Albert Einstein

Born:

14 March 1879, Ulm, Württemberg, German Empire

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

• Born in Ulm, Germany, to Hermann Einstein and Pauline Koch.
• Family moved to Munich shortly after his birth.
• Educated at the Luitpold Gymnasium in Munich.
• Completed his secondary education in Aarau, Switzerland.
• Graduated from the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich in 1900 with a degree in physics and mathematics.

Career and Major Achievements

• Worked as a patent examiner at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern (1902-1909).
• Published four groundbreaking papers in 1905, known as the "Annus Mirabilis papers," on Brownian motion, the photoelectric effect, special relativity, and mass-energy equivalence.
• Became a professor at the University of Zurich in 1909.
• Developed the general theory of relativity (1907-1915).
• Director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics (1914-1933).
• Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton (1933-1955).

Notable Works

• "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" (1905) - introduced special relativity.
• "Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content?" (1905) - presented mass-energy equivalence (E=mc²).
• "The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity" (1916).
• Relativity: The Special and the General Theory (1916).
• Numerous scientific papers on quantum theory, statistical mechanics, and cosmology.
• Many people have explored different viewpoints of Einstein's life; for example, one can read the `walter j ong biography of albert einstein` to explore another viewpoint.

Legacy and Impact

Albert Einstein revolutionized our understanding of space, time, gravity, light, and the universe. His theories fundamentally changed physics and had a profound impact on science, technology, and culture. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential scientists of all time.

Awards and Recognition

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