All of Einstein's discoveries. Key facts about the life of Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein is one of the most famous scientists of the twentieth century. It laid the foundation for a new branch of physics, and Einstein's E=mc 2 for the equivalence of mass and energy is one of the most famous formulas in the world. In 1921 he received Nobel Prize in physics for contributions to theoretical physics and the evolution of quantum theory.

Einstein is also well known as an original free thinker who spoke on a range of humanitarian and global issues. Contributed to theoretical development nuclear physics and supported F. D. Roosevelt in launching the Manhattan Project, but Einstein later opposed the use nuclear weapons.

Einstein, born into a Jewish family in Germany, moved to Switzerland as a young man and then, after Hitler came to power, to the United States. Einstein was a truly global man and one of the undisputed geniuses of the twentieth century. Now let's talk about everything in order.

Einstein's father, Hermann, was born in 1847 in the Swabian village of Buchau. Hermann, a Jew by nationality, had a penchant for mathematics and attended school near Stuttgart. He was unable to enter the university due to the fact that most universities were closed to Jews and subsequently began to engage in trade. Later, Hermann and his parents moved to the more prosperous city of Ulm, which prophetically had the motto “Ulmenses sunt mathematici”, which translated means: “the people of Ulm are mathematicians.” At the age of 29, Hermann married Pauline Koch, who was eleven years his junior.

Polina's father, Julius Koch, built a large fortune selling grain. Polina inherited practicality, wit, a good sense of humor and could infect anyone with laughter (she will successfully pass on these traits to her son).

German and Polina were happy couple. Their first child was born at 11:30 am on Friday, March 14, 1879, in Ulm, a city that at that time joined, along with the rest of Swabia, to the German Reich. Initially, Polina and Hermann planned to name the boy Abraham, after his paternal grandfather. But then they came to the conclusion that this name would sound too Jewish and they decided to keep the initial letter A and named the boy Albert Einstein.

It is worth paying attention to an interesting fact that will forever be imprinted in Einstein’s memory and significantly influenced him in the future. When little Albert was 4 or 5 years old he fell ill and
the father brought him a compass so that the boy would not be bored. As Einstein would later say, he was so excited by those mysterious forces that made the magnetic needle behave as if it were influenced by hidden unknown fields. This sense of wonder and inquisitiveness of mind remained with him and motivated him throughout his life. As he said: “I still remember, or at least I believe I can remember, that that moment made a deep and lasting impression on me!”

Around the same age, his mother instilled in Einstein a love of the violin. At first he did not like harsh discipline, but after he became more familiar with the works of Mozart, music began to seem both magical and emotional to the boy: “I believe that love is a better teacher than a sense of duty,” he said, “at least at least for me.” From then on, according to statements from close friends, when the scientist was faced with difficult problems, Einstein was distracted by music and it helped him concentrate and overcome difficulties. During the game, improvising, he thought about problems, and suddenly “he suddenly stopped in the middle of the game and excitedly went to work, as if inspiration came to him,” as his relatives said.

When Albert turned 6 years old and had to choose a school, his parents did not worry that there was no Jewish school nearby. And he went to a large Catholic school nearby, in Petershule. Being the only Jew among seventy students in his class, Einstein studied well and took a standard course in the Catholic religion.

When Albert was 9 years old, he transferred to high school near the center of Munich, the Leopold Gymnasium, which was known as an enlightened institution that intensively studied mathematics and science, as well as Latin and Greek.

In order to be accepted into the Federal Institute of Technology (later renamed ETH) in Zurich, Einstein passed the entrance exam in October 1895. However, some of his results were insufficient and, on the advice of the rector, he went to the "Kantonsschule" in the city of Aarau to improve his knowledge.

In early October 1896, Einstein received his school leaving certificate and shortly thereafter entered the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich as a teacher of mathematics and physics. Einstein was a good student and graduated in July 1900. He then worked as an assistant at the Polytechnic Institute in Shula and other universities.

Between May 1901 and January 1902 he studied in Winterthur and Schaffhausen. Soon he moved to Bern, the capital of Switzerland. In order to earn a living, he gave private lessons in mathematics and physics.

