History of Albert Einstein in Timeline
Albert Einstein, a German-born theoretical physicist, revolutionized our understanding of the universe. His most famous achievement is the theory of relativity, encompassing both special and general relativity. He is also renowned for the mass-energy equivalence formula E=mc², arguably the world's most recognizable equation. Einstein's contributions extended to quantum mechanics and the explanation of the photoelectric effect, for which he received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics. His work profoundly impacted physics, cosmology, and technology.
1900: Planck's Initial Quantum Theory
From 1911 to 1913, Planck reformulated his 1900 quantum theory, introducing the idea of zero-point energy, which attracted the attention of Einstein and Stern.
1900: Graduation from Swiss federal polytechnic school
In 1900, Albert Einstein graduated from the Swiss federal polytechnic school in Zurich with a mathematics and physics teaching diploma.
1900: Graduation from polytechnic school
In 1900, Albert Einstein graduated from the federal polytechnic school, certified to teach mathematics and physics.
1900: Einstein submits first paper
In 1900, Einstein submitted his first paper to Annalen der Physik on capillary attraction.
February 1901: Swiss citizenship acquisition
In February 1901, Albert Einstein successfully acquired Swiss citizenship.
1901: Publication of first paper
In 1901, Albert Einstein's first paper, "Folgerungen aus den Capillaritätserscheinungen" was published in the journal Annalen der Physik.
1901: Einstein's paper on capillarity published
In 1901, Einstein's first paper, "Folgerungen aus den Capillaritätserscheinungen" ("Conclusions from the capillarity phenomena"), was published in Annalen der Physik.
1902: Formation of the Olympia Academy
In 1902, Albert Einstein and friends in Bern formed the Olympia Academy to discuss science and philosophy.
1902: Einstein publishes papers on thermodynamics
In 1902, Einstein published papers on thermodynamics attempting to interpret atomic phenomena from a statistical point of view.
1902: Birth of Lieserl
In early 1902, Albert Einstein's daughter, Lieserl, was born to Mileva Marić while she was visiting her parents in Novi Sad.
January 1903: Marriage to Mileva Marić
In January 1903, Albert Einstein married Mileva Marić.
September 1903: Fate of Lieserl
A letter of Einstein's that he wrote in September 1903 suggests that Lieserl was either given up for adoption or died of scarlet fever in infancy.
1903: Permanent position at Swiss Patent Office
In 1903, Albert Einstein's position at the Swiss Patent Office was made permanent.
1903: Einstein publishes papers on thermodynamics
In 1903, Einstein published papers on thermodynamics attempting to interpret atomic phenomena from a statistical point of view.
May 1904: Birth of Hans Albert
In May 1904, Albert Einstein's son, Hans Albert, was born in Bern, Switzerland.
1904: Einstein researches effect of atomic size on diffusion
In 1904, Einstein's research was mainly concerned with the effect of finite atomic size on diffusion phenomena.
April 1905: Completion of doctoral dissertation
On April 30, 1905, Albert Einstein completed his 24-page doctoral dissertation.
June 1905: Einstein's paper on electrodynamics received
Einstein's "Zur Elektrodynamik bewegter Körper" ("On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies") was received on June 30, 1905. It reconciled conflicts between Maxwell's equations and Newtonian mechanics and later became known as Einstein's special theory of relativity.
1905: Annus Mirabilis Publications
In 1905, Albert Einstein published four groundbreaking papers outlining the theory of the photoelectric effect, explaining Brownian motion, introducing the special theory of relativity, and demonstrating mass-energy equivalence.
1905: PhD Dissertation
In 1905, Albert Einstein submitted his successful PhD dissertation to the University of Zurich.
1905: Work on Photoelectric Effect
In 1905, Einstein played a major role in developing quantum theory, beginning with his paper on the photoelectric effect.
1905: Postulation of Light Quanta
In 1905, Einstein postulated that light consists of localized particles (quanta), a concept initially rejected by most physicists.
1905: Einstein publishes paper on Brownian motion
In 1905, Einstein published a paper on Brownian motion, showing it as evidence that molecules exist. This paper was based on his earlier work on thermodynamics.
