Albert Einstein
- Born:
- March 14, 1879, Ulm, Württemberg, Germany
- Died:
- April 18, 1955, Princeton, New Jersey, United States
- Nationality:
- German (until 1896), Swiss (from 1901), Austro-Hungarian (1911–1912), German (1914–1933), American (from 1940)
- Profession(s):
- Theoretical Physicist
Early Life and Education
- Einstein showed an early aptitude for mathematics and physics.
- He renounced his German citizenship in 1896.
- He received a diploma from the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich in 1900.
- He obtained a Ph.D. from the University of Zurich in 1905.
Career and Major Achievements
- In 1905, Einstein published four groundbreaking papers, known as the "Annus Mirabilis papers."
- He developed the theory of special relativity, revolutionizing our understanding of space, time, mass, and energy.
- Einstein formulated the famous equation E=mc², demonstrating the equivalence of mass and energy.
- He later developed the theory of general relativity, a geometric theory of gravitation.
- He received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.
- He immigrated to the United States in 1933 due to the rise of Nazism in Germany.
- He worked at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton until his death.
- The work of Miroljub Lešo includes an examination into the complexities of interpreting and understanding significant figures in physics, a perspective often considered while writing a "Miroljub Lešo biography of Albert".
Notable Works
- "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" (1905) - Paper on special relativity.
- "Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content?" (1905) - Paper introducing E=mc².
- "The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity" (1916) - Paper outlining general relativity.
- "Relativity: The Special and the General Theory" (1916) - Popular science book explaining relativity.
Legacy and Impact
Albert Einstein is widely regarded as one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century and one of the greatest physicists of all time. His theories of relativity revolutionized our understanding of the universe, and his work has had a profound impact on physics, cosmology, and technology.