Editorial use only Albert Einstein (1879-1955), German-born theoretical physicist, had a massive influence on contemporary physics and was, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Best known for developing the theory of relativity which shifted contemporary understanding of space completely. He also made important contributions to the development of the theory of quantum mechanics. Along with his equation E = mc2, he also foreshadowed the creation of the atomic bomb. He won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.