The Extraordinary Genius of Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein is regarded around the world as one of the most intelligent people ever to have lived. While almost everyone has heard of Einstein, few know of what he actually accomplished to achieve such a legendary stature. Most of his ideas and theories are considered too complex to be contemplated by the average person, but in reality they can be understood by almost anyone. While this statement may be up for debate, there is one thing everyone can agree on: Albert Einstein lived a fascinating life, and his theories of relativity revolutionized scientific ideas in the world of physics.
Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany in 1879 (Folsing 1). Einstein did not talk until well after his 3rd birthday, and his parents feared that he was mentally retarded. When he did start talking, he used fairly large words was spoke in complete sentences. When asked about this, his explanation was that he consciously skipped baby babbling, waiting until he could speak in complete sentences (Brian 2). He displayed a great natural ability for learning as a child, even though he did not always succeed in school. Einstein learned how to play the violin shortly before his fifth birthday, and had surpassed other kids his age in several academic areas, including math (O’Connor). Early in his childhood, Einstein was given a compass, which may have initiated his curiosity with the world. The needle's invariable northward swing, guided by an invisible force, thoroughly impressed young Einstein. The compass convinced him that there had to be "something behind things, something deeply hidden" (O’Connor). Einstein’s uncle’s Jacob Einstein and Caesar Koch further stimulated his fascination in mathematics and science, and at the age of twelve he devoted himself to solve the riddle of the "huge world" (O’Connor). Because of his immense desire to discover and learn on his own, Einstein hated the academic high school he was sent to...
