Albert Einstein

Biography

Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879, in Ulm, in the Kingdom of Württemberg in the German Empire, to Hermann Einstein, an electrochemical factory owner, and Pauline Koch. The family moved to Munich when Einstein was six weeks old, where he later attended the Luitpold Gymnasium. Despite early religious devotion at age twelve, Einstein's faith was challenged by science books, leading to a lifelong questioning of authority. A pivotal influence was medical student Max Talmud, who introduced him to higher mathematics and philosophy, including Aaron Bernstein's popular science series that sparked his scientific curiosity.

Einstein's academic journey took him through Switzerland, where he attended the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School in Zurich, graduating in 1900. Unable to find a teaching position, he worked as a technical assistant at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern from 1902 to 1909. During this period, he produced his most revolutionary work, including his 1905 'annus mirabilis' papers on the photoelectric effect, Brownian motion, special relativity, and mass-energy equivalence. He received his doctorate in 1905 and gradually moved through academic positions at universities in Zurich, Prague, and Berlin, where he developed his general theory of relativity.

Einstein's later years were marked by his emigration to the United States in 1933 to escape Nazi persecution, joining the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton. Despite his pacifist beliefs, he supported the development of atomic weapons during World War II but later advocated for nuclear disarmament and world peace. He spent his final decades unsuccessfully pursuing a unified field theory while remaining a prominent public intellectual who spoke out on civil rights, education, and human dignity. Einstein died on April 18, 1955, at Princeton, leaving behind a scientific legacy that continues to shape our understanding of the universe.

Major Works & Series

Literary Significance & Legacy

Einstein's written works transformed not only scientific understanding but also popular appreciation of science itself. His ability to explain complex theories in accessible language made him the first scientist to achieve true global celebrity, bridging the gap between academic physics and public consciousness. His 1917 book 'Relativity: The Special and the General Theory' became a bestseller and established the template for popular science writing, inspiring generations of scientists to communicate their work beyond academic circles.

Beyond science, Einstein's essays and letters on philosophy, religion, politics, and human rights revealed a profound humanitarian thinker. His writings on pacifism, civil rights, and the social responsibility of scientists influenced public discourse and established him as a moral authority. The ongoing publication of The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein by Princeton University Press, now spanning over 30 volumes, demonstrates the continuing relevance of his intellectual legacy to both scientific and humanistic inquiry.

Best Starting Points

• Relativity: The Special and the General Theory
  Einstein's own accessible explanation of his revolutionary theories, perfect for understanding his scientific thinking
• Ideas and Opinions
  Collection of Einstein's writings on science, philosophy, politics, and life, showing his broader intellectual concerns
• The Evolution of Physics (with Leopold Infeld)
  Masterful overview of physics development from Newton to quantum theory, written for general readers
• The World As I See It
  Personal reflections on religion, philosophy, and human values that reveal Einstein's humanitarian perspective

Famous Characters

• The Observer
  Einstein's theoretical physicist who measures events from different reference frames, demonstrating relativity principles
• The Experimenter
  The idealized scientist conducting thought experiments to explore the nature of space, time, and gravity
• The Elevator Passenger
  Subject of Einstein's famous thought experiment demonstrating the equivalence of acceleration and gravity
• The Train Traveler
  Figure used to illustrate time dilation and the relativity of simultaneous events
• The Curious Student
  Einstein's imagined reader seeking to understand complex scientific concepts through clear explanation
• The Concerned Citizen
  Einstein's public persona addressing social issues, civil rights, and the responsibility of scientists