Albert Einstein overhauled our understanding of the universe—from the sub-atomic level to beyond the edges of the cosmos. Today his ideas are in evidence everywhere, from televisions and GPS systems, to our understanding of black holes and the Big Bang. But who was Einstein as a person? What were his theories that upended established scientific beliefs? And how did his work inadvertently contribute to some of the 20th century’s most devastating acts of warfare? 

This is a Short History of Albert Einstein. Written by Dan Smith. With thanks to David Bodanis, author of Einstein’s Greatest Mistake, and E=mc2: A Biography of the World’s Most Famous Equation.

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