On the Path of Albert Einstein / Studies in the Natural Sciences (PDF)

In this centennial year of Albert Einstein's birth, physicists are inspired more than ever and most enthusiastic to talk about the scientific works and human side of the greatest scientist of 'all time. Only until two decades ago, the General Theory of Relativity was not included in most university graduate programs - it remained as a separate discipline in physics, to be studied sometime in the future if time could be alloted for it. Albert Einstein regarded general relativity as his greatest achievement in physics compared to all other epoch-making contributions he made, including the dis­ covery of special relativity, photoelectric effect (the concept of photon), statistical analysis of emission and absorption of radiation by atoms in a gas, Brownian motion, and a host of other profound con­ tributions to physics. Now his theory of gravitation described within the framework'-of general relativity is being recognized with increasing importance with the passage of time. Einstein is becoming even greater with time. His General Theory of Relativity does, so far, describe successfully the heavenly phenomena associated with pulsars, black holes, 3 degree K fossil cosmic radiation left over from the big bang, expansion of the Uni­ verse, quasars, supernovae phenomena, and many other cosmic sequences of events. The fundamental significance of gravitation, the new picture of space and time concepts for the elementary particles, and the possible relation between the smallest and the largest is now being studied with greater appreciation and better understanding.