1905: Einstein publishes Annus Mirabilis papers
In 1905, Einstein published the Annus Mirabilis papers in the Annalen der Physik journal, including articles on the photoelectric effect, Brownian motion, special theory of relativity and E=mc^2. These works significantly impacted modern physics.
1905: Einstein produces E=mc^2
In 1905, Einstein's work on mass–energy equivalence, derived from his special relativity equations, resulted in the formula E=mc^2. His relativity work remained controversial for many years but was eventually accepted by leading physicists, including Max Planck.
1905: Einstein's 'Miracle Year'
The year 1905, known as Einstein's "miracle year", was later recognized in 2005 as the "World Year of Physics".
January 1906: Awarded PhD
On January 15, 1906, Albert Einstein was formally awarded his PhD from the University of Zurich.
1906: Promotion at the Patent Office
In 1906, Einstein was promoted to Technical Examiner Second Class at the patent office, but he continued to pursue academia.
1907: Einstein begins developing General Relativity
Einstein began developing the theory of General Relativity in 1907, which would not be completed until 1915.
1907: Formulation of Equivalence Principle
In 1907, Einstein formulated his equivalence principle, a milestone in developing his new idea of gravitation. The principle stated that an observer in a freely falling box within a gravitational field could not detect the field's existence.
1907: Proposal of Einstein Model of Matter
In 1907, Einstein proposed a model of matter where each atom in a lattice structure is an independent harmonic oscillator with quantized states, demonstrating quantum mechanics' ability to solve the specific heat problem.
1907: Article on Acceleration under Special Relativity
In 1907, Einstein published an article titled "On the Relativity Principle and the Conclusions Drawn from It", addressing acceleration under special relativity. He argued that free fall is inertial motion, and the rules of special relativity apply to free-falling observers. This article introduced the equivalence principle and predicted gravitational time dilation, gravitational redshift, and gravitational lensing.
1908: Junior teaching position
In 1908, Albert Einstein secured a junior teaching position at the University of Bern.
1908: Appointment as Privatdozent at the University of Bern
In 1908, Einstein became a Privatdozent at the University of Bern.
1908: Minkowski reinterprets special relativity
In 1908, Hermann Minkowski reinterpreted Einstein's special relativity in geometric terms as a theory of spacetime.
1908: Richardson predicts effect
In 1908, Owen Willans Richardson predicted that a change in the magnetic moment of a free body will cause this body to rotate, an effect later confirmed by Einstein and de Haas in 1915.
1909: Associate professorship
In 1909, Albert Einstein's lecture on relativistic electrodynamics led to an associate professorship at the University of Zurich.
1909: Introduction of the Photon Concept
In 1909, Einstein demonstrated that Max Planck's energy quanta have well-defined momenta and behave as independent, point-like particles, introducing the photon concept and inspiring wave–particle duality.
July 1910: Birth of Eduard
In July 1910, Albert Einstein's son, Eduard, was born in Zurich.
April 1911: Full Professorship in Prague
In April 1911, Albert Einstein accepted a chair at the German Charles-Ferdinand University in Prague, becoming an Austrian citizen.
1911: Reformulation of Quantum Theory by Planck
From 1911 to 1913, Planck reformulated his 1900 quantum theory, introducing the idea of zero-point energy, which attracted the attention of Einstein and Stern.
1911: Publication on Gravitation and Light Propagation
In 1911, Einstein published "On the Influence of Gravitation on the Propagation of Light", expanding his 1907 work and estimating the deflection of light by massive bodies. This allowed for experimental testing of general relativity's theoretical predictions.
1911: Estimation of Light Bending
In 1911, Einstein used the equivalence principle to estimate the bending of light from a distant star as it passed the Sun's photosphere due to the Sun's gravitational pull.
July 1912: Return to ETH Zurich
In July 1912, Albert Einstein returned to his alma mater, the ETH Zurich, to take up a chair in theoretical physics.
1912: Relationship with Elsa Löwenthal
In 1912, Albert Einstein began a relationship with Elsa Löwenthal.
1912: Private Correspondence
Starting in 1912, Einstein wrote daily to his wife Elsa and adopted stepdaughters Margot and Ilse, these letters were included in the papers bequeathed to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
June 1913: Development of the Entwurf Theory
In June 1913, Einstein developed the Entwurf ('draft') theory, a preliminary, less refined version of general relativity, which included additional gauge fixing conditions.
