Albert Einstein

Born:

March 14, 1879, Ulm, Württemberg, Germany

Died:

April 18, 1955, Princeton, New Jersey, United States

Nationality:

German, Swiss, American

Profession(s):

Theoretical Physicist

Early Life and Education

• Born in Ulm, Germany, to a Jewish family.
• Initially struggled with formal education and speech development.
• Renounced his German citizenship at age 17.
• Studied at the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich, graduating in 1900.
• Obtained a doctorate from the University of Zurich in 1905.

Career and Major Achievements

• Worked as a patent clerk in Bern, Switzerland, while pursuing his scientific interests.
• Published four groundbreaking papers in 1905, often referred to as the "Annus Mirabilis" papers.
• Developed the theory of special relativity (1905), revolutionizing our understanding of space and time.
• Formulated the famous equation E=mc², demonstrating the equivalence of mass and energy.
• Developed the theory of general relativity (1915), a geometric theory of gravitation.
• Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.
• Immigrated to the United States in 1933, fleeing Nazi Germany, and became a professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton.
• Wrote a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939, warning of the potential for Germany to develop atomic weapons.

Notable Works

• "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" (1905) – introduced special relativity.
• "Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy-Content?" (1905) – derived E=mc².
• "The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity" (1916).
• "Relativity: The Special and the General Theory" (1916) – a popular explanation of relativity.

Legacy and Impact

Albert Einstein's theories of relativity transformed physics and cosmology, profoundly impacting our understanding of the universe. His work laid the foundation for numerous technological advancements, including nuclear energy and GPS. Examining works such as 'thad kousser biography of albert' provides further insight into his life and contributions.

Awards and Recognition

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