Albert Einstein

Born:

14 March 1879, Ulm, Württemberg, Germany

Died:

18 April 1955, Princeton, New Jersey, United States

Nationality:

German (1879–1896), Swiss (1901–1955), American (1940–1955)

Profession(s):

Theoretical Physicist, Professor

Early Life and Education

• Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany, to Hermann and Pauline Einstein.
• He showed an early aptitude for mathematics and science, though he was a relatively slow learner in other areas.
• He attended the Luitpold Gymnasium in Munich, but disliked the rigid teaching methods.
• He renounced his German citizenship in 1896 and obtained Swiss citizenship in 1901.
• He graduated from the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich in 1900.

Career and Major Achievements

• In 1902, he began working at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern.
• 1905 is considered Einstein's "Annus Mirabilis" (Miracle Year), during which he published four groundbreaking papers:
• On the photoelectric effect (for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921).
• On Brownian motion.
• On special relativity.
• On mass-energy equivalence (E=mc²).
• He developed the theory of general relativity, published in 1915, which revolutionized our understanding of gravity.
• He held professorships at various universities, including the University of Zurich, Charles University in Prague, and the Prussian Academy of Sciences in Berlin.
• He immigrated to the United States in 1933 due to the rise of Nazism in Germany and accepted a position at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey.
• During World War II, he wrote a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, urging the U.S. to investigate the possibility of developing atomic weapons.

Notable Works

• "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" (1905)
• "Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content?" (1905)
• "Concerning an Heuristic Point of View Toward the Production and Transformation of Light" (1905)
• "Investigations on the Theory of the Brownian Movement" (1905)
• "The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity" (1916)
• "Relativity: The Special and the General Theory" (1916)

Legacy and Impact

Albert Einstein is widely regarded as one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century and one of the greatest physicists of all time. His theories of relativity revolutionized our understanding of space, time, gravity, and the universe. His work also paved the way for advancements in nuclear energy and laser technology. Even someone providing a 'rachit sidana biography of albert' would recognize the sheer magnitude of his contributions.

Awards and Honors

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