100 Years Ago, Albert Einstein Became a Legend
what Albert einstein invented, Albert Einstein, the wire-haired physicist,
whose worked reshaped our understanding of the universe, is a household name—but that wasn't always the case.
Albert Einstein about Before
1919, only a handful of scientists knew of Einstein's pivotal work, and
fewer still supported it. If not for the effort of a small group of
British scientists, who recognized Einstein's genius and determined to
push past war and stigma, we may never have learned of humanity's most
important achievement.
But on November 6, 1919, British scientist Arthur Stanley Eddington would change the course of Einstein's life forever.
In
1916, Einstein had published the mathematical details for his general
theory of relativity, in which he proposed that light and time could be
bent or deflected by the gravitational field of massive objects in the
universe, like the sun. Sir Isaac Newton had made similar claims in his
1704 treatise, Optiks, but he wasn’t able to quantitatively prove this
phenomenon. A century later, German mathematician Johann Georg von
Soldner published the first calculations quantifying Newton’s work in
1804.
But Einstein took Newton's original claims
a step further. Instead, he proposed that this phenomenon occurred not because of a specific force but because of curvature in space—much like how placing a heavyweight in the center of a mattress causes it to sag,
pulling any object rolled across it toward the center. He suggested
that the values at which light deflected would be much higher than
others, including Newton, anticipated.
When
Einstein submitted his work on general relativity for publication, he
warned publishers that “there were not more than twelve persons in the
whole world who would understand it,” The New York Times reported in
1919.
He left the task of proving his theory correct to other scientists, and that opportunity would arrive three years later.
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World War I had cast Europe into an economic and
academic winter. Lines of communications between countries were severed,
and there was little time for discussion of space-gravity and
cosmology. The scientific community had been splintered, and Einstein
was trapped behind the curtain of war. Despite his opposition to the war, Einstein’s work was shunned by other scientists across Europe.
But
Arthur Stanley Eddington, a British astronomer, physicist and
mathematician, and British Astronomer Royal Frank Watson Dyson became
transfixed with Einstein’s theories. When they managed to get a copy of
the Swiss-German physicist’s work on genera
l relativity, they knew they
had come across something that would change the course of history.
Eddington,
in particular, made it his mission to prove Einstein’s controversial theory. Together, he and Dyson began a correspondence with Einstein that
would nearly cost them their jobs and their freedom. Correspondence between citizens of Britain and German was strictly prohibited.
Eddington
was already in a difficult position, as a Quaker who was strongly
opposed to war, he had fought draft orders on multiple occasions. Dyson,
in a position of power and influence, pulled strings and managed to
keep his colleague out of harm’s way.
Dyson saw
that there would be an opportunity to prove Einstein’s work in 1919: a
solar eclipse would sweep across the Atlantic. But an expedition could not be mounted during the war, as supplies and funds were needed on the
front line. Safe passage across the Atlantic wasn’t a guarantee.
Luckily,
fate was in their favor. In 1918, a ceasefire was announced and an
armistice was signed between the allied countries and Germany. The war
was over, and Dyson, Eddington, and Andrew Crommelin of the Royal
Greenwich Observatory in London formalized plans for an expedition.
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In the spring of 1919, two teams—funded by Dyson
and led by Eddington and Crommelin—set out by sea: one ship travelled to
Príncipe, a small island off the coast of West Africa, and the other to
Sobral, a small town along the northern coast of Brazil. Both locations
fell along the path of the eclipse, which would sweep west to east
across the Pacific Ocean.
On
May 29, 2019, as the moon dove in front of the sun, casting the world into six minutes of darkness, both teams set their telescopes toward the
sun—but misfortune struck. In Príncipe, Eddington’s team was met with poor weather. He wasn’t able to get nearly the amount of images that he
wanted. A strike put on by steamship workers forced him to pack up his
equipment early. He would have to wait months to analyze the photographs he took.
In Brazil, the tropical heat had
warped the metal in their large telescopes. Instead, the team, led by
Crommelin was forced to use a much smaller, 10-centimeter telescope.
Despite these challenges, they got the data they needed.
A
brief analysis of the results in Brazil revealed that the position of
the Hyades did, in fact, shift, meaning that the rays of light the stars
projected were bending around the sun. This shift also aligned more closely with Einstein’s predictions than Newton’s. Months of rigorous
analysis back in Britain further confirmed his work.
