Einstein: The Father Of Modern Physics

EINSTEIN (DVD)
Quantum Leap

Release date: April 18th 2011
Certificate (UK): E
Running time: 60 minutes

Features archive footage of Einstein together with rare photographs from his childhood and early life.

German theoretical-physicist, philosopher and author, Albert Einstein, once said “When a man sits with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute. But let him sit on a hot stove for a minute and it’s longer than any hour. That’s relativity.” And it is, in a nutshell.

I first got know about his ideas back in 2000 when I picked up a copy of Brian Greene’s The Elegant Universe. Greene’s String Theory, also known as The Theory of Everything, sought to unify Einstein’s theory of General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics into a formula so simple it could be printed on a T-shirt.

Born on March 14th in 1879 in Ulm, in the Kingdom of Wurttemberg in the German Empire, Einstein is regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most influential and best known scientists and intellectuals of all time, along with Sir Isaac Newton, Galileo and Stephen Hawking. This documentary takes a look at his life, achievements and legacy.

We learn that at the age of 5, little Einstein became ill and was bed ridden. His father gave him a compass to play with and the boy became so fascinated with it he was inspired to read books on Mathematics and Natural Science. By the age of 13 he taught himself Calculus and was moving on to Philosophy, all while formulating ideas that would forever change the way we think of the world, and how it works.

For example, Newton called time and space absolute, meaning that time flowed in a constant stream. Time was the same for everyone, regardless of location. This idea remained unchallenged until Einstein came along. He theorised that time and space were relative, proving Newton wrong.

Einstein: The Father Of Modern Physics also breaks down Einstein’s famous formula, E=MC² and explains that matter and energy are different forms of the same thing, i.e. energy equals mass time the speed of light squared. While it’s certainly fascinating and accessible, the poor graphics, score and narration let it down, making what could’ve been a great documentary seem cheap, and less entertaining than it is.

Still, it offers valuable insight into the life, work and mind of a remarkable man who, even though was contemplating the very fabric of the universe, always had time for his students. It’s a useful introduction for students or anyone with a developing interest in a modern physics it’s father.

Patrick Samuel

The founder of Static Mass Emporium and one of its Editors in Chief is an emerging artist with a philosophy degree, working primarily with pastels and graphite pencils, but he also enjoys experimenting with water colours, acrylics, glass and oil paints.

Being on the autistic spectrum with Asperger’s Syndrome, he is stimulated by bold, contrasting colours, intricate details, multiple textures, and varying shades of light and dark. Patrick's work extends to sound and video, and when not drawing or painting, he can be found working on projects he shares online with his followers.

Patrick returned to drawing and painting after a prolonged break in December 2016 as part of his daily art therapy, and is now making the transition to being a full-time artist. As a spokesperson for autism awareness, he also gives talks and presentations on the benefits of creative therapy.

Static Mass is where he lives his passion for film and writing about it. A fan of film classics, documentaries and science fiction, Patrick prefers films with an impeccable way of storytelling that reflect on the human condition.

Patrick Samuel ¦ Asperger Artist

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