MARGINALIA
Lost in Einstein's Shadow
Einstein gets the glory, but others were paving the way
Tony Rothman
Now that the worldwide celebrations marking Einstein's miraculous
achievements of 1905 are over, let's take a moment to light a candle
to the runners-up, those poor fellows who were hot on Einstein's
heels, who almost got it right and perhaps would have, but who've
been lost in the shadow of his great triumphs. It is true; Einstein
was not the only person at the turn of the last century thinking
about molecules and relativity. What's more, he was up on much of
their work and, like any scientist, stood on the shoulders of his predecessors.
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