Einstein's TIMELINE

Albert Einstein

Birth and early life

1879

1905

Max Planck and Quantum Theory

Early 1900s

Eddington’s Eclipse Expedition

1919

David Hilbert and the Relativity Rivalry

1915

General Theory of Relativity

1915

Einstein’s Personal Life

Immigration, Activism, and the Manhattan Project

Late years

1879 - 1955

The Miracle Year (Annus Mirabilis)

1955

Death and legacy

Education Struggles : Despite showing brilliance in math and physics, Einstein struggled in traditional schooling due to his independent, rebellious nature, often clashing with the rigid Prussian educational system.

March 14, 1879 : Albert Einstein is born in Ulm, Kingdom of Württemberg, in the German Empire.Childhood : Einstein’s early years were marked by curiosity about nature, with an intense interest in geometry and algebra from a young age. His fascination with magnets and compasses led him to question how invisible forces could influence objects, sparking his love for science.

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1879 - Birth and early life

The Photoelectric Effect (1905) : In his paper "On a Heuristic Viewpoint Concerning the Production and Transformation of Light," Einstein proposed that light is quantized into discrete packets (quanta or photons). This idea directly challenged the classical wave theory of light.,The photoelectric effect demonstrates how electrons are ejected from materials when exposed to light of a certain frequency, providing early experimental evidence for quantum theory. This discovery was crucial for the development of quantum mechanics and modern electronics.Impact: Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for this work.Special Theory of Relativity (1905) : In his paper "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies," Einstein introduced the concept that the laws of physics are the same for all observers, regardless of their motion, provided they are not accelerating. This groundbreaking theory combined space and time into a single fabric called spacetime. Key Principle:Time Dilation : Time moves slower for objects moving at speeds close to the speed of light.Length Contraction : Objects shorten along the direction of motion as their speed increases.Famous Equation : E=mc² explains that energy and mass are interchangeable—an idea that later played a key role in understanding nuclear energy.Impact: The theory revolutionized classical mechanics and paved the way for the development of modern physics.

1905 : The Miracle Year (Annus Mirabilis)

Influence on Einstein: Max Planck, often regarded as the father of quantum theory, introduced the idea that energy is quantized and emitted in discrete amounts called quanta. This was crucial in explaining black-body radiation.Einstein’s Contribution: While Planck’s idea was revolutionary, it was Einstein who extended it to light in the photoelectric effect, showing that light itself is made of quanta (photons). This leap advanced the field of quantum mechanics

Early 1900s : Max Planck and Quantum Theory

Impact : This theory fundamentally reshaped the understanding of the universe, predicting phenomena such as black holes, gravitational lensing, and gravitational waves—many of which were confirmed decades later.

General Theory of Relativity (1915)Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity expanded on his earlier Special Theory to include gravity. He proposed that massive objects cause spacetime to curve, and that this curvature is what we perceive as gravity.Key Principle :Gravitational Time Dilation : Time moves slower in stronger gravitational fields.Geodesics : Objects move along the curved paths (geodesics) of spacetime, which explains planetary orbits without invoking gravitational "forces."

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1915 : General Theory of Relativity

Eddington’s Eclipse Expedition

Arthur Stanley Eddington (1919) :Event: During a solar eclipse in 1919, Arthur Eddington led an expedition to test Einstein’s prediction that light from distant stars would be bent by the Sun’s gravity.Outcome : The observed deflection of starlight matched Einstein’s predictions, providing the first experimental confirmation of the General Theory of Relativity.Impact : This made Einstein an international celebrity overnight and shifted scientific consensus in favor of relativity, cementing his place as one of the greatest physicists in history.

Einstein’s Personal Life

First Marriage : Einstein married Mileva Marić in 1903, a fellow physics student at Zurich Polytechnic. Their relationship was both personal and intellectual, as Marić was involved in some of Einstein's early work. They had two sons, but their marriage became strained due to Einstein's growing fame and personal differences, leading to a divorce in 1919.Second Marriage : In 1919, Einstein married Elsa Löwenthal, his cousin, who provided him with emotional support through the later years of his career.

Rivalry : At the same time Einstein was developing General Relativity, mathematician David Hilbert was working on similar equations concerning gravity. There was intense academic competition between the two, as Hilbert tried to publish his version of the theory.Resolution : Despite tensions, Hilbert recognized that Einstein had priority in the final formulation of the General Theory of Relativity, and the two later reconciled.

David Hilbert and the Relativity Rivalry

Immigration, Activism, and the Manhattan Project

1933 : Einstein emigrated to the United States, escaping Nazi Germany. He became a professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton.Activism : Einstein was an outspoken advocate for civil rights, pacifism, and Zionism. Although he supported the Allied war effort during WWII, he was deeply troubled by the development of nuclear weapons. His 1939 letter to President Roosevelt warned of Germany's potential to create atomic bombs, inadvertently contributing to the start of the Manhattan Project.Post-War : After WWII, Einstein spoke out against nuclear weapons and advocated for global disarmament.

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Death and Legacy

April 18, 1955 : Albert Einstein dies in Princeton, New Jersey, leaving behind a profound legacy.Legacy : Einstein's theories of relativity and quantum mechanics laid the foundation for much of modern physics. His work continues to influence cosmology, quantum theory, and theoretical physics to this day.