Bulgarian geologist Todor Nikolov was born in Varana village, Pleven district, North Bulgaria in 1931. He graduated from high school in the town of Levski (1949). In 1955 he received his Master’s degree from Sofia University and a PhD in the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in 1967. He completed post-graduate studies at the Moscow State University (1960) and at the Dijon University, France (1968). He became DSc of Sofia University in 1984, Professor (Sofia University) (1979) and Fellow (Academician) of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Doctor Honoris Causa (Paul-Sabatier University of Toulouse, France, 1994). Elected Foreign associate member (Membre associé étranger) of the French Geological Society (since 1978), Honorary member of the Serbian Geological Society (since 2001) and the Bulgarian Geological Society (since 2005). Vice-Dean and Dean of the Fac. Geology and Geography at Sofia University (1972-1979), vice-rector of Sofia University (1979-1987), President of National Commisssion of Scientific Degree (1987-1990).

    He was awarded the National Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius (1982), Gold Medal of the Paul Sabatier University of Toulouse (1994), French Order “Palmes académiques” (1996), Honorary medal with Blue Ribbon of Sofia University (1996), Honorary symbol of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (2001), etc.

    Main fields of scientific interests and research activities: Paleontology and Stratigraphy; Theory of evolution, Paleogeography, Paleoclimatology and Regional geology. He has written over 320 scientific publications and the following main books: Biostratigraphy (1977); Les ammonites de la famille Berriasellidae (1982); The Long Path of Life (1983); The Mediterranean Lower Cretaceous (1987); The Continents and Oceans – Perpetual Motion (1991); Principles of Paleontology and Historical Geology (four editions 1996–2013); Global Challenges before Mankind (first ed. in 2006, second revised and enlarged ed. in 2013); Outlines of a life’s path (first ed. in 2016, second ed. in 2017) and four books on the Principles of Stratigraphy and Regional Petroleum Geology with co-authors.

   Since 2016 he is editor-in-Chief of the Journal “Comptes rendus de l’Adamémie bulgare des sciences” (Proceeding of the Bulgarian Academy of sciences”).