July 1913: Invitation to Berlin
In the spring of 1913, Max Planck and Walther Nernst invited Albert Einstein to relocate to Berlin.
1913: Planck's Reformulation of Quantum Theory
From 1911 to 1913, Planck reformulated his 1900 quantum theory, introducing the idea of zero-point energy, which attracted the attention of Einstein and Stern.
1913: Modeling Gravitation
In 1913, Einstein reworked his calculation on light bending, now modeling gravitation with the Riemann curvature tensor of a non-Euclidean four-dimensional spacetime.
April 1914: Mileva Marić Returns to Zurich
In April 1914, Mileva Marić learned of Albert Einstein's infidelity and returned to Zurich with their sons, Hans Albert and Eduard.
April 1914: Move to Berlin Apartment
On April 1, 1914, Albert Einstein moved into an apartment in the Berlin district of Dahlem.
October 1914: "Manifesto to the Europeans"
In October 1914, Albert Einstein was one of the few German intellectuals to distance himself from the "Manifesto of the Ninety-Three" and sign the alternative "Manifesto to the Europeans".
1914: Move to Berlin
In 1914, Albert Einstein moved to Berlin to join the Prussian Academy of Sciences and the Humboldt University of Berlin.
November 1915: Abandonment of the Entwurf Theory
In November 1915, after intensive work, Einstein realized his 'hole argument' was mistaken and abandoned the Entwurf theory.
1915: Einstein completes General Relativity
By 1915, Einstein had completed his General Theory of Relativity, which describes gravity as the result of warping of spacetime by masses. This theory has become a foundation for understanding black holes and modern astrophysics.
1915: Completion of Gravitation Theory
By the fall of 1915, Einstein completed his reimagining of gravitation mathematics using Riemannian geometry, applying the theory to gravitational lensing and the precession of Mercury's perihelion.
1915: General Theory of Relativity
In 1915, Albert Einstein proposed the general theory of relativity, extending his system of mechanics to incorporate gravitation.
1915: Einstein adopts Minkowski's formalism
In 1915, Einstein adopted Minkowski's formalism in his general theory of relativity.
1915: Einstein-de Haas Experiment
In 1915, Einstein and Wander Johannes de Haas published two papers claiming the first experimental observation of the effect where a change in the magnetic moment of a free body will cause this body to rotate, known as the Einstein-de Haas effect.
1916: President of German Physical Society
In 1916, Albert Einstein was elected president of the German Physical Society.
1916: Prediction of Gravitational Waves
In 1916, Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves as ripples in spacetime curvature, propagating outward and transporting energy as gravitational radiation, a concept possible due to general relativity's Lorentz invariance.
1917: Director of Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics
In 1917, Albert Einstein became the director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics.
1917: Spontaneous and Stimulated Emission
In 1917, Albert Einstein wrote a paper introducing the concepts of spontaneous emission and stimulated emission.
1917: Application of General Relativity to the Universe and Proposal of Cosmological Constant
In 1917, Einstein applied the general theory of relativity to the structure of the universe. Discovering that the equations predicted a dynamic universe, he introduced the cosmological constant to allow the theory to predict a static universe, leading to the Einstein World model.
1917: Proposal of Stimulated Emission
In 1917, Einstein proposed stimulated emission, the physical process behind masers and lasers, showing that light emission into a mode with n photons is statistically enhanced compared to emission into an empty mode.
1918: Einstein signs founding proclamation of German Democratic Party
In 1918, Einstein was one of the signatories of the founding proclamation of the German Democratic Party, which was a liberal party.
February 1919: Divorce from Mileva Marić
On February 14, 1919, Albert Einstein and Mileva Marić were granted a divorce after living apart for five years. Einstein agreed to give Marić the money he received if he won a Nobel Prize as part of the settlement.
May 1919: Testing Gravitational Lensing
On 29 May 1919, a total solar eclipse offered an opportunity to test Einstein's theory of gravitational lensing. Observations by Sir Arthur Eddington yielded results consistent with Einstein's calculations.
November 1919: Revolution in Science
On 7 November 1919, The Times (British newspaper) reported Eddington's work at length with a banner headline 'Revolution in Science – New Theory of the Universe – Newtonian Ideas Overthrown'.