Albert Einstein personal life

Einstein was married twice, first to his former student Mileva Maric, and then to his cousin Elsa. His marriages were not very successful. In his letters, Einstein expressed the oppression he experienced in his first marriage, describing Mileva as a domineering and jealous woman. In one of his letters, he even admitted that he wanted his youngest son Edward, who had schizophrenia, to have never been born. As for his second wife Elsa, he called their relationship a union of convenience.

Biographers studying such letters considered Einstein a cold and cruel husband and father, but in 2006, about 1,400 previously unknown letters from the scientist were published and biographers changed their view of his relationship with his wives and family in a positive direction.

In more recent letters we can find that Einstein had compassion and sympathy for his first wife and children, he even gave them part of his money from winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1921.

Regarding his second marriage, Einstein apparently discussed his affairs openly with Elsa, and also kept her informed of his travels and thoughts.
According to Elsa, she stayed with Einstein despite his shortcomings, explaining her views in a letter: “Such a genius must be flawless in every way. But nature doesn’t behave like that, if it gives extravagance, then it shows up in everything.”

But this does not mean that Einstein considered himself an exemplary family man; in one of his letters, the scientist admitted that: “I admire my father for the fact that throughout his entire life he remained with one woman. In this matter I failed twice.”

In general, for all his immortal genius, Einstein was an ordinary person in his personal life.

Einstein interesting facts from life:

• WITH early age Albert Einstein hated nationalism of any kind and preferred to be a "citizen of the world." When he was 16 years old, he renounced his German citizenship and became a Swiss citizen in 1901;
• Mileva Maric was the only female student in the Einstein section at the Zurich Polytechnic. She was passionate about mathematics and science and was a good physicist, but she gave up her ambitions after marrying Einstein and becoming a mother.
• In 1933, the FBI began maintaining a file on Albert Einstein. The case grew to 1,427 pages of various documents devoted to Einstein's collaboration with pacifist and socialist organizations. J. Edgar Hoover even recommended that Einstein be expelled from America using the Alien Exclusion Act, but the decision was overturned by the US State Department.
• Einstein had a daughter, whom he, in all likelihood, never saw in person. The existence of Leatherly (the name of Einstein's daughter) was not widely known until 1987, when a collection of Einstein's letters was published.
• Albert's second son, Edward, whom they affectionately called "Tet", was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Albert never saw his son after he immigrated to the United States in 1933. Edward died at the age of 55 in a psychiatric clinic.
• Fritz Haber was a German chemist who helped Einstein move to Berlin and became one of his close friends. First world war Haber developed a deadly chlorine gas that was heavier than air and could flow into the trenches, burning the throats and lungs of soldiers. Haber is sometimes called the "father of chemical warfare".
• Einstein, while studying James Maxwell's electromagnetic theories, discovered that the speed of light was constant, a fact unknown to Maxwell. Einstein's discovery was a direct violation of Newton's laws of motion and led Einstein to develop the principle of relativity.
• 1905 is known as Einstein's "Year of the Miracle". This year he presented his doctoral dissertation and 4 of his works were published in one of the most famous scientific journals. The published articles were titled: Equivalence of Matter and Energy, Special Theory of Relativity, Brownian Motion, and the Photoelectric Effect. These papers ultimately changed the very nature of modern physics.

A well-known figure in the world of natural sciences, Albert Einstein (life: 1879-1955), is known even to humanists who do not like exact subjects, because this man’s surname has become common noun for people with incredible mental abilities.

Einstein is the founder of physics in its modern sense: the great scientist is the founder of the theory of relativity and the author of more than three hundred scientific works. Albert is also known as a publicist and public figure, who is an honorary doctor of about twenty higher educational institutions in the world. This man is attractive because of his ambiguity: the facts say that, despite his incredible intelligence, he was clueless in solving everyday issues, which makes him an interesting figure in the eyes of the public.

Childhood and youth

The biography of the great scientist begins with the small German city of Ulm, located on the Danube River - this is the place where Albert was born on March 14, 1879 in a poor family of Jewish origin.

The father of the brilliant physicist Herman was engaged in the production of filling mattresses with feather stuffing, but soon Albert’s family moved to the city of Munich. Herman, together with Jacob, his brother, took up small company, selling electrical equipment, which initially developed successfully, but soon could not withstand the competition of large firms.

