Biography of Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein is known all over the world as a brilliant theoretical physicist and the founder of the theory of relatively. He is perhaps the greatest scientist of the 20th century. While most of the people do not understand this man s work, everyone knows that its impact on the world of science and physics is enormous. Yes, many have heard of Albert Einstein s General Theory of relativity, but few know about his interesting life that led this great scientist to discover ideas about atomic bomb, as well as television and other inventions.

Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany on March 14, 1874. Before his first birthday, his family had moved to Munich where his father, Hermann Einstein, and uncle set up a small electro-chemical business. As a child, Einstein showed his curiosity toward science and math. A favorite toy of his was his father s compass, and he often listened to his uncle s explanations of algebra. Although young Albert was intrigued by science, he was considered a slow learner. But despite his curiosity toward math, neither his parents, nor his school teachers thought much of his mental abilities. His uncle often joked that not everyone was born to become a professor. He also was interested in music, so his mother taught him how to play a violin that would help him to relax, and think more carefully on problems.

When he was ten, he made a decision that he changed his life. He decided that he would not be as other students and go along with what teachers were teaching, he began to question the things around him and why they were happing the way they did. In search of answers and truth he was reading Bible. But soon he turned away from Bible and tried to pay more attention to math and science. To him science seemed much more realistic than ancient stories.

At sixteen he attempted to enroll at the Federal Institute of Technology but failed the entrance exam. For one year he had to study on his own and prepare for the entrance exam once again. He made it to Federal Institute the next year. The Institute allowed Einstein to meet many other students that shared his curiosity, and it was there that his attention turned mainly to Physics.

After graduating from the college, Einstein started to work at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern. In 1905, Einstein published five separate papers in a journal called the Annals of Physics. These works were immediately seen, and the University of Zurich awarded Einstein an additional degree. But he is most well known for his 10 year work "Special Theory of Relativity", which dealt with motion and the speed of light, mass and energy (E = mc^2), the basis of atomic energy. Later, he became a professor in several European universities and in 1914 moved to Berlin as a member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences. Finally in 1921 all his hard work paid back and he received the Nobel Prize for Physics.

As being a person of Jewish nationality Einstein was attacked and abused by the Nazis, and when Hitler came to power in 1933, Einstein tried to follow many other Jewish people by moving and settling in the United States. This was a negative event, but it had a positive effect on Einstein's life, because by moving to the United States, he discovered more inventions due to modernized technology available in the US and peaceful atmosphere.

The most important event of his life was his discovery of formula E = mc^2, because it was the basic idea of nuclear power and nuclear weapon. In 1939 Albert Einstein wrote a letter to President Roosevelt about nuclear power and its effects on people and damage that it can cause that Nazis were working on. His letter greatly influenced the decision to build an atomic bomb, even though he refused to take any part in the creating the bomb (Manhattan Project) that was later dropped on Japan. He blamed himself for this as he thought terrible invention, and to make no more terrible mistakes such as that formula, Einstein spent the rest of his life giving speeches about and against nuclear weapons, also about repression of the Jews by Nazis. But many people think that his invention incredible, because it started a new era for war technology that allowed countries to defend themselves from the rest of the world not risking the lives of the regular soldiers, because nuclear bombs could destroy whole countries at once.

On April 18, 1955 Albert Einstein died. But he'll be always remembered due to his incredible contributions to our world that affected us so much, especially nuclear power that is being studied all over the world. Also the artificial element einsteinium has been named in his honor for being one of the greatest scientists of the world. Einstein also influenced my life. After reading his biography I was so impressed by Einstein's life, that nobody thought that he could become a professor, but he made it through the hard work. I also in summer that I would take physics this semester (and I'm currently taking physics), because who knows, if I study and work hard maybe I'll be able to contribute something to this world.