1919: Marriage to Elsa Löwenthal
In 1919, Albert Einstein married Elsa Löwenthal.
1919: Acceptance of Light Quanta Theory
In 1919, Einstein's light quanta theory gained acceptance, with support from Robert Millikan's experiments on the photoelectric effect and Compton scattering measurements.
1919: Confirmation of General Relativity
In 1919, the confirmation of Einstein's general theory of relativity led to his rise as a scientific celebrity, widely recognized and admired despite the public's limited understanding of his work.
1920: Foreign Member of the Royal Netherlands Academy
In 1920, Albert Einstein was elected a Foreign Member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.
April 1921: Arrival in America
On 2 April 1921, Einstein arrived in America and was welcomed to New York City by Mayor John Francis Hylan. He spent three weeks lecturing and attending receptions, including visits to Columbia University, Princeton, and the White House.
July 1921: Published Essay on America
In July 1921, Einstein published the essay "My First Impression of the U.S.A." where he wrote positively on the American character.
1921: Foreign Member of the Royal Society
In 1921, Albert Einstein became a Foreign Member of the Royal Society.
1921: Nobel Prize in Physics
In 1921, Albert Einstein received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his services to theoretical physics, particularly for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect.
1921: Einstein Asked to Help Raise Funds for Hebrew University
In 1921, Einstein was asked by Chaim Weizmann to help raise funds for the planned Hebrew University, and suggested establishing various institutes.
1921: Previous US Visit
The text references Einstein's previous visit to the US in 1921.
1922: Membership in the International Committee
From 1922, Einstein became a member of the Geneva-based International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation of the League of Nations.
1922: Nobel Prize in Physics
In 1922, Albert Einstein was awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics for his services to theoretical physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect.
1923: Relationship with Betty Neumann
In 1923, Albert Einstein began a relationship with Betty Neumann, the niece of his friend Hans Mühsam.
1923: Continued League of Nations Work
In 1923, Einstein continued his work as a member of the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation of the League of Nations.
1923: Membership of the Spanish Academy of Sciences
In 1923, Einstein visited Spain, where he was inducted into the Spanish Academy of Sciences by King Alfonso XIII.
1924: American Academy of Arts and Sciences
In 1924, Albert Einstein was elected an International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
1924: Continued League of Nations Work
In 1924, Einstein continued his work as a member of the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation of the League of Nations.
1924: Development of Bose-Einstein Statistics
In 1924, Einstein, upon receiving Satyendra Nath Bose's statistical model, developed Bose-Einstein statistics, predicting the Bose–Einstein condensate phenomenon.
1925: Displeasure with Quantum Mechanics
After 1925, Einstein became displeased with modern quantum mechanics, skeptical of its randomness and maintaining it was incomplete.
1925: Copley Medal
In 1925, Albert Einstein received the Royal Society's Copley Medal.
1925: Einstein criticizes Bolsheviks
In 1925, Einstein criticized the Bolsheviks for not having a "well-regulated system of government," calling their rule a "regime of terror and a tragedy in human history".
1925: Hebrew University of Jerusalem opens
In 1925, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem opened. Einstein was a figurehead leader in its establishment.
1926: Co-invention of Einstein Refrigerator
In 1926, Einstein and Leó Szilárd co-invented the Einstein refrigerator, an absorption refrigerator revolutionary for having no moving parts and using only heat as an input.
1926: Coining of the Term 'Photons'
In 1926, Gilbert N. Lewis dubbed Einstein's light quanta as photons.
1926: Influence on Schrödinger's Work
In 1926, following his support of de Broglie's wave ideas, Einstein observed that de Broglie waves could explain Bohr and Sommerfeld's quantization rules, inspiring Schrödinger's work.
1927: Jorge Duclout Death
In 1927, Jorge Duclout, who suggested Einstein's South America tour, passed away.
1929: Discovery of the Recession of Galaxies by Edwin Hubble
In 1929, Edwin Hubble discovered the recession of galaxies, which later led Einstein to abandon his static model of the universe.
1929: Einstein Remarks on Vladimir Lenin
In 1929, Einstein adopted a more moderated view on the Bolsheviks, criticizing their methods but praising them, shown by his remark on Vladimir Lenin.
