Albert Einstein
- Born:
- March 14, 1879, Ulm, Württemberg, Germany
- Died:
- April 18, 1955, Princeton, New Jersey, United States
- Nationality:
- German (until 1896), Stateless (1896-1901), Swiss (1901-1955), American (1940-1955)
- Profession(s):
- Theoretical Physicist
Early Life and Education
- Einstein showed an early curiosity about compasses and geometry.
- He attended Luitpold Gymnasium in Munich, Germany.
- He later studied at the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich, graduating in 1900.
- Einstein initially struggled to find an academic position after graduation.
Career and Major Achievements
- Worked at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern from 1902 to 1909.
- Published four groundbreaking papers in 1905, often referred to as his "annus mirabilis" (miracle year).
- These papers covered Brownian motion, the photoelectric effect, special relativity, and mass-energy equivalence (E=mc²).
- Developed the general theory of relativity, published in 1915.
- Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.
- Accepted a position at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, in 1933.
- The quint studer biography of albert details his deep concerns about the rise of Nazism and his involvement in urging President Roosevelt to initiate the U.S. atomic program.
Notable Works
- "On a Heuristic Viewpoint Concerning the Production and Transformation of Light" (1905)
- "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" (1905)
- "Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content?" (1905)
- "Investigations on the Theory of the Brownian Movement" (1905)
- "The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity" (1916)
- "Relativity: The Special and the General Theory" (1916)
Legacy and Impact
Albert Einstein revolutionized our understanding of the universe. His theories of relativity reshaped physics, cosmology, and technology. He is considered one of the most influential scientists of all time, and his work continues to inspire researchers today.