Albert Einstein
- Born:
- March 14, 1879, Ulm, Württemberg, Germany
- Died:
- April 18, 1955, Princeton, New Jersey, United States
- Nationality:
- German (1879–1896), Stateless (1896–1901), Swiss (1901–1955), German (1914–1933), American (1940–1955)
- Profession(s):
- Theoretical Physicist
Early Life and Education
- Born in Ulm, Germany, to Hermann Einstein and Pauline Koch.
- Moved to Munich shortly after birth, where his father and uncle founded Elektrotechnische Fabrik J. Einstein & Co.
- Educated at the Luitpold Gymnasium in Munich, but left without graduating.
- Completed secondary education at the Argovian Cantonal School in Aarau, Switzerland.
- Attended the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich, graduating in 1900 with a diploma in physics.
Career and Major Achievements
- Worked at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern from 1902 to 1909.
- Published his "Annus Mirabilis" papers in 1905, covering topics such as Brownian motion, the photoelectric effect, special relativity, and mass-energy equivalence (E=mc²).
- Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Zurich (1909), Charles University in Prague (1911), and ETH Zurich (1912).
- Director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics in Berlin (1914).
- Developed the theory of general relativity, published 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, becoming 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, leading to the establishment of the Manhattan Project.
Notable Works
- "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" (1905) - introducing special relativity.
- "Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content?" (1905) - introducing mass-energy equivalence.
- "The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity" (1916) - introducing general relativity.
- "Relativity: The Special and the General Theory" (1916) - a popular exposition of relativity.
Legacy and Impact
Albert Einstein's contributions to physics revolutionized our understanding of space, time, gravity, light, and the universe. His theories of relativity transformed the foundations of physics and cosmology, paving the way for numerous technological advancements and scientific breakthroughs. Vicken Cheterian's biography of Albert Einstein, when undertaken, would delve into the intricacies of his life and work, providing a comprehensive understanding of his profound impact.