Ten 10 lesser-known facts about Albert Einstein

 Here are 10 lesser-known facts about Albert Einstein that reveal intriguing aspects of his life and work beyond his famous theories:

1. He Almost Became a Patent Clerk for Life

• In 1902, after struggling to find an academic position, Einstein secured a job at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern.
• He evaluated patents for electromagnetic devices, which sharpened his ability to visualize complex physical problems.
• Einstein once considered staying at the patent office permanently if his scientific career didn't succeed.

2. He Failed His First Entrance Exam to the Swiss Federal Polytechnic

• At age 16, Einstein applied to the prestigious Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich.
• He excelled in math and physics but failed the entrance exam due to poor scores in French, chemistry, and biology.
• After attending a preparatory school, he passed the exam and was admitted the following year.

3. He Had an Illegitimate Daughter

• In 1899, Einstein began a relationship with Mileva Marić, a fellow physics student.
• In 1902, before they were married, Mileva gave birth to a daughter named Lieserl.
• Little is known about Lieserl’s fate—some speculate she was adopted or died young.

4. His First Wife, Mileva Marić, Helped with His Early Work

• Mileva Marić was one of the few women studying physics at the time.
• Some historians believe she contributed to Einstein’s early work, particularly his 1905 papers.
• After their divorce in 1919, Einstein agreed to give Mileva the Nobel Prize money as part of the settlement.

5. He Was Offered the Presidency of Israel

• In 1952, following the death of Israel's first president, Chaim Weizmann, Einstein was offered the ceremonial position of President of Israel.
• Though deeply honored, Einstein declined, saying he lacked the "natural aptitude and experience to deal with people properly."

6. He Invented a Refrigerator with No Moving Parts

• In 1926, Einstein and his former student Leo Szilard patented a new type of refrigerator.
• The refrigerator used no moving parts and relied on changes in pressure and temperature to cool.
• Though it never became commercially successful, it influenced later developments in thermodynamics.

7. His Brain Was Stolen and Studied

• After his death in 1955, pathologist Thomas Stoltz Harvey removed Einstein's brain without permission.
• Harvey preserved and studied the brain, hoping to uncover the secret of Einstein’s genius.
• In the 1980s, Harvey published findings that Einstein’s brain had a higher density of glial cells (support cells in the brain).

8. He Had a Poor Memory for Names and Dates

• Despite his extraordinary intellect, Einstein often forgot names, dates, and everyday details.
• He once famously said, "Why memorize something you can look up?"
• He also had difficulty remembering appointments and relied on others to keep him organized.

9. He Wore the Same Type of Clothes Every Day

• Einstein avoided wasting mental energy on trivial decisions like choosing clothes.
• He wore variations of the same gray suit, white shirt, and no socks to simplify his daily routine.
• He believed this minimized "decision fatigue" and allowed him to focus on his work.

10. He Was Monitored by the FBI for Over Two Decades

• During the McCarthy era, Einstein was viewed with suspicion for his outspoken political views.
• He supported civil rights, opposed nuclear weapons, and was a vocal supporter of pacifism.
• The FBI opened a file on him in 1932 and collected over 1,400 pages of information, fearing he might have communist ties.