Albert Einstein
- Born:
- March 14, 1879, Ulm, Württemberg, Germany
- Died:
- April 18, 1955, Princeton, New Jersey, United States
- Nationality:
- German (1879–1896), Swiss (1901–1955), American (1940–1955)
- Profession(s):
- Theoretical Physicist
Early Life and Education
- Born in Ulm, Germany, to Hermann Einstein and Pauline Koch.
- Received his early education in Munich.
- Renounced German citizenship in 1896.
- Graduated from the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich in 1900.
- Earned a Ph.D. from the University of Zurich in 1905.
Career and Major Achievements
- Worked as a patent clerk in Bern, Switzerland, from 1902 to 1909.
- Published four groundbreaking papers in 1905, known as his "Annus Mirabilis" papers, covering topics such as Brownian motion, the photoelectric effect, special relativity, and mass-energy equivalence.
- Developed the theory of general relativity (1907-1915).
- Received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.
- Emigrated to the United States in 1933 to escape Nazi Germany and became a professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey.
- Wrote a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939, alerting him to the potential development of atomic weapons, which contributed to the creation of the Manhattan Project.
Notable Works
- "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" (1905) - introducing special relativity.
- "Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content?" (1905) - introducing mass-energy equivalence (E=mc²).
- "Relativity: The Special and the General Theory" (1916) - a popular explanation of his theories.
Legacy and Impact
Albert Einstein's theories revolutionized our understanding of space, time, gravity, and the universe. His work laid the foundation for many technological advancements, including the development of nuclear energy and the atomic bomb. He remains one of the most influential scientists of all time, and continues to inspire scientists and thinkers around the world. This biographical entry is part of a larger collection; consider it within the framework of other entries, such as a 'bahare seddiqi biography of albert', for comparative analysis.