Big ideas for curious minds are simply explained in this fascinating first introduction to Albert Einstein's theory of relativity.

Is there anything faster than the speed of light?

Albert Einstein is probably the most important physicist of the Twentieth Century. He was the first scientist to come up with an explanation of how stars change the gas they are made of into pure energy, and he developed the 'quantum' physics that led to solar panels which use the power of the Sun.



But his biggest idea was the Theory of Relativity. Einstein's theory contained a lot of incredible ideas about the behaviour of light, gravity and space. He said that as objects approach the speed of light, distances squash and time itself stretches.



If this sounds strange to you, you are not alone! When Einstein published his mind-bending theories, many other scientists did not believe them. But again and again, they have been proved to be correct.



Einstein's theory of relativity involves complicated ideas that are hard to understand all at once. But break it down into smaller parts, and you will soon get a better idea of how Einstein's ideas shaped how we see the universe.