Albert Einstein
Most people know who Albert Einstein is. This is because he was considered to be a genius. He was a groundbreaking theoretical physicist who did some very amazing things in his time. Sure, he died over 60 years ago, but his picture is still on science books and posters because he was a genius. Most people know about the discoveries that he made when he was alive and his signature wild hair, but they don’t know little things about him and his life. There are many genius facts about Einstein that were left out of textbooks.
He Never Wore Socks
Albert Einstein found socks to be uncomfortable. Because of this, he often wore shoes without socks. He even wore pink fuzzy slippers from time to time. You will have a tough time finding a photo where he is actually wearing a pair of socks.
Early Model Refrigerator
Even if you don’t know much about Einstein, chances are you know that his theory of relativity revolves around E= mc². What you may not know is that he is responsible for inventing an early model of the refrigerator. Next time you go to the fridge to get a cold drink, you can thank Einstein.
Teaching Job
Even though Einstein was a genius, he had trouble finding a teaching job. For years, he worked in a patent office but wished he was out teaching. When he joined the Prussian Academy of Sciences, he became affiliated with Princeton University, which gave him the opportunity to lecture all over the world.
He Didn’t Invent the Atom Bomb
Many people believe that Einstein invented the Atom Bomb. He didn’t. What he did do was advise President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to create one before the Germans could. Even though he had a minimal role in the creation of the Atom Bomb, he felt guilty for his small role after the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
Poor Memory
Einstein may have been a genius, but he didn’t have a great memory. It is well known that he couldn’t remember how many feet there were in a mile, When asked about it, he said, “Why should I fill my brain with facts I can find in two minutes in any standard reference book?
Einstein For President?
After World War II, Einstein was an advocate for a Jewish home state. In 1952, Israel offered him the presidency. He was flattered, but he declined. He said that he didn’t have the necessary experience or skill set to be President.
He Was On the FBI’s Watch List
For decades, the FBI monitored Albert Einstein. The FBI director at the time, J. Edgar Hoover, was worried that Einstein was leftist because of his denunciation of war and fascism. When Einstein died, the FBI had a 1,600-page report on him.
Not a Gifted Child
Considering how intelligent Einstein was, you would think that he was a child prodigy. He actually wasn’t. He didn’t start talking until he was 3-years-old, which is very late. When he did start speaking, he repeated sentences under his breath for years. Today, this is referred to as Einstein Syndrome.
Early Interest In Science
Einstein became interested in science when he was 5-years-old. His father gave him a compass, and he was amazed that it could always point in the same direction. This woke something in him that made him start to ask questions about the world around him.
He Played Violin
Einstein’s mother, Pauline, forced him to take violin lessons as a young child. He hated it. When he was 13-years-old, he started to appreciate the instrument. Soon, he loved it. Playing was one of his greatest passions.
Yoda and Einstein
Yoda
Sailing
Einstein had a passion for sailing, but he didn’t excel in it the way that he did with the violin. He ran his boat aground more than once. Since he didn’t know how to swim, he put himself in great danger each time he sailed.
Einstein’s Brain
Dr. Thomas Stoltz Harvey is the doctor who performed Einstein’s autopsy in 1955. After the autopsy, he kept Einstein’s brain without his permission. He even sent pieces of it to scientists around the world for research. The doctor finally gave the brain in 1998.
Questions
When Einstein would walk down the street, people would always stop him to ask questions. Not wanting to stop and talk, he would tell the people that he was always confused with Albert Einstein because they looked so much alike. It was the most polite way to think of to avoid answering scientific questions.
Estrangement
Einstein was able to solve scientific problems, but he couldn’t solve his personal problems. He and his oldest son, Hans, grew apart when Einstein and Hans’ mother divorced. He also criticized Hans’ fiancee constantly. This formed a wedge between the two, and they never patched things up.
Keeping It In the Family
Einstein’s first wife’s name was Mileva, and they divorced in 1919. The same year, he married his first cousin, Elsa Lowenthal. What is even more strange is that she wasn’t his first choice. He was first pursuing her daughter, Ilse, but she wasn’t interested. Talk about keeping it in the family.
Person Of the Century
In 1999, Time Magazine voted Einstein as the Person of the Century. They described him as “the pre-eminent scientist in a century dominated by science.” Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Mahatma Gandhi were nominated, but Einstein won the top spot.
Different Teaching Style
Einstein had a much different teaching style than others in academia. Unlike his colleagues, who used lectures to teach, he used a free-form teaching style. He used note cards during his lessons, and he allowed his students to interject with questions and even to disagree with him.
Adoption
In the 1980s, historians found letters from Albert Einstein that revealed a dark secret. Before he married Mileva Maric, they had a daughter named Lieserl, and they put her up for adoption. Nobody knows where she ended up or if she shared Einstein’s intelligence.
Einstein Was a Smoker
Einstein loved to smoke, and he claimed that it helped his objective and calm thought process. When his doctors warned him of the dangers of tobacco, he quit smoking. Today, one of his pipes is on display at the Smithsonian.
Bored In School
When Einstein was growing up, he clashed with his teachers because he was bored with conventional lessons. He preferred to learn on his own, at his own pace. When he was 12-years-old, he developed an original proof for the Pythagorean Theorem. Today, there are kids who could be the next Albert Einstein because they too are incredibly intelligent.