November 1930: Patent for Einstein Refrigerator
On November 11, 1930, U.S. patent 1,781,541 was awarded to Einstein and Leó Szilárd for the Einstein refrigerator, though its commercial production was not immediate.
December 1930: Research Fellowship at Caltech
In December 1930, Einstein began a research fellowship at the California Institute of Technology, seeking to minimize media attention.
1930: American Philosophical Society
In 1930, Albert Einstein was elected an International Member of the American Philosophical Society.
1930: Debate with Bohr on Quantum Mechanics
In 1930, Einstein debated with Bohr on quantum mechanics, presenting a thought experiment involving entangled objects to argue that quantum mechanics provides an incomplete description of reality.
1930: Einstein writes letter to Hermann Huth
In 1930, Einstein wrote a letter to Hermann Huth, the vice-president of the German Vegetarian Federation, expressing his sympathy toward vegetarianism.
May 1931: Stay at Christ Church, Oxford
In May 1931, Einstein began a series of short stays at Christ Church, Oxford.
September 1931: Einstein Meets V. A. Sundaram
On September 27, 1931, Einstein met V. A. Sundaram, Gandhi's disciple, at his summer home. This led to an exchange of letters between Einstein and Gandhi.
1931: Proposal of Friedmann–Einstein Universe
In 1931, following Hubble's discovery, Einstein proposed the Friedmann-Einstein universe, a dynamic model of the cosmos where he discarded the cosmological constant, deeming it theoretically unsatisfactory.
1931: Einstein plays with the Zoellner Quartet
In 1931, while researching at the California Institute of Technology, Einstein visited the Zoellner family conservatory in Los Angeles, where he played some of Beethoven and Mozart's works with members of the Zoellner Quartet.
1931: Einstein's Exploration of Steady-State Model
In early 1931, Einstein explored a steady-state model of the expanding universe in which the density of matter remains constant due to a continuous creation of matter, a process he associated with the cosmological constant, but it was discovered in 2013.
1932: End of League of Nations Committee Membership
In 1932, Einstein ended his membership in the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation of the League of Nations.
1932: Proposal of Einstein–de Sitter Universe
In 1932, Einstein proposed the Einstein–de Sitter universe, another dynamic model of the cosmos, discarding the cosmological constant.
1932: FBI creates a secret dossier on Einstein
In 1932, the FBI created a secret dossier on Einstein, which grew to be 1,427 pages long by the time of his death. This shows the level of scrutiny he faced due to his political views and activism.
February 1933: Decision Not to Return to Germany
In February 1933, while visiting the United States, Einstein decided not to return to Germany due to the Nazi rise to power under Adolf Hitler.
March 1933: Resignation from Prussian Academy
In March 1933, Albert Einstein resigned from the Prussian Academy.
March 1933: Renunciation of German Citizenship
In March 1933, Einstein's family apartment was raided by the Gestapo, the German Reichstag passed the Enabling Act, and Einstein renounced his German citizenship after landing in Antwerp, Belgium.
April 1933: Aided by the Academic Assistance Council
In April 1933, Einstein, now without a permanent home, was aided by the Academic Assistance Council to leave Germany.
April 1933: Laws Barring Jews
In April 1933, the new German government passed laws prohibiting Jews from holding official positions, including teaching at universities.
June 1933: Stay at Christ Church, Oxford
In June 1933, Einstein ended a series of short stays at Christ Church, Oxford.
September 1933: Request for Placement of Scientists
In September 1933, Einstein wrote to Turkey's Prime Minister, İsmet İnönü, requesting placement for unemployed German-Jewish scientists.
October 1933: Speech on Academic Freedom
On 3 October 1933, Einstein delivered a speech on academic freedom at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Four days later he took a position at the Institute for Advanced Study.
1933: Emigration to the United States
In 1933, Elsa Löwenthal accompanied Albert Einstein when he emigrated to the United States.
1933: Decision to remain in the US
In 1933, while visiting the United States, Albert Einstein decided to remain due to the rise of Adolf Hitler and Nazi persecution in Germany.
1935: Moved to Princeton Home
From 1935 onwards, Einstein lived in Princeton at his home.
