The Einstein Effect

Book excerpt: "A fascinating and funny guide to history's favorite genius—and why he still matters." —A.J. Jacobs, New York Times bestselling author A fascinating look into how Einstein's genius and science continues to show up in so many facets of our everyday lives and his enduring legacy as an unlikely pop culture icon. Albert Einstein was the first modern-day celebrity and, decades after his death, still has the world's most recognizable face. His influence is seen in much of the technology we use every day: GPS, remote controls, weather forecasts, even toothpaste. But it's not just Einstein's scientific discoveries that continue to shape our world. His legacy underpins the search for aliens, the rescue of refugees, the invention of time machines, and the debunking of fake news. He appears in new books, TV shows, and movies all the time—and fans are paying millions for Einstein relics at auction. Award-winning author and journalist Benyamin Cohen has a bizarre side hustle as the manager of Einstein's official social media accounts, which have 20 million followers—more than most living celebrities. In The Einstein Effect, Cohen embarks on a global quest to unearth Einstein's ongoing relevance today. Along the way, he meets scientists and celebrities, speaks to dozens with the last name Einstein (including two rabbis), and even tracks down the brain of Einstein, stolen from his body during the autopsy. Cohen shows us the myriad ways the Nobel Prize winner's influence is still with us, giving an in-depth—and often hilarious—look at the world's favorite genius like you've never seen him before. Praise for The Einstein Effect: "Benyamin is a regular Joe with great humility, a tremendous sense of humor, a philosopher with an acute awareness of human connection, a gift to us all." —Mandy Patinkin, actor, singer, activist "I hope this book encourages others to be inspired by Einstein as well." —Christopher Lloyd, award-winning actor "A book for geniuses and the rest of us alike." —Derek Baxter, author of In Pursuit of Jefferson "A thoroughly entertaining new book." —Jeff Einstein, great-great nephew of Albert Einstein "Full of humor and surprises." —Paul Halpern, physics professor and author of Einstein's Dice and Schrödinger's Cat