Albert Einstein is considered the greatest scientist of the twentieth century.Born in Ulm, Germany in 1879, he is best known for developing the theory of relativity as well as making contributions to the development of the theory of quantum mechanics.Einstein won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect, a phenomenon in which electrically charged particles are released from or within a material when it absorbs electromagnetic radiation.Einstein became fascinated by science in his early years when he saw a compass at age five. He wanted to understand the invisible forces that could deflect the needle — which he later made significant discoveries for. When he was 12 years old, he discovered his “sacred little geometry book.”His name still carries weight today and is considered to be synonymous with genius. Einstein was later named Person of the Year by TIME in 1999.