Albert Einstein
(1879-1955)
Albert Einstein is one the greatest sciencists of all times. He was born
in Germany he graduated at the age of 16 at University level in physics.
He finished his studies (mathematics, Greek, Latin) in Switzerland, after
which he found a job as a technical clerck in an patent office.
In 1905 he published the first of several mathematical theories 'the special relativity theory'.
The theory was based upon the simple equation
,
in which E stands for energy, m for mass and c for the speed of light,
it is the mathematical proof that energy and mass are in
principle the same.
This article and three more of the same subject, of which the last was published in 1916 in general are called 'the theory of relativity'. The theory proves that clocks will run slower, that dimensions will decrease and masses will increase if we travel at the speed of light.
In 1905 Einstein had predicted with his Special theory of relativity that the Sun would influence starlight beams that come near it. From Earth a star would show declined in the sky, much nearer to the Sun than in reality. He predicted this on basis of the famous equation that energy is the same as mass. Light photons coming from starlight have energy and so they have mass, which means that their path branches off if it comes near an attracting mass.In 1919 his ideas were accepted worldwide, when it was confimed by several British astronomers, who took photographs of several stars near to the Sun during a total Solar eclipse.
The ideas of Einstein meant a dramatic change in thinking of time and space and it gave an explanation for the Universe and to all kinds of deviations between the developed theories and actual measurements.
Einstein also explaned the energy source of the Sun and stars, he laid the basis of nuclear energy and predicted the existance of black holes, years before they were observed. Einstein worked several years as professor in Berlin, received the Nobel price of physics in 1921 and moved in 1933 the the U.S.A. to give lectures about his theories.
Although he never worked on the developement of the nuclear bomb he felt resposible for its existance. The development was made possible based upon his theories, until his death he warned the political world about the dangers of it.