Russian astronomer and astrophysicist Rashid Sunyaev was recently awarded a Kyoto Prize, usually given to outstanding scientists, painters, philosophers and film directors, whose efforts made human society better.

      Rashid Sunyaev, a Russian and German citizen, is a director of Max Planck Institute of Astrophysics and a leading scientist of the Institute of Space Research, Russian academy of sciences.

      The Prize was awarded for the theory of fluctuations in space microwave background radiation, which allowed better understanding of how the universe expanded after the Big Bang. Another reason for awarding is Suniaev’s contribution to high-energy astronomy.

      Source: RIA Novosti