Of all the scientists to emerge from the nineteenth
             and twentieth centuries there is one whose name is
             known by almost all living people. While most of
             these do not understand this man's work,
             everyone knows that its impact on the world of
             science is astonishing. Yes, many have heard of
             Albert Einstein's General Theory of relativity, but
             few know about the intriguing life that led this
             scientist to discover what some have called, "The
             greatest single achievement of human thought."
             Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany on March 14,
             1874. Before his first birthday, his family had
             moved to Munich where young Albert's father,
             Hermann Einstein, and uncle set up a small
             electro-chemical business. He was fortunate to
             have an excellent family with which he held a
             strong relationship. Albert's mother, Pauline
             Einstein, had an intense passion for music and
             literature, and it was she that first introduced her
             son to the violin in which he found much joy and
             relaxation. Also, he was very close with his
             younger sister, Maja, and they could often be
             found in the lakes that were scattered about the
             countryside near Munich. As a child, Einstein's
             sense of curiosity had already begun to stir. A
             favorite toy of his was his father's compass, and he
             often marvelled at his uncle's explanations of
             algebra. Although young Albert was intrigued by
             certain mysteries of science, he was considered a
             slow learner. His failure to become fluent in
             German until the age of nine even led some
             teachers to believe he was disabled. Einstein's
             post-basic education began at the Luitpold
             Gymnasium when he was ten. It was here that he
             first encountered the German spirit through the
             school's strict disciplinary policy. His disapproval
             of this method of teaching led to his reputation as a
             rebel. It was probably these differences that
             caused Einstein to search for knowledge at home.
             He began not with sc...