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 (1914–1918), American (1940–1955)
- Profession(s):
- Theoretical Physicist
Early Life and Education
- Einstein's early education was primarily in Munich, Germany.
- He initially struggled with formal schooling, exhibiting independent thinking early on.
- He renounced his German citizenship in 1896 and later obtained Swiss citizenship in 1901.
- He attended the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School in Zurich, graduating in 1900.
Career and Major Achievements
- Worked at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern from 1902 to 1909.
- Published his groundbreaking "Annus Mirabilis" papers in 1905, revolutionizing physics. These papers covered Brownian motion, the photoelectric effect, special relativity, and mass-energy equivalence.
- Developed the theory of general relativity (1907-1915), published in 1915.
- Director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics (1914-1932).
- Professor at the University of Berlin (1914-1933).
- Emigrated to the United States in 1933 due to the rise of Nazism in Germany.
- Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton (1933-1955).
- Wrote a letter to President Roosevelt in 1939, warning about the potential for Germany to develop atomic weapons, leading to 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).
- "The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity" (1916).
- Numerous scientific papers and popular science books explaining his theories.
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 space, time, gravity, and the universe. His work laid the foundation for many technological advancements, including nuclear power and the atomic bomb. Even today, many seek to understand 'jean-philippe collard biography of albert', understanding the depth of Albert Einstein's impact.