Albert Einstein

 

Albert Einstein History

Early Life

• Born: March 14, 1879, in Ulm, Kingdom of Württemberg, German Empire

• Parents: Hermann Einstein (engineer) and Pauline Einstein (musician)

• Childhood: Raised in Munich; showed early interest in math and science.

• Education:

  • Luitpold Gymnasium (Munich)

  • Swiss Federal Polytechnic Institute in Zurich (graduated 1900)

Einstein was a curious child, slow to speak but deeply thoughtful. He was fascinated by a compass he received at age 5, which sparked his interest in invisible forces like magnetism.

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Early Career

• Struggled to find a teaching job after graduation.

• In 1902, worked at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern.

• During this time, he continued studying physics independently.

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Annus Mirabilis – Miracle Year (1905)

In 1905, Einstein published four groundbreaking papers in the journal Annalen der Physik:

1. Photoelectric Effect – Showed that light consists of particles (photons); led to quantum theory.

2. Brownian Motion – Explained the motion of particles in fluids; proof of atoms' existence.

3. Special Theory of Relativity – Introduced the concept that time and space are relative.

4. E=mc² – Showed mass and energy are interchangeable.

This year made Einstein famous in the scientific community.

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Later Work and Achievements

• 1915: Published the General Theory of Relativity, which explained gravity as the warping of space-time.

• 1919: British scientists confirmed his theory during a solar eclipse; he became an international celebrity.

• 1921: Won the Nobel Prize in Physics (for the photoelectric effect, not relativity).

He continued work in theoretical physics and sought a unified field theory to link gravity and electromagnetism.

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Emigration and Life in the U.S.

• Einstein was Jewish and strongly opposed the Nazi regime in Germany.

• 1933: Emigrated to the United States after Hitler rose to power.

• Joined the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University, New Jersey.

• Became a U.S. citizen in 1940.

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Role in World War II

• Although a pacifist, Einstein signed a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939 warning that Nazi Germany might develop atomic weapons.

• This letter helped initiate the Manhattan Project, though Einstein had no direct role in it.

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Personal Life

• Marriages:

  • First wife: Mileva Marić (physicist); had three children.

  • Second wife: Elsa Löwenthal (his cousin).

• Loved music, especially playing the violin.

• Known for his unkempt hair, modesty, and wit.

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Death

• Died: April 18, 1955, in Princeton, New Jersey, at age 76.

• Cause: Abdominal aortic aneurysm.

• His brain was preserved for scientific study (controversially) after his death.

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Legacy

• Revolutionized our understanding of space, time, energy, and gravity.

• Symbol of intellectual genius and human curiosity.

• His theories still underpin modern physics, GPS systems, and cosmology.

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