 His father was Vladimir Vernadsky, famous Russian geologist.He entered the Moscow University (where his father was professor) in 1905 but, due to the disturbances of the First Russian Revolution, had to spend the next two years in Germany, at the Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg and the University of Berlin, where he imbibed the doctrines of Heinrich Rickert.Back in Russia, Vernadsky resumed his course at the Moscow University, graduating with honors in 1910.