Albert Einstein

Early Life

Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879, in Ulm, Kingdom of Württemberg, German Empire. He was the first child of Hermann Einstein, a salesman and engineer, and Pauline Koch. The family moved to Munich, where Einstein began his studies at the Luitpold Gymnasium.

Education

In 1894, the Einstein family moved to Italy, and Albert continued his education in Aarau, Switzerland, where he graduated from high school in 1896. He enrolled in the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich to study mathematics and physics. In 1900, he graduated with a diploma.

Career Highlights

Einstein worked at the Swiss Patent Office while publishing groundbreaking papers in physics. In 1905, often referred to as his "Annus Mirabilis" or Miracle Year, he published four papers that would change the course of modern physics:

• The Photoelectric Effect: This paper explained how light can be quantized into individual packets of energy called photons, for which he would later receive the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921.
• Brownian Motion: Einstein provided a theoretical explanation for the random motion of particles suspended in a fluid.
• Special Theory of Relativity: He introduced the famous equation \( E=mc^2 \), showing that mass and energy are interchangeable.
• Mass-Energy Equivalence: His work laid the foundation for atomic energy and modern nuclear science.

Later Years and Legacy

In 1915, Einstein presented the General Theory of Relativity, revolutionizing our understanding of gravity. His theories received worldwide acclaim, and he became a public figure known for advocating for civil rights, pacifism, and Zionism.

Einstein emigrated to the United States in 1933 due to the rise of the Nazi regime in Germany. He accepted a position at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, where he continued to work until his death on April 18, 1955.

Personal Life

Einstein married Mileva Marić in 1903, with whom he had three children. They divorced in 1919, and he later married his cousin Elsa Löwenthal. Throughout his life, he had an enduring passion for music, playing the violin and expressing a deep appreciation for the arts.