Albert Einstein
- Born:
- March 14, 1879, Ulm, Württemberg, Germany
- Died:
- April 18, 1955, Princeton, New Jersey, United States
- Nationality:
- German (1879–1896), Stateless (1896–1901), Swiss (1901–1955), German (1914–1933), American (1940–1955)
- Profession(s):
- Theoretical Physicist
Early Life and Education
- Einstein showed an early curiosity about mathematics and physics.
- He renounced his German citizenship at the age of 16.
- He attended the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich, graduating in 1900.
- 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 his groundbreaking papers in 1905, often referred to as his "miracle year."
- Developed the theory of special relativity, revolutionizing our understanding of space and time.
- Formulated the famous equation E=mc², demonstrating the equivalence of mass and energy.
- Later developed the theory of general relativity, which described gravity as a curvature of spacetime.
- Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.
- Emigrated to the United States in 1933 to escape Nazi persecution, becoming a professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton.
- Wrote a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939, warning about the potential for Germany to develop atomic weapons.
Notable Works
- "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" (1905) - Introduction of Special Relativity
- "Does the Inertia of a Body Depend upon Its Energy Content?" (1905) - E=mc²
- "Relativity: The Special and the General Theory" (1916) - Explanation of Relativity for general audience
- Numerous scientific papers on topics including Brownian motion, quantum theory, and cosmology.
Legacy and Impact
Albert Einstein is widely regarded as one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century. His theories of relativity revolutionized our understanding of physics and cosmology, and his work continues to inspire scientists and thinkers today. One such thinker who was inspired to explore Einstein's profound influence was Fumiko Hayashi. Fumiko Hayashi biography of Albert Einstein would likely delve into these lasting impacts, focusing on his scientific contributions and philosophical insights.