1935: Decision to Stay in the US
In 1935, Einstein decided to remain permanently in the United States and apply for citizenship.
1935: EPR Paradox Published
In 1935, Einstein, along with Boris Podolsky and Nathan Rosen, introduced the EPR paradox, a thought experiment challenging the completeness of quantum mechanics. The paradox involved entangled particles and questioned whether quantum theory fully described reality.
1935: Development of the Einstein-Rosen Bridge (Wormhole) Model
In 1935, Einstein, in collaboration with Nathan Rosen, developed a model of a wormhole, known as Einstein-Rosen bridges, aiming to represent elementary particles using gravitational field equations, although these bridges were later found to be unstable.
1935: Elsa Löwenthal's Diagnosis
In 1935, Elsa Löwenthal was diagnosed with heart and kidney problems.
1935: Mauricio Nirenstein Death
In 1935, Mauricio Nirenstein, who suggested Einstein's South America tour, passed away.
December 1936: Death of Elsa Löwenthal
In December 1936, Elsa Löwenthal, Albert Einstein's wife, died.
1937: Köchel catalog of Mozart's work is published
In 1937, the Köchel catalog of Mozart's work was published, it was edited by Alfred Einstein, who may have been a distant relative of Albert Einstein.
1937: Einstein invites Marian Anderson to stay at his home
In 1937, when black contralto Marian Anderson was refused a room at the Nassau Inn in Princeton, Einstein invited her to stay at his home. This began a tradition of Anderson staying with Einstein whenever she visited Princeton.
July 1939: Warning to President Roosevelt
In July 1939, Einstein, Szilárd and Wigner visited Einstein to explain the possibility of atomic bombs and Einstein was asked to support recommending the US to pay attention and engage in its own nuclear weapons research by writing a letter, with Szilárd, to President Roosevelt.
1940: American Citizenship
In 1940, Albert Einstein was granted American citizenship.
1940: Einstein becomes an American citizen
In 1940, Einstein became an American citizen. He appreciated the meritocracy in American culture and the freedom of expression it afforded compared to Europe.
1946: Einstein visits Lincoln University
In 1946, Einstein visited Lincoln University, a historically black college in Pennsylvania, where he was awarded an honorary degree. He also gave a speech about racism in America.
1948: Einstein's aortic aneurysm reinforced surgically
In 1948, Einstein's abdominal aortic aneurysm had previously been reinforced surgically by Rudolph Nissen.
1948: Establishment of the state of Israel
In 1948, the state of Israel was established without Einstein's direct help, as he played a marginal role in the Zionist movement.
1950: Unified Field Theory
In 1950, Einstein described his unified field theory in a Scientific American article titled "On the Generalized Theory of Gravitation".
1951: Einstein offers to testify for W. E. B. Du Bois
In 1951, Einstein offered to be a character witness for civil rights activist W. E. B. Du Bois, who was on trial as an alleged foreign agent. As a result, the judge decided to drop the case.
November 1952: Einstein offered the presidency of Israel
In November 1952, following the death of Israeli president Chaim Weizmann, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion offered Einstein the position of President of Israel. Einstein declined the offer.
January 1954: Einstein writes letter to Eric Gutkind
In January 1954, Einstein wrote a letter in German to philosopher Eric Gutkind.
March 1954: Einstein describes his vegetarian diet
In March 1954, Einstein wrote a letter describing his vegetarian diet, which excluded fats, meat, and fish, and how he felt well on this diet. This was during the last part of his life where he became vegetarian.
1954: Einstein regrets signing letter to Roosevelt
In 1954, a year before his death, Einstein told Linus Pauling that he regretted signing the letter to President Roosevelt recommending the creation of atom bombs, citing the danger of Germany developing them first. Einstein considered this "one great mistake".
April 1955: Death of Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein died in April 1955. He was a German-born theoretical physicist known for his theory of relativity and contributions to quantum mechanics.
April 1955: Einstein experiences internal bleeding
On April 17, 1955, Einstein experienced internal bleeding caused by the rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. He died soon after.
1955: Death
Einstein died in 1955, having maintained his affiliation with the Institute for Advanced Study until his death.
