosives at a distance of 2, 200, and even 2000 km, as calculations show, is quite possible. But before you get to work, it’s worth calculating how much it will cost to develop such devices, as well as assessing the possibility of effective protection against them. According to my estimates, it turns out that the shield in this case is much more effective than the sword. And if the development of remote detonation systems will have to cost millions, or even billions, of rubles and dollars, then the development of protective equipment in some cases can be comparable to the cost of decent sunglasses.

It’s a different matter if we use such initiators for defensive purposes from the very beginning. For example, at an airport, along with the usual magnetic “gates” that react to metal, an initiating camera is also installed. For ordinary, well-intentioned citizens, passing through it poses absolutely no threat. But if a terrorist has explosives even on the heels of his boots, it will cost him dearly. It is possible that he simply will not get out of such a cell; From there they will take out what is left of him.

More powerful initiators can be used to make passages in minefields and generally neutralize them. As you know, sappers now often use so-called extended charges for such purposes. From a helicopter on land or from a minesweeper at sea, a cable is laid through the minefield, on which explosive charges are attached at certain intervals. Then they are blown up, and mines are initiated from them. There were loud explosions - and the passage through the minefield was ready.

The penultimate word of technology in this area, as far as I know, is the XM134 SLU-FAE multiple launch rocket system. The essence of its action is as follows: a 30-barreled system throws out three dozen unguided rockets with liquid explosives (propylene oxide). At the final trajectory of their flight, parachute systems are activated, and the liquid is sprayed over a large area, forming a cloud of explosive aerosol. If its detonation is initiated in a timely manner, a powerful volumetric explosion occurs, causing the detonation of all anti-tank and anti-personnel mines over a large area. In any case, a corridor is formed in the minefield with a length of at least 300 and a width of at least 8 m.

Well, the latest word in technology in this direction, in my opinion, could be a device that performs remote mine clearance at a distance of 5 to 2000 m. It is based on an initiating wave generator, made in the form of a gun for hunting elephants. An explosive substance is sprayed inside a thick steel pipe; at the blind end there is a cumulative mini-charge, and at the cut of the barrel there is a reflector with explosives again sprayed on its surface, designed to focus the released energy.

According to first estimates, one such “gun” is capable of providing, in a matter of minutes, a passage through a minefield sufficient for the fighting compartment to penetrate through it. What if there are such “guns” in every department?

Similar systems, only more powerful, can also be equipped with tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers. If necessary, they are also used to repel enemy attacks.

And finally, in the mini version, nothing prevents you from using such attachments at least for a Makarov pistol - a blank cartridge is enough, and the consequences are at a distance of up to 50 - 200 m.

	The diagram shows how the position of a charge can affect the range at which it initiates a neighboring charge. As you can see, when explosives are placed in a waveguide pipe, the detonation range increases significantly.
	Consecutive position of the shock wave front in the flow of gases emerging from the recess in the charge (according to G.I. Pokrovsky). By changing the geometry or density of the charge, you can direct the energy of the explosion
	A cross-section of a conventional cumulative projectile, which is in service with many armies as an anti-tank projectile. The numbers indicate: 1 - body; 2 - head; 3 - bursting charge; 4 - cumulative notch; 5 - cap; 6 - detonator; 7 - detonator capsule; 8 - channel inside the charge. A device for remote mine clearance may have approximately the same design.

Mikhail Mikhailovich Filippov. Born June 30 (July 12), 1858 in the village. Osokino, Zvenigorod district, Kyiv province - died on June 12, 1903 in St. Petersburg. Russian engineer, writer, philosopher, journalist, physicist, chemist, historian, economist and mathematician. Founder, publisher and editor of the Scientific Review magazine.

Mikhail Filippov was born in the village of Osokino, Zvenigorod district, Kyiv province (now Oknino, Katerinopol district, Cherkasy region). The estate belonged to his maternal grandfather Lavrenty Vasylkivsky, whose genealogy was traced back to Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky.

As a teenager, Mikhail studied French, German and English, and in preparation for entering university, he learned Latin and Greek. He received his education at the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University, and then at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Novorossiysk University in Odessa.

In 1892 he received a doctorate in natural philosophy from the University of Heidelberg (the topic of his dissertation was “Invariants of linear homogeneous differential equations”). Trained with Berthelot and Meyer.

In 1889, Filippov wrote and published the historical novel “Besieged Sevastopol,” marked by a sympathetic review from a Sevastopol veteran.

In 1890, in collaboration with the Croatian historian Marko Doshen, Filippov wrote and published the book “The Croats and Their Struggle with Austria” (“Hrvati i njihova borba s Austrijom”). The book was published under the pseudonym “M. D. Bilaygradsky.”

He was the author and editor of the three-volume Encyclopedic Dictionary (St. Petersburg, 1901, publishing house P. P. Soykin). He acted as a translator of the works of Darwin and other foreign scientists into Russian, as well as the works of Mendeleev into French. He was the author-biographer in the ZhZL series.

