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Albert Einstein finishes his scientific paper detailing his quantum theory of light, a foundation of modern physics

Albert Einstein (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist best known for developing the theory of relativity.

Albert Einstein (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist best known for developing the theory of relativity. Einstein also made important contributions to quantum theory. His mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc2, which arises from special relativity, has been called "the world's most famous equation". He received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics for "his services to theoretical physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect".

Born in the German Empire, Einstein moved to Switzerland in 1895, forsaking his German citizenship the following year. In 1897, at the age of seventeen, he enrolled in the mathematics and physics teaching diploma program at the Swiss federal polytechnic school in Zurich, graduating in 1900.

Historical Significance

Albert Einstein (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist best known for developing the theory of relativity.

Key People

Albert Einstein

German-born theoretical physicist

German-born theoretical physicist

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Events Before

  1. James Longstreet dies

    James Longstreet, Confederate confederate army general, known for confederate army general, died on 1904-01-02.

  2. The Dutch East Indies government takes control of opium distribution

    The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies, was a Dutch colony with territory mostly comprising the modern state of Indonesia, which declared independence on 17 August 1945.

  3. Future German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer (28) weds Emma Weyer at St. Stephan Catholic Church in Lindenthal, Germany, unt

    Future German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer (28) weds Emma Weyer at St. Stephan Catholic Church in Lindenthal, Germany, until her death in 1916

  4. Japanese torpedo boats launch a surprise attack on Russian ships at the Port Arthur naval base in Manchuria, beginning t

    Japanese torpedo boats launch a surprise attack on Russian ships at the Port Arthur naval base in Manchuria, beginning the Russo-Japanese War. Japanese troops also land at Chemulpo (Incheon), near Seoul, Korea; in three weeks, they advance to the Yalu River, the border of Manchuria.

  5. Giacomo Puccini's opera "Madama Butterfly" premieres at La Scala in Milan, Italy

    Madama Butterfly is an opera in three acts (originally two) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa.

Events After

  1. Dutch law makes a driver's license mandatory

    Dutch law makes a driver's license mandatory

  2. Composer Igor Stravinsky (23) weds Yekaterina Nosenko

    Composer Igor Stravinsky (23) weds Yekaterina Nosenko

  3. British battleship HMS Dreadnought launches after only 100 days and renders all other capital ships obsolete with its re

    British battleship HMS Dreadnought launches after only 100 days and renders all other capital ships obsolete with its revolutionary design

  4. 26th US President Theodore Roosevelt's daughter Alice marries in the White House

    26th US President Theodore Roosevelt's daughter Alice marries in the White House

  5. Film director D. W. Griffith (31) weds Linda Arvidson (21) at Old North Church in Boston, Massachusetts

    Film director D. W. Griffith (31) weds Linda Arvidson (21) at Old North Church in Boston, Massachusetts

More from the 1900s

First Powered Flight by the Wright Brothers

Orville and Wilbur Wright make the first controlled, sustained flight of a powered, heavier-than-air aircraft near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

science technology

Conference of 23 industrial trade unionists in Chicago, Illinois, issues the Industrial Union Manifesto, calling for a c

Conference of 23 industrial trade unionists in Chicago, Illinois, issues the Industrial Union Manifesto, calling for a convention in Chicago in June and laying the groundwork for the formation of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)

death

James Longstreet dies

James Longstreet, Confederate confederate army general, known for confederate army general, died on 1904-01-02.

1st Rose Bowl, Tournament Park, Pasadena, California: Michigan defeats Stanford 49-0; MVP: Michigan fullback Neil Snow

1st Rose Bowl, Tournament Park, Pasadena, California: Michigan defeats Stanford 49-0; MVP: Michigan fullback Neil Snow

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on March 17, 1905?
Albert Einstein (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist best known for developing the theory of relativity. Einstein also made important contributions to quantum theory. His mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc2, which arises from special relativity, has been called "the world's most famous equation".
Why is Albert Einstein finishes his scientific paper detailing his quantum theory of... significant?
Albert Einstein (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist best known for developing the theory of relativity.
Who was involved in Albert Einstein finishes his scientific paper detailing his quantum theory of...?
Key figures include Albert Einstein (German-born theoretical physicist).

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March 17 in HistoryYear 1905