As a child, Albert was considered a slow-witted child; for example, he did not speak until he was three years old. Parents were even afraid that their child would never learn to pronounce words when, at the age of 7, Albert could barely move his lips, trying to repeat memorized phrases. Also, the scientist’s mother Paulina was afraid that the child had a congenital deformity: the boy had a large back of the head that protruded strongly forward, and Einstein’s grandmother constantly repeated that her grandson was fat.

Albert had little contact with his peers and liked solitude more, for example, building houses of cards. From an early age, the great physicist showed negative attitude to war: he hated the noisy game of toy soldiers because it personifies a bloody war. Einstein’s attitude towards war did not change throughout his later life: he actively opposed bloodshed and nuclear weapons.

A vivid memory of the genius is the compass that Albert received from his father at the age of five. Then the boy was sick, and Herman showed him an object that interested the child: what’s surprising is that the arrow on the device showed the same direction. This small object aroused incredible interest in young Einstein.

Little Albert was often taught by his uncle Jacob, who from childhood instilled in his nephew a love for the exact mathematical sciences. They read textbooks on geometry and mathematics together, and solving a problem on their own was always a joy for the young genius. However, Einstein’s mother Paulina had a negative attitude towards such activities and believed that for a five-year-old child, love for the exact sciences would not turn out to be anything good. But it was clear that this man would make great discoveries in the future.

It is also known that Albert was interested in religion from childhood; he believed that it was impossible to begin to study the universe without understanding God. The future scientist watched the clergy with trepidation and did not understand why the higher biblical mind did not stop the wars. When the boy was 12 years old, his religious beliefs sank into oblivion due to the study of scientific books. Einstein became a believer that the Bible was a highly developed system for controlling youth.

After graduating from school, Albert enters the Munich gymnasium. His teachers considered him mentally retarded due to the same speech impediment. Einstein studied only those subjects that interested him, ignoring history, literature and the German language. WITH German language he had special problems: the teacher told Albert to his face that he would not graduate from school.

Einstein hated going to school and believed that the teachers themselves did not know much, but instead imagined themselves as upstarts who were allowed to do everything. Because of such judgments, young Albert constantly entered into arguments with them, so he developed a reputation as not only a backward student, but also a poor student.

Without graduating from high school, 16-year-old Albert and his family move to sunny Italy, to Milan. In the hope of enrolling at ETH Zurich, the future scientist sets off from Italy to Sweden on foot. Einstein managed to show decent results in the exact sciences in the exam, but Albert completely failed the humanities. But the rector of the technical school appreciated the teenager’s outstanding abilities and advised him to enter the Aarau school in Switzerland, which, by the way, was considered far from the best. And Einstein was not considered a genius at all at this school.

Best students Aarau left to receive High education in the capital of Germany, but in Berlin the abilities of the graduates were poorly rated. Albert found out the texts of the problems that the director's favorites couldn't solve and solved them. After which the satisfied future scientist came to Schneider’s office, showing him the solved problems. Albert angered the head of the school by saying that he was unfairly choosing students for competitions.

After successfully completing his studies, Albert enters the educational institution of his dreams - the Zurich school. However, the relationship with the professor of the department, Weber, was bad for the young genius: the two physicists constantly fought and argued.

Beginning of a scientific career

Due to disagreements with professors at the institute, Albert's path to science was closed. He passed the exams well, but not perfectly, the professors refused the student a scientific career. Einstein worked with interest at the scientific department of the Polytechnic Institute; Weber said that his student was a smart guy, but did not take criticism.

At the age of 22, Albert received a teaching diploma in mathematics and physics. But because of the same quarrels with teachers, Einstein could not find a job, spending two years in a painful search for permanent income. Albert lived poorly and could not even buy food. The scientist's friends helped him get a job at the patent office, where he worked for quite a long time.

In 1904, Albert began collaborating with the journal Annals of Physics, gaining authority in the publication, and in 1905 the scientist published his own scientific works. But a revolution in the world of science was made by three articles of the great physicist:

• To the electrodynamics of moving bodies, which became the basis of the theory of relativity;
• The work that laid the foundation for quantum theory;
• A scientific article that made a discovery in statistical physics about Brownian motion.

