Today marks the 60th death anniversary of Albert Einstein.
The German-born theoretical physicist, peace advocate and undisputed genius passed away on the morning of April 18, 1955. He uttered a few faint words in German, which the nurse at hand did not understand — so Einstein's final words were never recorded.
Einstein's contributions to science and mathematics have made him an enduring figure in history. While his theory of relativity and E=MC2 equation are the things for which he is most remembered, there's far more to his story. In remembrance of the genius that was Albert Einstein, here are seven facts about his life that you might not know:
1. The "Einstein Syndrome"
There is no doubt that Albert Einstein is one of the most brilliant people to have ever walked the earth — but it wasn't obvious from the get-go, as it supposedly took a long time before he could talk. In one of their conversations, Einstein told his biographer, Carl Seelig, "My parents were worried because I started to talk comparatively late, and they consulted a doctor because of it."
This apparent "handicap" led Dr. Thomas Sowell, an economist from Stanford, to coin the controversial term "Einstein Syndrome" to describe very smart people whose speech is delayed.
2. Einstein the "Bad Student"
Contrary to popular belief, Einstein was not a horrible student. While there is much debate on how the rumor came about, the truth is, Einstein was considered a child prodigy. He was already quite knowledgeable about physics by age 11.
According to one theory, the misbelief about Einstein's poor academic record could have been caused by the reversal in the grading system used when he was studying in Aargau, Switzerland.
For two consecutive school terms, 16-year-old Einstein's grade in arithmetic and algebra was 1 on a scale of 6, in which 1 was the highest grade. For the following term, however, his mark was 6. This would have obviously been the lowest grade in the class, except that the school officials decided to follow a reversed grading scale.
3. Einstein the Sailor
While studying at the Polytechnic Institute in Zurich, Switzerland, Einstein grew to love sailing. He would often take out a boat to a local lake on lazy days and sail away. He did this to relax and write a few notes in his notebook. Einstein remained an avid sailor throughout his life, though he never did learn how to swim.
4. Einstein the Musician
Aside from his passion for science, Einstein also loved to play the violin — and he was quite good at it, too. His mother would play the piano for him, so he developed a strong sense of appreciation for music — learning to play the violin when he was just five years old.
5. Einstein for President?
When Israel's first president, Chaim Weizmann, died in 1952, Einstein was asked if he would accept the position of being the country's second president. He respectfully declined. In his official letter, the genius physicist said that he did not have the "natural aptitude and the experience to deal properly with people." At 73, he also felt he was too old.
6. Einstein the Awful Husband
Not everything about Albert Einstein's life and character is sunshine and butterflies. Einstein reportedly treated his first wife, Mileva Maric, very poorly. He came up with a set of rules for Mileva to follow, demanding that she serve three meals a day and for her to stop talking if he told her to. He even told his wife not to expect any intimacy from him. Einstein was also said to have had affairs with other women without even bothering to conceal it from his wife.
7. Einstein's Brain as Souvenir
After he died, Einstein's body was given an autopsy. The attending pathologist, Dr. Thomas Harvey, took his brain against the wishes of Einstein's family. Harvey hid the brain in his basement and carved it into 240 blocks. He then mounted thin slices onto slides for what he considered analysis. Harvey also sent pieces of Einstein's brains to other scientists.
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