The spontaneous creation of the Universe.

The problem of quantum creation of the Universe is considered. The physical meaning of the statement that the closed Universe has zero total mass is discussed. It is shown that the possibility of creation does not contradict the conservation laws of physics. The intimate connection between this problem and the inflationary theory is revealed and different historical versions of the latter are recalled. It is explained how the development of the inflationary theory has led to the picture of inhomogeneous stochastic inflation that, in turn, results in a change in the ideas of the quantum creation of the Universe. See also Abstr. 44.161.080.