Theory of relativity

Einstein's theory of relativity radically changed scientific physical concepts, which were previously based on Newtonian mechanics, which existed for about two hundred years. But only a few could fully understand the theory of relativity developed by Albert Einstein, so educational institutions They teach only the special theory of relativity, which is part of the general theory. SRT talks about the dependence of space and time on speed: the higher the speed of a body, the more distorted both dimensions and time are.

According to STR, time travel is possible by overcoming the speed of light, therefore, based on the impossibility of such travel, a restriction has been introduced: the speed of any object cannot exceed the speed of light. For small speeds, space and time are not distorted, so the classical laws of mechanics are applied here, and high speeds, for which the distortion is noticeable, are called relativistic. And this is only a small part of both the special and general theories of Einstein’s entire movement.

Nobel Prize

Albert Einstein was nominated for the Nobel Prize more than once, but this award bypassed the scientist for about 12 years because of his new and not everyone understood views on exact science. However, the committee decided to compromise and nominate Albert for his work on the theory of the photoelectric effect, for which the scientist was awarded the prize. All because this invention is not so revolutionary, unlike general relativity, for which Albert, in fact, was preparing a speech.

However, at the time the scientist received a telegram from the nomination committee, the scientist was in Japan, so they decided to present him with the award in 1922 for 1921. However, there are rumors that Albert knew long before the trip that he would be nominated. But the scientist decided not to stay in Stockholm at such a crucial moment.

Personal life

The life of the great scientist is covered with interesting facts: Albert Einstein is a strange man. It is known that he did not like to wear socks, and also hated brushing his teeth. In addition, he had a poor memory for simple things, such as telephone numbers.

Albert married Mileva Maric at the age of 26. Despite their 11-year marriage, the couple soon had disagreements over family life, according to rumors, due to the fact that Albert was still a womanizer and had about ten passions. However, he offered his wife a contract of cohabitation, according to which she had to comply with certain conditions, for example, periodically wash things. But the contract between Mileva and Albert did not provide for any love relationship: ex-spouses They even slept separately. The genius had children from his first marriage: the youngest son died while in a psychiatric hospital, and the scientist did not have a good relationship with the eldest.

After divorcing Mileva, the scientist married Elsa Leventhal, his cousin. However, he was also interested in Elsa’s daughter, who did not have mutual feelings for a man who was 18 years older than her.

Many who knew the scientist noted that he was an unusually kind person, ready to lend a helping hand and admit mistakes.

Cause of death and memory

In the spring of 1955, during a walk, Einstein and his friend had a simple conversation about life and death, during which the 76-year-old scientist said that death is also a relief.

On April 13, Albert’s condition worsened sharply: doctors diagnosed an aortic aneurysm, but the scientist refused to operate. Albert was in the hospital, where he suddenly became ill. He whispered the words to native language, however, the nurse could not understand them. The woman approached the patient’s bed, but Einstein had already died from a hemorrhage in the abdominal cavity on April 18, 1955. All his friends spoke of him as a meek and very kind person. This was a bitter loss for the entire scientific world.

Quotes

Quotes from a physicist about philosophy and life are a subject for a separate discussion. Einstein formed his own and independent view of life, which more than one generation agrees with.

• There are only two ways to live life. The first is as if miracles do not exist. The second one is like there are only miracles all around.
• If you want to lead happy life, you should be attached to the goal, not to people or things.
• Logic can take you from point A to point B, and imagination can take you anywhere...
• If the theory of relativity is confirmed, the Germans will say that I am a German, and the French will say that I am a citizen of the world; but if my theory is refuted, the French will declare me a German, and the Germans a Jew.
• If a cluttered desk means a cluttered mind, then what does an empty desk mean?
• People cause me seasickness, not the sea. But I'm afraid science has not yet found a cure for this disease.
• Education is what remains after everything learned at school is forgotten.
• We are all geniuses. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life thinking it is stupid.
• The only thing that prevents me from studying is the education I received.
• Strive not to achieve success, but to ensure that your life has meaning.

