[On some demographic characteristics of the members of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the 20th century].

The demographic life characteristics of the Russian science elite (full and corresponding members of the Academy of Sciences in 20th century) and the relationship between their birth and death dates are given in the paper. The following demographic characteristics of the RAS members have been estimated: a) the mean life span of full RAS members is 75 years, and of corresponding members--72.1 years; b) the mean life span of full RAS members after their election is 16.6 years, and that of corresponding members is 17 years; c) the mean age of the election to the Academy is 58.4 years for full members and 55 years for the corresponding members. These characteristics were used to analyze the social status of the group representing potential academic elite and to evaluate changes in that status caused by the fact of their election to the Academy. It has been found that the mean, maximum and minimum ages of their election to the Academy actually coincide with respective characteristics of Nobel Prize winners. However the life span of the latter after awarding is significantly, over 3 years, greater than that of full RAS members after their election. There is a small proportion of women among the members of the Academy (2%). This is also true for Nobel Prize winners (3.2%). It is shown that a week period of +/-3 days of the birth date for the members of the Academy is characterized by a much higher mortality rate exceeding the average one by about 60%. A similar tendency was shown earlier for the eminent persons of the world community in literature, science, business, and politics in 18th-20th centuries.