Academy on the edge of death. Azimov A.

Once, sitting on the metro train, Isaac Azimov looked through a collection of space operas and stumbled upon an illustration depicting a Roman legionnaire among starships. And the thought flashed - but whether to describe the galactic empire - from the point of view of history, economics, sociology and psychology? So the greatest scientist appeared in the history of world science fiction - Gary Seldon, who created science of psychoistoria, whose postulates have been relevant for more than half a century. So the Academy or foundation appeared in the world of which the events of the Galactic History cycle occur, which includes almost all the novels of the famous science fiction writer.