Fun and random facts about Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein was much more than a scientific genius. From his political beliefs to his hatred of socks, here are some facts about Einstein you might not have heard before.

He wasn't well-liked by his teachers., He wrote his first scientific paper at the age of 16., His birthday is Pi Day., Four of Einstein's most notable papers were all published in one year., His work enabled the development of the atomic bomb., Later, he opposed the use of atomic weapons., Einstein's theories of relativity challenged the view that the universe was static., Einstein believed in God., Einstein's brain was stolen., Research on Einstein's brain found extra folding.

Albert Einstein was arguably the most famous scientist of the 20th century. Most people are familiar with his iconic E=mc^2 equation, but his life and work encompassed so much more than that. For instance, the brilliant physicist actually won the Nobel Prize for very different work. From his humble beginnings as a patent clerk to the offer to run a small country (that he turned down), here are some great facts you may not have known about Einstein.

He wasn't well-liked by his teachers.

He wasn't well-liked by his teachers., He wrote his first scientific paper at the age of 16., His birthday is Pi Day., Four of Einstein's most notable papers were all published in one year., His work enabled the development of the atomic bomb., Later, he opposed the use of atomic weapons., Einstein's theories of relativity challenged the view that the universe was static., Einstein believed in God., Einstein's brain was stolen., Research on Einstein's brain found extra folding.

One of the instructors at the Luitpold-Gymnasium in Munich, where Einstein received much of his early education, told the young Einstein that nothing good would ever come of his life. 

He wrote his first scientific paper at the age of 16.

He wasn't well-liked by his teachers., He wrote his first scientific paper at the age of 16., His birthday is Pi Day., Four of Einstein's most notable papers were all published in one year., His work enabled the development of the atomic bomb., Later, he opposed the use of atomic weapons., Einstein's theories of relativity challenged the view that the universe was static., Einstein believed in God., Einstein's brain was stolen., Research on Einstein's brain found extra folding.

Titled "On the Investigation of the State of the Ether in a Magnetic Field," the essay asked how magnetic fields impact "ether," the theoretical substance that at the time was believed to transmit electromagnetic waves. 

His birthday is Pi Day.

He wasn't well-liked by his teachers., He wrote his first scientific paper at the age of 16., His birthday is Pi Day., Four of Einstein's most notable papers were all published in one year., His work enabled the development of the atomic bomb., Later, he opposed the use of atomic weapons., Einstein's theories of relativity challenged the view that the universe was static., Einstein believed in God., Einstein's brain was stolen., Research on Einstein's brain found extra folding.

March 14 is a special date because written numerically, it matches the first three digits of mathematical constant pi: 3.14. However, that's not the only reason it's significant. It's also the birthday of Einstein, who was born in 1879.

Four of Einstein's most notable papers were all published in one year.

He wasn't well-liked by his teachers., He wrote his first scientific paper at the age of 16., His birthday is Pi Day., Four of Einstein's most notable papers were all published in one year., His work enabled the development of the atomic bomb., Later, he opposed the use of atomic weapons., Einstein's theories of relativity challenged the view that the universe was static., Einstein believed in God., Einstein's brain was stolen., Research on Einstein's brain found extra folding.

In 1905, dubbed his "year of miracles," Einstein published his explanation of the photoelectric effect, his theory on Brownian motion, and two papers on his general theory of relativity. 

His work enabled the development of the atomic bomb.

He wasn't well-liked by his teachers., He wrote his first scientific paper at the age of 16., His birthday is Pi Day., Four of Einstein's most notable papers were all published in one year., His work enabled the development of the atomic bomb., Later, he opposed the use of atomic weapons., Einstein's theories of relativity challenged the view that the universe was static., Einstein believed in God., Einstein's brain was stolen., Research on Einstein's brain found extra folding.

The equation E = mc2 provided the theoretical basis for the weapon's potential — but didn't explain how to build one. 

Later, he opposed the use of atomic weapons.

He wasn't well-liked by his teachers., He wrote his first scientific paper at the age of 16., His birthday is Pi Day., Four of Einstein's most notable papers were all published in one year., His work enabled the development of the atomic bomb., Later, he opposed the use of atomic weapons., Einstein's theories of relativity challenged the view that the universe was static., Einstein believed in God., Einstein's brain was stolen., Research on Einstein's brain found extra folding.

After the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he formed the Emergency Committee of Atomic Scientists, an organization that educated Americans about the dangers of atomic weapons.

Einstein's theories of relativity challenged the view that the universe was static.

He wasn't well-liked by his teachers., He wrote his first scientific paper at the age of 16., His birthday is Pi Day., Four of Einstein's most notable papers were all published in one year., His work enabled the development of the atomic bomb., Later, he opposed the use of atomic weapons., Einstein's theories of relativity challenged the view that the universe was static., Einstein believed in God., Einstein's brain was stolen., Research on Einstein's brain found extra folding.

His equations predicted a dynamic universe, one that was expanding or contracting. Flummoxed by this finding, Einstein assumed there was a flaw in his equations and introduced a "cosmological constant" which allowed for a universe that didn't change size. When Edwin Hubble confirmed that the universe is, indeed, expanding, Einstein called the cosmological constant "his greatest mistake."

Einstein believed in God.

He wasn't well-liked by his teachers., He wrote his first scientific paper at the age of 16., His birthday is Pi Day., Four of Einstein's most notable papers were all published in one year., His work enabled the development of the atomic bomb., Later, he opposed the use of atomic weapons., Einstein's theories of relativity challenged the view that the universe was static., Einstein believed in God., Einstein's brain was stolen., Research on Einstein's brain found extra folding.

However, he didn't believe in a personal god that answered prayers. Instead, he thought that God revealed himself through the "harmony" of the universe. "He [God] does not play dice," he famously wrote. 

Einstein's brain was stolen.

He wasn't well-liked by his teachers., He wrote his first scientific paper at the age of 16., His birthday is Pi Day., Four of Einstein's most notable papers were all published in one year., His work enabled the development of the atomic bomb., Later, he opposed the use of atomic weapons., Einstein's theories of relativity challenged the view that the universe was static., Einstein believed in God., Einstein's brain was stolen., Research on Einstein's brain found extra folding.

After his death in 1955, pathologist Thomas Harvey dissected and stole Einstein's brain during an autopsy. Harvey, who wanted to discover the anatomical secrets of genius, eventually received permission from Einstein's son to use the brain for scientific research.

Research on Einstein's brain found extra folding.

He wasn't well-liked by his teachers., He wrote his first scientific paper at the age of 16., His birthday is Pi Day., Four of Einstein's most notable papers were all published in one year., His work enabled the development of the atomic bomb., Later, he opposed the use of atomic weapons., Einstein's theories of relativity challenged the view that the universe was static., Einstein believed in God., Einstein's brain was stolen., Research on Einstein's brain found extra folding.

The human brain's wrinkled surface gives it a much larger surface area than a smooth brain and is an important part of advanced cognition. Einstein's brain had extra folding in its gray matter, the site of conscious thinking, especially in the frontal lobe, where abstract thought and planning occurs.

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