Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist and mathematician, one of the great scientists the 20th Century. He received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921 for his discovery of the photoelectric effect. His work spanned the whole of the quantum world, his most famous work includes the Special and General Theory of Relativity, mass energy equivalence (E=mc2), the quantum description of light and his approach to statistical mechanics.
What is a wormhole?
You'll often see wormholes in science fiction as a way to travel across the Galaxy.
Alexander Grothendieck and the search for the heart of the mathematical universe
This piece is extracted from When We Cease to Understand the World, Benjamín Labatut's new book blending fact with fiction to tell key moments in science history.
2020 Nobel Prize in physics given to black hole researchers
British physicist Sir Roger Penrose shares the prize with Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez.
Is there a fourth dimension?
Asked by: Laurie Guard (age 13), Rugby
Star’s rosette orbit around supermassive black hole ‘proves Einstein right’
The S2 star is orbiting Milky Way’s supermassive black hole in the shape of a rosette, which is supported by Einstein’s general theory of relativity.
Wormholes | Could we travel through a black hole into another galaxy?
Could we travel through a black hole to take a shortcut into another galaxy?
A brief history of gravity | From apples to gravitational waves
Feel the full force of history in this quick introduction to gravity, electromagnetism and how we came to understand what’s keeping us stuck to the floor and orbiting the Sun.
How British scientists inspired and ensured Einstein's place in history
Albert Einstein looked up to the great scientists that preceded him, and his British contemporaries helped prove his theory of relativity.
Dark energy is hiding in our Universe - here's how we'll find it
New space probes and ground-based telescopes are about to give us our best clues yet about the nature of dark energy - a mysterious, invisible energy field that will determine the fate of our Universe.
Great scientists | Arthur Eddington - the champion of relativity
Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity revolutionised physics, but it appeared during the First World War. Without Arthur Eddington to state its case, the theory may never have become established.
Science history | The incredible story of how we discovered black holes
How the theories of a 40-year-old astronomer fighting on the Eastern Front changed our understanding of the Universe.
If nothing can escape from a singularity, how did the Universe manage it?
Einstein’s theories of gravity and ignoring quantum effects can explain the conundrum of how the Universe can expand.
Why is gold yellow?
Some unexpected physics is responsible for this precious metal’s familiar gleam.
Star Wars' last Jedi may use the Force of quantum science
The Force in Star Wars suggests it may be a form of quantum entanglement. Here's how.
How the science of Star Wars is turning fiction into fact
Professor Carsten Welsch uses the science of Star Wars to explain how we're using more than the Force to push the boundaries of physics.
Will time ever end?
Tick tock, tick tock, whenever will the clock stop…
Einstein thought it impossible, but we've just weighed a star with gravity
Astronomers report the first ever measurement of light bending around a star other than our own.
Staggering science memorabilia sold at auction
The 20th Century has seen its fair share of scientific breakthroughs, and for some, having a little science history at home is a price worth paying.
Einstein’s constant speed of light put to the test
Physicists controversial theory that challenges Albert Einstein's fundamental constant for the speed of light ready to to be tested.
How do we know the Universe hasn’t always existed?
What existed before the Big Bang is a question as old as the Universe itself.
Invisibility is possible but probably not for people
Scientists have determined the physical limits of invisibility and it’s not looking very good for Bilbo Baggins.
Brian Cox on Forces of Nature
We speak to the superstar scientist about his new show Forces of Nature, racing the Sun and what gets him hot under the collar.
What is the speed of gravity?
Einstein’s General Relativity says gravity travels at the speed of light. Proving it is far from simple.
Einstein’s mystery of gravitational waves solved
LIGO scientists discover gravitational waves, completing the final puzzle of Einstein’s theory of General Relativity and opening the door to a new era of astronomy.