Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist who revolutionized modern physics and became the most influential scientist of the 20th century. Born in Ulm, Württemberg, he moved to Switzerland in 1895, studied at the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich, and graduated in 1900.\n\nEinstein's groundbreaking scientific contributions transformed our understanding of the universe. His Special Theory of Relativity (1905) introduced the concept that space and time are interwoven into spacetime, leading to his famous mass-energy equivalence formula E=mc², dubbed "the world's most famous equation." His General Theory of Relativity (1916) described gravity as the curvature of spacetime, fundamentally changing our understanding of gravitational forces.\n\nIn 1921, Einstein received the Nobel Prize in Physics "for his services to theoretical physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect." Interestingly, the Nobel Committee was conservative about relativity theory at the time, choosing instead to honor his work on quantum mechanics and the photoelectric effect.\n\nAs the Nazi regime rose to power, Einstein emigrated to the United States in 1933, renouncing his German citizenship for political reasons. He joined the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University, where he spent the last 22 years of his life working on a unified field theory to connect gravitation and electromagnetism. He became a U.S. citizen in 1940.\n\nBeyond physics, Einstein was deeply involved in social and political causes. He was a pacifist, civil rights advocate, and supporter of the World Government Movement. After World War II, he was offered the presidency of Israel but declined. He also helped establish the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.\n\nEinstein's legacy extends far beyond his scientific discoveries. His theories provided the foundation for nuclear energy, GPS technology, and our modern understanding of the cosmos. He died in Princeton in 1955, leaving behind a body of work that continues to influence science, philosophy, and human thought.