How did a compass influence Albert Einstein as a child?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Portrait of Albert Einstein in a suit and tie, looking slightly to the side with a neutral expression. — Albert Einstein Albert Einstein developed the special and general theory of relativity, which recast gravity as a bending in space-time.

When Albert Einstein was five years old, he encountered a compass, which served as one of the two "wonders" that deeply influenced his early life. He was mystified by the fact that invisible forces could cause the needle to deflect. This experience sparked a lifelong fascination with invisible forces, which became a foundational element of his scientific curiosity and inquiry.1