1955: Einstein signs manifesto on nuclear weapons
In 1955, Einstein, along with Bertrand Russell and other intellectuals and scientists, signed a manifesto highlighting the dangers of nuclear weapons. This action reflects Einstein's ongoing concern about the potential for global destruction.
1955: Einsteinium Named
In 1955, Einsteinium, a synthetic chemical element, was named in his honor, a few months after his death.
1955: Mount Einstein in Alaska
In 1955, Mount Einstein in the Chugach Mountains of Alaska was named in honor of Albert Einstein.
1955: Private Correspondence
Until 1955, Einstein wrote daily to his wife Elsa and adopted stepdaughters Margot and Ilse, these letters were included in the papers bequeathed to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
1960: Einstein Posthumously Included in World Academy of Art and Science
Posthumously in 1960, Einstein was included as a charter member of the World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS). This organization was founded by scientists and intellectuals who were committed to the ethical advances of science, especially relating to nuclear weapons development.
1961: Donation of Einstein-de Haas Equipment
In 1961, Geertruida de Haas-Lorentz, donated the original Einstein-de Haas experimental equipment to the Ampère Museum in Lyon, France.
1964: Bell's Analysis of Quantum Entanglement
In 1964, John Stewart Bell further analyzed quantum entanglement, deducing that hidden variables within entangled particles imply constraints on measurement outcomes, known as Bell's inequality, challenging Einstein's views on quantum physics.
December 1965: J. Robert Oppenheimer delivers memorial lecture on Einstein
In December 1965, nuclear physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer delivered a memorial lecture at UNESCO headquarters, summarizing his impression of Einstein as a person of great purity and stubbornness.
1970: Mount Einstein in New Zealand
In 1970, Mount Einstein in New Zealand's Paparoa Range was named after him by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
1976: National Historic Landmark
In 1976, the Albert Einstein House was made a National Historic Landmark.
1979: Unveiling of Albert Einstein Memorial
In 1979, the Albert Einstein Memorial was unveiled outside the National Academy of Sciences building in Washington, D.C., commemorating Einstein's contributions to science.
1986: Margot Einstein's death
Following her death in 1986, Margot Einstein's request to withhold her personal letters until twenty years after her death was honored.
1987: Discovery of Correspondence
In 1987, correspondence between Albert Einstein and Mileva Marić was discovered and published, revealing details about their daughter Lieserl.
1995: Experimental Production of Bose-Einstein Condensate
In 1995, Eric Allin Cornell and Carl Wieman experimentally produced the first Bose-Einstein condensate, validating Einstein's prediction from 1924.
1999: Time's Person of the Century
In 1999, Einstein was named Time's Person of the Century.
1999: Greatest Physicist Ever
In 1999, a survey of top physicists voted Einstein as the "greatest physicist ever", while a parallel survey of rank-and-file physicists ranked him second to Isaac Newton.
2005: World Year of Physics
The year 2005 was labeled the "World Year of Physics", also known as "Einstein Year", in recognition of Einstein's "miracle year" in 1905.
2006: Release of Einstein's letters
In 2006, a volume of Albert Einstein's letters released by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem revealed other women with whom he was romantically involved.
2013: Discovery of Einstein's Steady-State Model Considerations
In late 2013, a team led by Cormac O'Raifeartaigh found evidence that Einstein considered a steady-state model of the universe after learning of Hubble's observations.
December 2014: Release of Einstein's papers
On December 5, 2014, universities and archives announced the release of Einstein's papers, comprising more than 30,000 unique documents. This represents a significant contribution to the understanding of his work and life.
September 2015: First Detection of Gravitational Waves
On September 14, 2015, the first observation of gravitational waves was detected on Earth, a century after Einstein's prediction, which was later confirmed by LIGO in February 2016.
2015: Einstein's Right of Publicity Litigated
In 2015, Einstein's right of publicity was litigated in a federal district court in California, eventually leading to a settlement and reaffirmation of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's exclusive representation of that right.
February 2016: Confirmation of Gravitational Waves Prediction
In February 2016, researchers at LIGO published the first direct observation of gravitational waves, detected on Earth on September 14, 2015, nearly a century after Einstein's prediction, confirming the theory.
2023: Rediscovery of Equipment
In 2023, the Einstein-de Haas experimental equipment, previously lost, was rediscovered among the Ampère Museum's holdings.
