Who is great? Newton or Einstein 🤔
What a question indeed!
This is one of the most fundamental questions that crosses the mind of anyone who dives into the fascinating world of science. The debate between Newton and Einstein is both tricky and thought-provoking. As someone who deeply admires Sir Isaac Newton, you might expect me to take his side. However, in this blog, we will explore all sides of this story and unravel the contributions — and limitations — of both these scientific legends.
''Sorry Newton''
An entry made by Einstein in his diary
For centuries, Isaac Newton was celebrated as the greatest mathematician and scientist the world had ever seen. His Laws of Motion, his groundbreaking work on Gravitation, and his contributions to Calculus shaped science as we know it. However, this seemingly unshakable title faced a dramatic challenge in the 20th century, with the arrival of a brilliant mind who redefined our understanding of space, time, and gravity — Albert Einstein.
Einstein and Newton — From Admiration to Revolution
Einstein, much like myself, was deeply influenced by Sir Isaac Newton. He admired Newton's brilliance, but as Einstein’s understanding of the universe deepened, he would eventually demonstrate that some of Newton’s most fundamental ideas about gravity, motion, and even time itself were incomplete.
One of the most fascinating stories about Einstein’s early life is his unusual silence as a child. It is said that he didn’t speak for several years after his birth. Then, one evening, as he sat at the dinner table with his family, young Albert suddenly broke his silence to say:
"Oh...this soup is too hot."
These simple words marked the beginning of a voice that would go on to change the very foundations of modern physics. From that moment onward, Einstein’s voice would resound again and again, as he introduced ideas that redefined our understanding of space, time, and the very fabric of reality itself.
''What we know is a drop, what we don't know is an ocean''
-Isaac Newton
Interestingly, both Newton and Einstein had rather unusual childhoods.
It is said that Newton was born prematurely, so small and frail that he could fit inside a kettle — a fragile beginning for the man who would go on to reshape science forever. His early life wasn’t particularly happy either, marked by family struggles and an unremarkable performance in school during his initial years.
Einstein’s childhood wasn’t too different in terms of academic reputation.
Although often labeled as an average student, it is important to note that his grades in mathematics and science consistently hit the highest mark possible — a solid 6 (the equivalent of A1 in the Indian grading system). This gives us a clear glimpse into where his passion and brilliance lay.
Newton was born into a time when science was undergoing a radical transformation — a period we now call the Scientific Revolution. During this era, thinkers were breaking away from outdated Aristotelian ideas and laying the groundwork for modern science.
Newton became the central figure of this movement, contributing groundbreaking theories on motion, gravity, optics, and calculus. His Laws of Motion and Universal Gravitation are still foundational in physics today, forming the bedrock of classical mechanics.
Fast forward to the late 19th and early 20th century, and here comes Albert Einstein, a scientific rebel who challenged conventional wisdom at every step. Unlike Newton, whose work was widely celebrated during his lifetime, Einstein often clashed with his teachers, leading to a tumultuous school life. Despite this, his love for mathematics never faded, and his academic records clearly show that math and science were his strongholds, consistently earning him top grades.
Einstein greatly admired Newton, but his work would ultimately redefine and correct some of Newton’s fundamental ideas. Particularly, Newton’s views on motion, gravity, and time were incomplete. It took Einstein’s genius and elegant thought experiments to rewrite these concepts into what we now know as the Theory of Relativity — a theory so beautifully crafted that no one could disprove it, thanks to its mathematical precision and clarity.
REFERNCES:
1. Online sources and personal views.
2. Wikipedia, images of Albert Einstein and Sir Isaac Newton
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