On November 6, Eddington presented the results of
his expedition to a crowded room at the Royal Society and the Royal
Astronomical Society in London. His presentation thrust Einstein from relative obscurity to international celebrity overnight. At the time,
Eddington called this his life’s greatest achievement: "I knew that
Einstein's theory had stood the test and the new outlook of scientific
thought must prevail."
When Einstein, who was
bedridden and ravaged by wartime hunger, learned of the success via
telegram, he was delighted. The next day, his face was splashed across newspapers around the world. The Times of London’s headline read:
“Revolution in science NEW THEORY OF THE UNIVERSE: NEWTONIAN IDEAS
OVERTHROWN.”
They called it the “most remarkable scientific event” since the discovery of Neptune in 1846.
Days later, The New York Times followed up with a six-headline column heralding the discovery.
“Enough
has been said to show the importance of Einstein’s theory, even if it cannot be expressed clearly in words," Sir Joseph Thomson, president of
the Royal Society, told The Times. Another astronomer, Dr. W. J. S.
Lockyer, assured the public that while the results were important, they
“do not personally concern ordinary human beings.”
But
the public was fascinated and would not be deterred by the complicated
nature of Einstein’s work. His theories and the discoveries that proved
them sparked a worldwide fascination in astronomy and physics and
ushered in the era of modern physics.
When he
arrived in the U.S. in 1921, more than 5,000 revelers greeted him as he stepped off the steamship Rotterdam. Throngs of reporters trailed the
scientist wherever he went, and lecture series he gave across the U.S.
and Europe left attendees overflowing into the streets.
Einstein's
theories of special and general relativity play a more significant role
in our lives than one might suspect. GPS technology, for example, which relies on ultra-precise timekeeping, draws on both theories when
calculating the coordinates of a given location. Enjoy using
electricity? You can thank Einstein.
Over 100
years later, his theories still stand, and a number of scientists have since reaffirmed his work. In 2018, a research team proved an important component of his theory: that gravity works the same in other galaxies
as it does here.
After November 6, 1919,
Einstein would never escape the spotlight. A humble man, he often shied
away from this unbridled celebrity. The bright light of fame would not
bend.
Prominent NYC Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Joseph Rousso Speaks at Albert Einstein College of Medicine's Department of Otolaryngology
Double board-certified plastic surgeon, Joseph Rousso, M.D, was invited to speak at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology Grand Rounds on October 18, 2019
NEW YORK (PRWEB) November 06, 2019
Dr. Rousso's presentation was well-received and offered practical knowledge pertaining to ear plastic surgery and the proper treatment of patients. The Grand Rounds at Albert Einstein's School of Medicine offers a more in-depth education in many areas from various doctors, educators and healthcare specialists in order to improve the knowledge, competence and performance of medical students and other healthcare professionals.
"When any procedure involving plastic surgery of the ear is carried out, the surgeon's goal should be to balance art and science to create beautiful results that do not look operated on. I feel privileged to be asked to speak and share my experiences regarding ear plastic surgery. I hope the attendees will benefit and use what they learned from my presentation on this topic," says Dr. Joseph Rousso
Dr. Joseph Rousso practices medicine in Manhattan at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai and Mount Sinai Doctors East 85th Street. Dr. Rousso offers several advanced reconstructive and cosmetic procedures as well as the latest and most innovative treatments in facial rejuvenation.
More About Dr. Rousso
Dr. Joseph J Rousso is double board-certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. He began his medical education at Florida State University. He completed his surgical internship at Beth Israel Medical Center and residency at the New York Eye & Ear Infirmary in Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. He was then selected to be a fellow of the American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) program. Dr. Rousso furthered his facial plastic surgery training at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the New York Center for Facial Plastic & Laser Surgery.
Deadline to Apply for 2020-2021 Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program Fast Approaching
OAK RIDGE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Less than three weeks remain before the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program call for applications closes on November 14, 2019, at 8 p.m. EST. The program provides unique opportunities for accomplished K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educators to serve 11 months in a federal agency or U.S. Congressional office. Einstein Fellows bring their extensive classroom knowledge and experience to their host offices to inform federal STEM education efforts.
Previous Einstein Fellows have: Designed and implemented
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