Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein received the 1921 Physics prize for explaining the photoelectric effect, yet his theory of relativity revolutionized physics more than any single discovery by #1 Marie Curie. The photoelectric effect paper, published in 1905, established that light consists of discrete quanta—a concept foundational to quantum mechanics—and Einstein’s formula E = hf precisely predicted the energy of ejected electrons. His later general relativity, confirmed in 1919 by Eddington’s solar eclipse measurements, remains one of the most thoroughly tested theories, with gravitational wave detectors now validating predictions made over a century ago.