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Albert Einstein was a curious child. Born in Germany in 1879 into a Jewish family, he loved puzzles and building things. At age 5, he received a compass (a device that uses Earth’s magnetism to point north). The needle always pointed one way, regardless of how he turned it. This sparked a fascination with the mysteries of the universe. The second wave of curiosity came at age 12 when he discovered a book of geometry which he loved and called it his “sacred little geometry book.”
School wasn’t a perfect fit. Einstein found it rigid (strict, inflexible). He preferred independent thinking and asking questions. He dropped out and joined the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School in Zurich. Einstein would recall that his years in Zürich were some of the happiest of his life. He made a lot of friends, fell in love, and met his future wife as well.
After graduating, finding a university job proved difficult. Academia (the world of scholars and researchers) was rigid (strict, inflexible), and Einstein couldn’t get recommendations from his teachers. One of his father’s friends recommended him for a clerk position at a patent office in Bern, Switzerland. He took the job and now had a steady income.
This seemingly ordinary job turned extraordinary. In his free time, he embarked on a journey of scientific discovery, which he had always wanted.
1905 became his “miracle year.” Working late nights, Einstein published four groundbreaking papers. One explained the photoelectric effect (how light interacts with matter, leading to electricity). This paper challenged existing scientific theories and laid the foundation for quantum mechanics (a branch of physics that studies the world of atoms). And of course, this includes E = mc², the equation that changed the world.
Another paper introduced the theory of special relativity. It proposed that the speed of light is constant (unchanging) and time is relative (dependent on perspective). This mind-bending concept turned our understanding of space and time upside down.
At first, Einstein’s 1905 papers were ignored by the scientific community. This changed after he received attention from the most influential physicist of his generation, the famous Max Planck, who won the Nobel Prize for the discovery of light quanta, now known as photons.
Years later, his work on general relativity, which explained gravity (the force that pulls objects towards each other), further solidified his genius. To Einstein, gravity is actually a by-product of a deeper reality: the bending of the fabric of space and time.
In 1921, he received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect. After that, he continued working on what he called a unified field theory—an all-embracing theory, a small equation, just like E=mc², that would unify the forces of the universe, and thereby the laws of physics, into one framework.
Though he received numerous awards and became a pop-culture icon with his wild white hair, Einstein remained humble (modest). He continued to chase scientific truths until his death in 1955.
Einstein’s legacy continues to influence modern physics. His theories laid the groundwork for countless technological advancements and deepened our understanding of the universe. The ripples in spacetime, or gravitational waves, are a testament to his profound impact. Albert Einstein is generally considered the most influential physicist of the 20th century.
In addition to his scientific achievements, Einstein’s perspicacity (insight) and munificent (generous) nature endeared him to many. He was not just a brilliant mind, but also a person who valued egalitarianism (belief in equality) and strove for a better world.
In the end, Einstein’s work was not only germane (relevant) to his time but continues to be pertinent (relevant) to this day. His life, full of intellectual pursuit and humble demeanor, remains an edifice (a building or structure) of inspiration for future generations.
You learned 12 new English words and about Albert Einstein.
Compass (a device that uses Earth’s magnetism to point north), rigid (strict, inflexible), academia (the world of scholars and researchers), quantum mechanics (a branch of physics that studies the world of atoms), constant (unchanging), relative (dependent on perspective), gravity (the force that pulls objects towards each other), perspicacity (insight), munificent (generous), egalitarianism (belief in equality), germane (relevant), pertinent (relevant), edifice (a building or structure).
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