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| | [[Image:600px-Albert Einstein Head.jpg|right|thumb|220px]] | | [[Image:600px-Albert Einstein Head.jpg|right|thumb|220px]] |
| − | '''Albert Einstein''' (1879-1955) was a theoretical physicist who contributed to the theory of a [[Special Relativity]] and the theory of [[General Relativity]]. He also contributed to the study of Photoelectric Effect, Brownian Motion and Bose-Einstein Statistics. He was critical of quantum mechanics and has proposed the EPR-Paradox in attempt to point out spooky aspects of the theory. The last fifteen years of his life were spent in unsuccessfully searching for a [[Unified Field Theory]]. Born in Germany in a Jewish familiy, he won the [[Nobel Prize]] for his work on the Photoelectric Effect in 1921.<ref>http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1921/</ref> He immigrated to the United States in the late 1930s where, upon the urging of a colleague in physics, recommended that President Franklin D. Roosevelt develop an [[atomic bomb]] project.<ref>[http://www.dannen.com/ae-fdr.html]</ref>He later regretted this and became a passionate pacifist. In 1952, he was offered the Presidency of Israel, but he turned it down. | + | '''Albert Einstein''' (1879-1955) was a theoretical physicist. Born in Ulm, in Württemberg, Germany in a Jewish familiy. During his stay at the Swiss Patent Office he produced much of his remarkable work. In 1905 he obtained his doctor's degree. He won the [[Nobel Prize]] for his work on the Photoelectric Effect in 1921. <ref>http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1921/</ref> He immigrated to the United States in the late 1930s to take the position of Professor of Theoretical Physics at Princeton; upon the urging of a colleague in physics, recommended that President Franklin D. Roosevelt develop an [[atomic bomb]] project. <ref>[http://www.dannen.com/ae-fdr.html]</ref> He later regretted this and became a passionate pacifist. In 1952, he was offered the Presidency of Israel, but he turned it down. He collaborated with Dr. Chaim Weizmann in establishing the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. |
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| | + | == Works == |
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| | + | Einstein contributed to the theory of a [[Special Relativity]] and the theory of [[General Relativity]]. He also contributed to the study of Photoelectric Effect, Brownian Motion and Bose-Einstein Statistics. He was critical of quantum mechanics and has proposed the EPR-Paradox in attempt to point out spooky aspects of the theory. The last fifteen years of his life were spent in unsuccessfully searching for a [[Unified Field Theory]]. |
| | Einstein's best-known scientific work is his 1905 papers on [[Special Relativity]]. The theory of relativity had already been published by [[Hendrik Lorentz]] and [[Henri Poincaré]]. Einstein's contribution was to give a description of the Lorentz-Poincare theory without reference to the luminiferous aether, and to clarify some of the physical consequences of the theory. | | Einstein's best-known scientific work is his 1905 papers on [[Special Relativity]]. The theory of relativity had already been published by [[Hendrik Lorentz]] and [[Henri Poincaré]]. Einstein's contribution was to give a description of the Lorentz-Poincare theory without reference to the luminiferous aether, and to clarify some of the physical consequences of the theory. |
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| | Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society said: 'From the most esoteric aspects of time dilation through to the beautiful and simple equation, E=mc², the vast bulk of Einstein's ideas about the universe are standing up to the test of time,' | | Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society said: 'From the most esoteric aspects of time dilation through to the beautiful and simple equation, E=mc², the vast bulk of Einstein's ideas about the universe are standing up to the test of time,' |
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| − | ==Cosmological Constant== | + | ===Cosmological Constant=== |
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| | Einstein revised his work on [[General Relativity]] to include a 'fudge-factor' which he termed the [[Cosmological Constant]]. He was trying to account for the apparent steady-state nature of the universe. | | Einstein revised his work on [[General Relativity]] to include a 'fudge-factor' which he termed the [[Cosmological Constant]]. He was trying to account for the apparent steady-state nature of the universe. |
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| | An interesting end-note on this term: Principle investigators from [[Princeton University]] first published findings in 1998 apparently revealing an accelerating expansion for the universe<ref>http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/m_mm.html</ref>. Because this initially seemed like it might be a sort of 'anti-gravity' effect (similar in concept to Einstein's original notion), it briefly became quite popular for scientists to dub the phenomenon the 'Cosmological Constant' as well. For more information, see: [[Dark Energy]]. | | An interesting end-note on this term: Principle investigators from [[Princeton University]] first published findings in 1998 apparently revealing an accelerating expansion for the universe<ref>http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/m_mm.html</ref>. Because this initially seemed like it might be a sort of 'anti-gravity' effect (similar in concept to Einstein's original notion), it briefly became quite popular for scientists to dub the phenomenon the 'Cosmological Constant' as well. For more information, see: [[Dark Energy]]. |
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| | + | == Writings == |
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| | + | *Special Theory of Relativity (1905) |
| | + | *Relativity (English translations, 1920 and 1950) |
| | + | *General Theory of Relativity (1916) |
| | + | *Investigations on Theory of Brownian Movement (1926) |
| | + | *The Evolution of Physics (1938) |
| | + | *About Zionism (1930) |
| | + | *Why War? (1933), |
| | + | *My Philosophy (1934) |
| | + | *Out of My Later Years (1950) |
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| | ==Controversy Surrounding His Death== | | ==Controversy Surrounding His Death== |