Chapter 1: The Nobel Prize and Einstein's Legacy

The absence of the Nobel Prize for Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity is often viewed as one of the most significant oversights in the history of the awards. Many draw parallels to Mahatma Gandhi's exclusion from the Nobel Peace Prize, underscoring the perceived injustice.

Although Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1922, it was for an entirely different contribution. The Nobel Committee's citation mentioned: “For the discovery of the photoelectric effect and other contributions to theoretical physics.” This particular discovery is often regarded as one of his less significant works.

Einstein's groundbreaking papers published in 1905 laid the groundwork for three major domains of modern physics: general relativity, special relativity, and quantum mechanics.

It took nearly two decades for his contributions to be fully acknowledged. Despite being nominated for ten consecutive years, it wasn't until 1922 that the Nobel Committee felt ready to honor him.

Several factors contributed to the delay in awarding Einstein the Nobel Prize for relativity. At the time, there was a lack of experimental support for his theories. Many scientists were skeptical of the observational data regarding Mercury’s orbit, which was initially aligned with Einstein’s calculations. Additionally, some members of the Nobel Committee struggled to grasp the implications of relativity, and there was widespread doubt about its practical applications in science and technology. The rise of anti-Semitism in Europe around and after World War I also played a role in this delay.

Nonetheless, as Einstein's contributions to physics became increasingly undeniable, the decision was made to award him the Nobel Prize for the photoelectric effect—especially as other physicists whose work built on Einstein’s theories had already been recognized.

The photoelectric effect was chosen as the basis for the Nobel Prize because it had garnered the most experimental validation among Einstein’s works at that time, despite being regarded as the least important.

Over the years, Einstein's theories in both quantum and relativity have received substantial experimental support. While it is conceivable that he could have been awarded a second Nobel Prize, such an occurrence is exceedingly rare.

Chapter 2: Understanding Einstein's Recognition

This video titled "Why Einstein didn't win Nobel prize for general relativity | Sean Carroll and Lex Fridman" delves into the reasons behind the Nobel Committee's decision and discusses the implications of this decision on Einstein's legacy.

In "The Infamous Story of Einstein's Nobel Prize. And why it wasn't for relativity," the narrative explores the complexities surrounding Einstein's recognition and the significance of his contributions to modern physics.

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