Albert completed his graduating class in Switzerland, where a standard six-point system was used. Einstein's certificate has survived to this day, and his grades indicate that he studied well. His average score was five.

Albert knew the exact sciences excellently, but languages ​​and drawing were bad for him. It is also known that he did not enter the ETH Zurich the first time. This is true, but only his grades in botany and French let him down. But he passed the mathematics exam so brilliantly that the director of this institute personally gave him recommendations for further admission.

2. Question everything

Einstein did not recognize authorities based on social status since school. Albert was a believer until he was 12 years old, but then he became interested in books and began to question both religion and any foundations of society. He hated blindly obeying rules and cramming subjects that were uninteresting to him.

He compared teachers to military men and hated the militaristic approach that reigned in everything at that time. Einstein did nothing wrong, but with his stubbornness and rebellious spirit he undermined the authority of his teachers. Until the end of his life, he remained a skeptic and questioned any theories and authorities that seemed unconvincing to him.

People cause me seasickness, not the sea. But I'm afraid science has not yet found a cure for this disease.

Albert Einstein

3. Read a lot

Einstein loved books since childhood. While still a schoolboy, he read Euclid’s “Beginnings” and Kant’s “Critique of Pure Reason.” These works greatly influenced his perception of life.

At the university, Albert skipped uninteresting lectures and instead studied journals with scientific research. His interests were not limited to physics and mathematics: he was interested in psychology, read the classics and even esotericism.

Here are some of his favorite books: “Don Quixote” by Cervantes, “A Treatise on Human Nature” by Hume, “Isis Unveiled” by Blavatsky, “The Brothers Karamazov” by Dostoevsky. Albert also loved the entertainment genre. For example, he adored the humorous stories of columnist Kovner and always looked forward to their publication in the newspaper.

4. Admit your mistakes

Einstein was not afraid: in them he saw steps on the path to truth. If he was wrong about the work of others, it was not difficult for him to apologize publicly. He once criticized an article about the expansion of the Universe by Russian mathematician Alexander Friedman. Einstein later realized he was wrong and wrote an article apologizing.

At the same time, Einstein’s model of the Universe underwent significant changes, which played an important role for science.

The scientist was absolutely right about this: if you want to know the truth, your personal ambitions need to be relegated to the background.

5. Believe in yourself

The scientist well understood how talented he was and had adequate self-esteem. He worked hard and was confident in his own success. When he divorced his first wife, he promised to pay her a certain amount of money after receiving a Nobel Prize in the future. Three years later, he actually received a Nobel Prize, although not in the area in which he had planned. He gave part of the amount (32 thousand dollars), as promised, to his ex-wife.

6. Help others

Albert Einstein was a famous philanthropist. Already famous, he sold his autographs and donated the proceeds to donations.

The scientist also played the violin well and periodically performed at concerts, including charity ones. The most famous is the charity concert in favor of emigrants from Nazi Germany. He played truly masterfully that time, and rumors about his performance circulated for a long time.

7. Enjoy life

Einstein loved to joke and ignored troubles. All the scientist’s relatives and colleagues noted his optimism and love of life. Most of Einstein's quotes shine with irony and a wonderful sense of humor. The most famous photograph of the scientist, the one where he sticks out his tongue, is also one of his spontaneous pranks. So he “smiled” at the camera to one of famous photographers at a party.

When you are caring for beautiful girl, an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a hot stove, a second seems like an hour. This is relativity.

Albert Einstein

8. Wish for world peace

Einstein actively opposed Nazism, war and any suppression of individual freedom. He once said that even if 2% of young people in the United States refused to serve in the army, the government would not be able to do anything about it, since the prisons would simply be overcrowded. These words contributed to the flourishing of the anti-war movement in America. Proponents of this idea wore badges with the inscription “2%” until the 70s.

And Einstein considered the biggest mistake of his life to be his involvement in the creation nuclear bomb: He regretted this until the end of his days.

9. Be modest

Einstein was modest both in everyday life and in society. The great scientist became one of the first harbingers in clothing. He did this, of course, not for the sake of fashion, but in the name of convenience. His wardrobe lacked unnecessary accessories such as ties, scarves and even socks. Yes, he didn't wear socks!