Filippov was the author of the first review in Russia of the 2nd volume of Capital. In 1895-1897 Filippov published the work “Philosophy of Reality”, where he assessed the main stages of the development of European philosophy from a materialistic point of view. In his essays “The Fate of Russian Philosophy” (published in 1898 in the magazine “Russian Wealth”), Filippov identified two trends in the history of Russian thought, which were associated with the influence of English empiricism and German idealism.

He adhered to left-wing, Marxist views, and therefore was under police surveillance since 1881 and was exiled to Terijoki (1901-1902). Filippov sharply criticized the religious and philosophical direction of Vladimir Solovyov.

In 1903, in the article “New Idealism,” he criticized the collection “Problems of Idealism” and its authors (N. A. Berdyaev, S. N. Bulgakov, E. N. Trubetskoy).

Filippov was the founder, publisher and editor of the journal Scientific Review (which ceased with his death).

Filippov's beam

He was engaged in research of millimeter electromagnetic waves and experiments on the transfer of explosion energy over a distance (hypothetical Filippov beam).

The scientist’s letter to the editor of the St. Petersburg Vedomosti newspaper, written on the eve of his death, is known: “In my early youth, I read from Buckle that the invention of gunpowder made wars less bloody. Since then, I have been haunted by the possibility of an invention that would make war almost impossible. Surprising as it may seem, the other day I made a discovery, the practical development of which will actually abolish war. We are talking about a method I invented for electrical transmission of an explosion wave over a distance, and, judging by the method used, this transmission is possible over a distance of thousands of kilometers, so that, having made an explosion in St. Petersburg, it will be possible to transmit its effect to Constantinople. The method is amazingly simple and cheap. But with such warfare at the distances I have indicated, war actually becomes madness and must be abolished. I will publish the details in the fall in the memoirs of the Academy of Sciences. The experiments are slowed down by the extraordinary danger of the substances used, some very explosive, like nitrogen trichloride, and some extremely poisonous.”

Death rays. Hyperboloid of engineer Filippov

Killed under unclear circumstances in St. Petersburg: on June 12, 1903, Filippov was found dead in his own home laboratory on the 5th floor of a building on the street. Zhukovsky, 37 (owned by Saltykov-Shchedrin’s widow, Elizaveta). The official version is apoplexy.

The press became interested in the mysterious death of the scientist. Filippov’s friend, Professor A. S. Trachevsky, gave an interview to St. Petersburg Gazette, in which, in particular, he said: “As a historian, Mikhail Mikhailovich could tell me about his plan only in general terms. When I reminded him of the difference between theory and practice, he firmly said: “It’s been tested, there have been experiments, and I will do it again.” Filippov outlined the essence of the secret to me approximately, as in a letter to the editor. He repeated more than once, hitting the table with his hand: “It’s so simple, and cheap! It’s amazing how they haven’t figured it out yet.” I remember Mikhail Mikhailovich added that this problem was approached in America, but in a completely different and unsuccessful way.”

still from the series "Hunting the Devil"

Filippov's documents and instruments were confiscated and are considered lost.

Filippov is survived by his son Boris (1903-1991), a Soviet theater figure, director of the Central House of Artists and the Central House of Writers.

Bibliography of Mikhail Filippov:

♦ Filippov B. M. The thorny path of the Russian scientist: The life and work of M. M. Filippov / Academy of Sciences of the USSR. - M.: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1960;
♦ Filippov B. M. Thorny Path / Ed. and with a preface. acad. S. G. Strumilina. - Ed. 2nd, revised and additional - M.: Nauka, 1969;
♦ Filippov B. M. The thorny path of the Russian scientist: The life and work of M. M. Filippov / Rep. ed. B. M. Kedrov. - Ed. 3rd, revised and additional - M.: Nauka, 1982;
♦ Filippov M. M. Sketches of the past: Selected essays, scientific works, fiction, literary criticism. - M.: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1963;
♦ Smirnov-Sokolsky N.P. Stories about books. - Ed. 2nd. - M.: Book, 1977

Writer, b. in Nikolaev on March 25, 1828, died in Riga on November 11, 1886. He was educated at the Richelieu Lyceum, from where he transferred to the Faculty of Law at St. Petersburg University.

