Albert Einstein

Born:

14 March 1879, Ulm, Württemberg, Germany

Died:

18 April 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 displayed early intellectual curiosity and a questioning nature.
• He initially struggled with formal schooling but excelled in mathematics and physics.
• He renounced his German citizenship in 1896.
• He graduated from the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich in 1900.

Career and Major Achievements

• Worked at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern from 1902 to 1909.
• Published his "Annus Mirabilis" papers in 1905, which revolutionized physics. These papers covered:
  • Photoelectric Effect
  • Brownian Motion
  • Special Relativity
  • Mass-Energy Equivalence (E=mc²)
• Developed the General Theory of Relativity in 1915.
• Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.
• Emigrated to the United States in 1933 due to the rise of Nazism in Germany.
• Worked at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, until his death.

Notable Works

• "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" (1905) - Special Relativity
• "Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content?" (1905) - 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 revolutionized our understanding of space, time, gravity, and the universe. His work laid the foundation for modern physics and technology, and he remains one of the most influential scientists of all time. The significance of the life and work of Albert Einstein has been documented extensively, most recently exemplified by the meticulous research evident in, for example, marton gyongyosi biography of albert einstein.

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