Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist who is widely considered one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century. He is known for his famous equation E=mc², which describes the relationship between energy and mass, and for his theory of general relativity, which fundamentally transformed our understanding of space, time, and gravity. Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany, and attended school in Munich. After finishing school, he moved to Switzerland to study physics and mathematics at the Polytechnic School in Zurich. Einstein began working as a patent clerk in Bern, Switzerland, while continuing to work on his scientific research. In 1905, he published several papers that became known as the "Annus Mirabilis papers," which included his theory of special relativity and the equation E=mc². In 1915, Einstein published his theory of general relativity, which explained the force of gravity as the curvature of spacetime caused by the presence of massive objects. This theory was later confirmed by observations during a solar eclipse in 1919. Einstein was also a passionate pacifist and activist, and he spoke out against the use of atomic bombs during World War II. After the war, he became involved in efforts to promote world peace and the establishment of the United Nations. Throughout his life, Einstein received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to science, including the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921. He died in 1955 at the age of 76 in Princeton, New Jersey, where he had been a professor at the Institute for Advanced Study.