Anything unnecessary that interfered with his work was alien to him. The scientist did not need a special office. When asked where his laboratory was located, he showed a fountain pen with a smile.

Strive not to achieve success, but to ensure that your life has meaning.

Albert Einstein

10. Develop imagination

The great scientist greatly valued imagination and an unconventional approach to any problem. One day in Japan, he didn't have money to tip a courier, so Einstein wrote him a recipe for happiness instead. At that moment, Albert already knew that he would soon receive the Nobel Prize, and probably believed that the courier would later be able to sell this note.

This note was actually sold just a year ago, in 2017, by the courier's nephew for $1.56 million. Here's what it said:

A quiet and modest life will bring more happiness than the pursuit of success and the constant worry that accompanies it.

Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879 in Ulm. He received his secondary education at a city Catholic school.

In September 1895 he arrived in Zurich to enter the Polytechnic. Having received an “excellent” in mathematics, he failed in French and botany. On the advice of the director of the Polytechnic, he entered the cantonal school of Aarau.

During my studies I studied Maxwell's electromagnetic theory. In October 1896 he became a student at the Polytechnic. Here he became friends with the mathematician M. Grossman.

Start of activity

In 1901, Einstein's first paper, “Consequences of the Theory of Capillarity,” was published. At this time, the future great scientist was in great need. Therefore, thanks to the “patronage” of M. Grossman, he was accepted into the staff of the Federal Bern Office for Patenting Inventions. There he worked from 1902 to 1909.

In 1904 he began collaborating with the journal “Annals of Physics”. His responsibilities included providing annotations of recent texts on thermodynamics.

Notable discoveries

To the most famous discoveries Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity. It was published in 1905. Works on the General Theory of Relativity were published from 1915 to 1916.

Teaching activities

In 1912, the great scientist returned to Zurich and began teaching at the same Polytechnic where he himself had once studied. In 1913, on the recommendation of V. G. Nernst and his friend Planck, he headed the Berlin Physical Research Institute. He was also enrolled in the teaching staff of the University of Berlin.

Receiving the Nobel Prize

Einstein was repeatedly nominated for the Nobel Prize in Physics. The first nomination for the theory of relativity took place in 1910, on the initiative of W. Ostwald.

But the Nobel Committee was suspicious of such a “revolutionary” theory. Einstein's experimental evidence was considered insufficient.

Einstein received the Nobel in physics for his “safe” theory of the photoelectric effect in 1921. At that time, the brilliant physicist was away. Therefore, the German Ambassador to Sweden R. Nadolny received the prize for him.

Illness and death

In 1955, Einstein was often and seriously ill. He passed away on April 18, 1955. The cause of death was an aortic aneurysm. Before his death, he asked his loved ones not to give him a lavish funeral and not to disclose the place of his burial.

IN last way The great scientist was accompanied by only twelve closest friends. His body was cremated and his ashes scattered to the wind.

Other biography options

• Until the age of 12 he was very religious. But after reading popular science literature, I came to the conclusion that the church and state are deceiving people, and the Bible contains “fairy tales.” After this, the future scientist stopped recognizing authorities.
• Einstein was a pacifist. He actively fought against Nazism. In one of his last works, he said that humanity must do everything to prevent nuclear war.
• Einstein sympathized with the USSR and Lenin in particular. But he considered terror and repression to be unacceptable methods.
• In 1952, he received an offer to become Prime Minister of Israel and refused, noting that he lacked experience to lead the country.

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Albert Einstein is a legendary physicist, a leading light of science of the 20th century. He is responsible for the creation of the general theory of relativity and the special theory of relativity, as well as a powerful contribution to the development of other areas of physics. It was General Relativity that formed the basis of modern physics, combining space with time and describing almost all visible cosmological phenomena, including allowing for the possibility of the existence of wormholes, black holes, the fabric of space-time, as well as other gravitational-scale phenomena.

A new and highly controversial hypothesis about our misunderstanding of gravity has just passed its first test. First proposed in 2010, this hypothesis insists that gravity may appear and behave very differently from what Einstein described. At the same time, an independent study of more than 30,000 galaxies made it possible to find the first evidence in favor of this opinion.