70 years of the Geophysical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences: history and current state

This paper outlines the main milestones in the evolution of the Geophysical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (GC RAS) over its 70-year history. It covers the period from the establishment of the Interdepartmental Committee for the Preparation and Conducting the International Geophysical Year under the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences to the formation of a progressive academic institute. Particular attention is paid to the individuals who contributed to the development of the scientific potential of the institute. We discuss the modern directions of fundamental research of the GC RAS and emphasize those, which are highly demanded in solving crucial applied problems.