After completing the course with the degree of candidate of laws (in 1851), F. devoted himself to legal and journal activities, which he began in Sovremennik with articles on legal issues (“A look at the Russian judicial system and legal proceedings” 1859, books 1, 3 , 4, 7 and 8) and the accusatory story “Police Chief Bubenchikov” (ibid., 1859, book 10). In the same magazine (1861, books 2 and 3, and 1862, books 3 and 4) “A Look at Russian Civil Laws” was published. Then, in “Russian Word” the following articles were published: “The nature of specific women’s crimes and punishments” (1863, book 4), “World Court” (1863, book 5), “Death penalty” (books 11 and 12) , “Innocent Lawyers” (1864, book 6), “On judicial statistics in Russia” (1864, book 7). The following articles appeared in the magazine "Epoch": "On commercial courts and commercial insolvency" (1864, book 1) and "On special types of civil proceedings" (book 10). Most of these articles were included in parts into F.'s most significant two-volume work, “Judicial Reform in Russia” (1872-1875). In the early seventies, “The History of Punitive Institutions in Europe, America and Russia” (1873) was published as a separate publication; the “Otech. Zapiski” (1872, books 8 and 9) contained an article “On the right of ownership of works of science and Literature", and in "Russian Antiquity" (1873, vol. VIII) - "Prison in Russia", a personal draft of Empress Catherine II, translation from French. The novel “The Mourners,” published in the early seventies, was withdrawn from circulation.

F.'s subsequent fictional works turned out to be happier. Thus, the novel "Dawn" (1873) went through three editions (in the second and third - 1875 and 1878 - it was called "Petersburg Half-Light") and "Patriarch Nikon" - two, in 1885 and 1888. In addition, F. wrote the historical story “Under the Sky of Ukraine” and the unfinished novel “The Last of the Fast and Nimble”, published in the magazine “Vek”, which F. published in 1882-1883. F.'s articles and feuilletons, in addition to the above-mentioned publications, were published in Novosti, Novoye Vremya, St. Petersburg Vedomosti, Sveta and other newspapers.

F. devoted his last years mainly to studies in Russian history and wrote the history of Russia from the time of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. “Familiar”, album by M. I. Semevsky, St. Petersburg, 1888, p. 96. - D. D. Yazykov: “Review”, vol. 6th, p. 120. - "Historical Bulletin", 1887, book. 1, p. 238. (Polovtsov) Filippov, Mikhail Avraamovich (1828-1886) - lawyer and publicist.

He studied at the Richelieu Lyceum and at the Faculty of Law in St. Petersburg. Univ. He attracted attention with an extensive article in Sovremennik: “A look at the Russian judicial system and legal proceedings” (1859, books 1-4, 7 and 8) and an accusatory story “Police Chief Bubenchikov” (ib., 1859, book 10). In the same magazine (1861, books 2 and 3, and 1862, books 3 and 4) he published “A Look at Russian Civil Laws”; in "Russian Word" - "The Nature of Specific Women's Crimes and Punishments" (1864, book 4), "World Court" (1863, book 5), "Death Penalty" (books 11 and 12), "Innocent Lawyers" (1864, book 6), “On judicial statistics in Russia” (1864, book 7); in "Epoch" - "On commercial courts and commercial insolvency" (1864, book 1) and "On special types of civil proceedings" (book 10), in "Otech. Notes" (1872, books 8 and 9) - "On the right of ownership of works of science and literature." Most of these articles were included in F.'s two-volume work "Judicial Reform in Russia" (1872-75). In the early 1870s. His “History of Punitive Institutions in Europe, America and Russia” (1873) was published as a separate publication. Published by him in the early 1870s. The novel "The Mourners" was withdrawn from circulation.

Among F.'s other fictional works, the novel "Dawn" (1873) went through three editions (in the 2nd and 3rd - 1875 and 1878 - it was called "Petersburg Polumvet"); "Patriarch Nikon" - two, in 1885 and 1888. In addition, F. wrote the historical story “Under the Sky of Ukraine” and the unfinished novel “The Last of the Fast and Nimble”, published in the magazine “Vek”, which F. published in 1882-83. (Brockhaus)

The scientist was lying face down on the floor without a frock coat. The abrasions on his face indicated that he fell as if knocked down, without even having time to raise his arms.

“The explosion wave is available for transmission”...

Researcher - revolutionary

Lenin and Filippov

But maybe this is all a bluff, and all Filippov’s statements are nothing more than science fiction? Let's try to figure it out...

However, modern research has shown that these reviews were written by a certain V.-D. Ulrich. It’s a pity, it would be nice to include Lenin among the magazine’s staff!

The forerunner of the argon bomb?

Therefore, Filippov’s idea, albeit in a truncated form, was actually implemented.

How exactly he wanted to convert the acoustic shock wave of the explosion into microwave radiation would be a good idea to find out. Look, it would be useful for modern inventors...

Progress is driven by loners

To some, it may seem unrealistic that a scientist alone made such an important discovery, now completely lost. But there are many arguments against this objection.

Peace to the world!

One can also imagine a desk, in the drawer of which the manuscript that Fred Hoyle spoke of is still locked. Let's hope she stays in this Pandora's box forever.

P.S.
Here's what's happening today...

The entire document is here.

Mikhail Filippov (physicist)

Filippov's beam

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