Albert Einstein (14 March 1879 ??18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist and philosopher of science. He developed the general theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics (alongside quantum mechanics). He is best known in popular culture for his mass?nergy equivalence formula E = mc2 (which has been dubbed 'the world's most famous equation'). He received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics 'for his services to theoretical physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect'. The latter was pivotal in establishing quantum theory.

Mileva Maric (December 19, 1875 ??August 4, 1948) was a Serbian physicist. She was the only woman among Albert Einstein's fellow students at the Zurich Polytechnic. They developed a relationship and had a daughter before their marriage, Lieserl, who either died young or was given up for adoption. After their marriage in 1903, they had two sons, Hans Albert and Eduard.