Albert Einstein

Einstein replaced Newton's absolute space and time with a dynamic spacetime fabric warped by mass and energy, a shift that redefined physics entirely. His equation E=mc2 demonstrated that mass and energy are interchangeable, laying the groundwork for nuclear power and atomic weapons. He won the 1921 Nobel Prize for the photoelectric effect, a cornerstone of quantum physics. Specific data: general relativity predicted the deflection of starlight by the sun with a deviation of 1.75 arcseconds, as confirmed in 1919. Einstein's theories remain more experimentally successful than any alternative, with GPS systems relying on his corrections for accuracy.