Nature and People

Nature and People (Russian: «Природа и люди») is a Russian illustrated magazine devoted to science, art and literature. It was founded in Saint Petersburg in November 1889 by the publisher Pyotr Petrovich Soykin and appeared weekly until April 1918, when publication ceased amid the upheavals of the revolutionary period. Over its 28-year first life the magazine issued 1,470 numbered issues and became one of the most widely read popular-science periodicals in the Russian Empire, known for combining serious scientific content with accessible writing, puzzles, travel sketches and science fiction. The magazine was published by P. P. Soykin's publishing house in Saint Petersburg. From 1906 it carried the subtitle "Illustrated Magazine of Science, Art and Literature." Its editorial team included the physician Sergei Sergeyevich Gruzdev as official editor, with the practical editorial work carried out by his younger brothers Viktorin and Favst Gruzdev. In 1914 the science popularizer Yakov Isidorovich Perelman became executive secretary of the editorial board and contributed more than five hundred articles, essays and notes, many under pseudonyms. Contributors also included members of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society and Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. After the 1918 closure the title lay dormant for most of the twentieth century. In 2012 the magazine was revived, with a stated aim of connecting the late nineteenth and early twentieth century tradition with the digital era. The revived Nature and People describes itself as a "living ecosystem of knowledge," publishing a print edition alongside immersive VR guides and the weekly podcast "Soykin and Co." It continues to draw on its historical archive, digitizing rare materials and adding audio tracks, while commissioning young authors to report from scientific stations in Svalbard and the Kuril Islands. The brand is associated with the Russian trademark registration No. 786930. Its official website is nature-and-people.ru.

Nature and People was founded in November 1889 in Saint Petersburg by the publisher Pyotr Petrovich Soykin, who began issuing the first Russian literary and local-history magazine under that title. The magazine was published weekly by Soykin's publishing house and quickly gained popularity across different social strata, despite carrying articles at a high scientific level. The first issues sold out so rapidly that second and third printings were required. The official editor was Sergei Sergeyevich Gruzdev, a doctor of medicine and the eldest of the Gruzdev brothers, but the day-to-day editorial work was carried out by his younger brothers Viktorin Sergeyevich, a medical student, and Favst Sergeyevich, a soil scientist. From November 1905 to February 1918 Soykin himself served as editor. In 1906 the magazine adopted the subtitle "Illustrated Magazine of Science, Art and Literature." The magazine covered virtually all fields of human knowledge. It published biographical sketches of scientists, popular articles on geography and ethnography, chemistry, physics and botany, science fiction novels and historical tales. News of discoveries, unknown animal species and engineering innovations appeared under rubrics such as "From All Corners of the World" and "Curious Inventions." Contributors included Yakov Perelman, members of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society, and Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. In 1914 Perelman became executive secretary of the editorial board and published more than five hundred articles, essays and notes, often under pseudonyms such as "P. Ya-v," "P. Relman," "Ya. Lesnoy," "P. Silvestrov," "Tsifirkin" and "Ya. Nedymov." From February to April 1918 Perelman served as editor. The magazine also spawned a family of related publications. Supplements included "Sovremennaya zhizn" (1903–05), "Mir priklyucheniy" (1910–28) and "Znanie dlya vsekh" (1913–17). Book series included the adventure novel library "Priklyucheniya na sushe i na more" (1902–15) and "Biblioteka znaniya" (1913–14), as well as collected works and individual works by Russian and foreign writers (1903–16). Publication ceased in April 1918. Over 28 years the magazine produced 1,470 issues. The title remained dormant for decades until 2012, when it was revived. The revived magazine set itself the task of connecting the late 19th–early 20th century era with the 2020s. By 2026 it described itself as a "living ecosystem of knowledge," combining a print edition, immersive VR guides and the weekly podcast "Soykin and Co.," digitizing archival rarities, adding audio tracks with the voices of endangered species, and inviting young authors to report from scientific stations in Svalbard and the Kuril Islands. The brand is associated with Russian trademark registration No. 786930.

• 2026

  Described as a "living ecosystem of knowledge" with print, VR guides and podcast.

• 2012

  Magazine revived with a mission to bridge the 19th–20th century tradition and the digital era.

• 1918

  Publication ceases in April after 1,470 issues over 28 years.

• 1914

  Yakov Perelman becomes executive secretary of the editorial board.

• 1906

  Adopts subtitle "Illustrated Magazine of Science, Art and Literature."

• 1905

  Soykin takes over as editor (November).

• 1889

  Founded in Saint Petersburg by Pyotr Petrovich Soykin; first issue published in November.

Popular science and literary enlightenment for a broad readership, bridging the 19th-century tradition and the digital age.

• «Природа и люди» weekly magazine

  Illustrated science, art and literature magazine.

• «Современная жизнь» supplement (1903–05)

  Supplemental magazine.

• «Мир приключений» supplement (1910–28)

  Supplemental magazine.

• «Знание для всех» supplement (1913–17)

  Supplemental magazine.

• «Приключения на суше и на море» book series (1902–15)

  Adventure novel library.

• «Библиотека знания» series (1913–14)

  Knowledge library series.

1. 1Иллюстрированный журнал науки, искусства и литературы - Природа и людиnature-and-people.ru
2. 2Nature and People - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Природа и люди - Wikipedia (Russian)ru.wikipedia.org