In March 1905, a young patent clerk in Switzerland, Albert Einstein, submitted the first of his groundbreaking papers that would revolutionize physics. This paper, part of his Annus Mirabilis (“Miracle Year”) papers, laid the foundation for the special theory of relativity, fundamentally changing how we understand space, time, and motion.
A Breakthrough in Physics
Einstein’s 1905 paper introduced the idea that the speed of light is constant and independent of the observer’s motion, contradicting classical Newtonian physics. This insight led to key discoveries, including:
- Time dilation: Moving clocks run slower compared to stationary ones.
- Length contraction: Objects moving at high speeds shrink in the direction of motion.
- Mass-energy equivalence: Later expressed as E = mc², showing the relationship between mass and energy.
The Impact of Einstein’s Work
Einstein’s 1905 papers led to the modern understanding of space-time, influencing quantum mechanics, GPS technology, and nuclear energy. His ideas paved the way for general relativity (1915) and shaped the future of modern physics.
