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'''Albert Einstein''' is generally regarded as the greatest theoretical [[Physics|physicist]] of the twentieth century, if not of all [[time]]. Modern physics bears his mark more than any other physicist. His [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_theory_of_relativity Special Theory of Relativity] changed our conceptions of [[space]], [[time]], motion, and [[matter]], and his [[General Theory of Relativity]] was the first new theory of [[gravity|gravitation]] since [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_newton Isaac Newton]'s. Yet his work went beyond the boundaries of physics as he engaged himself in the educational, [[culture|cultural]], and philosophical concerns of his generation. Less known is Einstein's interest and personal engagement in [[Religion|religious]] matters. In specific, he strongly opposed the proposition that science and religion are irreconcilable.

'''Albert Einstein''' is generally regarded as the greatest theoretical [[Physics|physicist]] of the twentieth century, if not of all [[time]]. Modern physics bears his mark more than any other physicist. His [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_theory_of_relativity Special Theory of Relativity] changed our conceptions of [[space]], [[time]], motion, and [[matter]], and his [[General Theory of Relativity]] was the first new theory of [[gravity|gravitation]] since [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_newton Isaac Newton]'s. Yet his work went beyond the boundaries of physics as he engaged himself in the educational, [[culture|cultural]], and philosophical concerns of his generation. Less known is Einstein's interest and personal engagement in [[Religion|religious]] matters. In specific, he strongly opposed the proposition that science and religion are irreconcilable.

==Early life and influences==

==Early life and influences==

Einstein liked the job at the patent office because it was interesting and also left him time to pursue his own work in theoretical physics. He already had a number of important publications, mostly on thermodynamics, to his credit. But the year 1905 became his [[annus mirabilis]]. In March he completed his paper on the light-quantum hypothesis, in May his paper on Brownian motion, and in June his celebrated essay on the special theory of relativity, which was followed in September by his derivation of the famous mass-energy relation E = mc2, the most famous equation in science.

Einstein liked the job at the patent office because it was interesting and also left him time to pursue his own work in theoretical physics. He already had a number of important publications, mostly on thermodynamics, to his credit. But the year 1905 became his [[annus mirabilis]]. In March he completed his paper on the light-quantum hypothesis, in May his paper on Brownian motion, and in June his celebrated essay on the special theory of relativity, which was followed in September by his derivation of the famous mass-energy relation E = mc2, the most famous equation in science.

In 1908 Einstein became Lecturer at the University of Berne, in 1911 full professor in Prague, and a year later he became a professor at the ETH. In April 1914, less than four months before the outbreak of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_World_War First World War], he moved to Berlin with his wife and two sons to serve as university professor without teaching obligations and as director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute of Physics.

In 1908 Einstein became Lecturer at the University of Berne, in 1911 full professor in Prague, and a year later he became a professor at the ETH. In April 1914, less than four months before the outbreak of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_World_War First World War], he moved to Berlin with his wife and two sons to serve as university professor without teaching obligations and as director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute of Physics.

Mileva disliked Berlin and returned with the children to Zurich. In February 1919 Albert and Mileva got divorced. Six months later Einstein married his cousin, the divorced Elsa Löwenthal, mother of two daughters, Ilse and Margot. Einstein detested the military enthusiasm that swept Germany after the declaration of war and courageously refused to sign the manisfesto, in which German [[intellectual]]s declared their solidarity with German militarism.

Mileva disliked Berlin and returned with the children to Zurich. In February 1919 Albert and Mileva got divorced. Six months later Einstein married his cousin, the divorced Elsa Löwenthal, mother of two daughters, Ilse and Margot. Einstein detested the military enthusiasm that swept Germany after the declaration of war and courageously refused to sign the manisfesto, in which German [[intellectual]]s declared their solidarity with German militarism.

Einstein continued his work on the general theory of [[relativity]], which he had begun in 1907. In November 1915, he derived the exact [[value]] of the perihelion precession of the planet Mercury, which for over sixty years had been an unresolved problem, and he predicted how much a ray of [[light]],emitted by a star and grazing the sun, should be deflected by the [[gravity|gravitation]] of the sun. In 1917 he applied general relativity to the study of the [[structure]] of the [[universe]] as a whole, raising thereby the status of [[cosmology]], which theretofore had been a jumble of speculations, to that of a respectable scientific discipline. His prediction of the gravitational deflection of light was confirmed in 1919 by two British eclipse expeditions to West Africa and Brazil. When their results were announced in London, Einstein's theory was hailed by the President of the [[Royal Society]] as "perhaps the greatest achievement in the [[history]] of human [[thought]]." From that day on Einstein gained unprecedented international fame. In 1922, he was awarded the [[Nobel Prize]] for [[physics]]. But when the Nazi terror began in Germany, he, as a Jew and pacifist, and his theory, became the target of brute attacks. At Adolf Hitler's rise to power early in 1933, Einstein was in Belgium and, instead of returning to Germany, accepted a professorship at the [http://www.ias.edu/ Institute for Advanced Study] in Princeton, New Jersey, where he remained until his death on April 18, 1955.

Einstein continued his work on the general theory of [[relativity]], which he had begun in 1907. In November 1915, he derived the exact [[value]] of the perihelion precession of the planet Mercury, which for over sixty years had been an unresolved problem, and he predicted how much a ray of [[light]],emitted by a star and grazing the sun, should be deflected by the [[gravity|gravitation]] of the sun. In 1917 he applied general relativity to the study of the [[structure]] of the [[universe]] as a whole, raising thereby the status of [[cosmology]], which theretofore had been a jumble of speculations, to that of a respectable scientific discipline. His prediction of the gravitational deflection of light was confirmed in 1919 by two British eclipse expeditions to West Africa and Brazil. When their results were announced in London, Einstein's theory was hailed by the President of the [[Royal Society]] as "perhaps the greatest achievement in the [[history]] of human [[thought]]." From that day on Einstein gained unprecedented international fame. In 1922, he was awarded the [[Nobel Prize]] for [[physics]]. But when the Nazi terror began in Germany, he, as a Jew and pacifist, and his theory, became the target of brute attacks. At Adolf Hitler's rise to power early in 1933, Einstein was in Belgium and, instead of returning to Germany, accepted a professorship at the [https://www.ias.edu/ Institute for Advanced Study] in Princeton, New Jersey, where he remained until his death on April 18, 1955.

==Later life and influence==

==Later life and influence==