Through The Ages - Albert Einstien

This is a series of blogs written about each card in Through The Ages.  To find more, simply click on "Cards" label.

Albert Einstein

History

One of the most unique minds to inhabit our planet was born in Ulm, Germany in 1879: Albert Einstein.
 He was a talented musician in the piano and violin.  Hus family moved to Switzerland and Italy, and he graduated High School in 1896 in Switzerland.  His grades were good enough to graduate in all subjects except mathematics and science, at which he excelled with maximum scores.  He applied for ETH Zurich for advanced training later that year at the age of 16.

His goal was to attain a teaching position when he graduated, but he failed in that endeavor.  His classmate secured him a position at the Patent Office in Bern, Switzerland.  His specialty was evaluating patents for electromagnetic devices.  Many of these patents involved synchronization of timing devices using electronic signals, items which become important in his "thought experiments" when he wrote his papers.

In 1905, still at the patent office, Einstein was a landmark year.  He published 4 papers that year, one of which covered the equivalence of Energy and mass.  By 1908, Einstein was a recognized scientific leader.  It took another 7 years before Einstein finished the "General Theory of Relativity", but experimenters were quick to confirm the accuracy of his findings.  For his efforts, Einstein was given the Nobel Prize in 1921.

Einstein's equations unlocked a several secrets of the universe.  His equations permitted the development of television, lasers, and modern electronics.  It also unlocked atomic power, both its peaceful and military applications.

His personal life was one fraught with successes and failures as well.  He was married twice and had three children.  Einstein died April 18, 1955 in Princton, New Jersey.  Albert Einstein's name is recognized worldwide and has become synonymous with "genius" in many cultures.  His legacy lives on as mathematicians, physicists, and philosophers try to complete the work he started by unraveling the mysteries of light, matter, and energy.

Game Stats

Albert Einstein grants a great boost to both science and culture.  This late in the game Einstein's science will only be of benefit for a very short period of time.  Einstein has a (relatively) high first place rate, this may be the effect of already acquiring a successful culture engine rather than contributing to it greatly.  Still, Einstein's ability to get critical technologies out in a short time may contribute to additional bonus cards.

Opinions

I view Einstein, like most Age III leaders, as extraneous.  If he appears early in Age III, he might be worth the two actions required to bring him out.  Einstein's boost may be critical for completing some Age III technologies before time runs out and adjust final Bonus scoring.    Still, if he appears late in the game, actions may be better spent on other things.