Albert Einstein is instantly recognisable. The wild hair, chalkboards full of equations, and the famous formula E = mc². But behind the icon is a far more surprising figure. Here are five lesser-known facts about Einstein that help explain why his ideas still matter today, and why they will continue to matter as we look toward 2026 and beyond. 1. Einstein Wasn’t a Star Student Despite the popular myth, Einstein struggled with the rigid schooling system of his time. He disliked rote learning, questioned authority, and often learned independently. What set him apart was not exam performance, but curiosity and original thinking. It is a reminder that creativity often matters more than conformity. 2. He Developed Key Ideas While Working a Day Job Some of Einstein’s most important ideas were formed while he worked as a patent clerk in Bern. Reviewing inventions every day trained him to think practically about abstract problems. In 1905, his so-called “miracle year”, he published papers that

The Scientist Who Glowed Against the Darkness Every so often, a figure emerges in science whose story feels almost larger than life. She was someone whose determination, curiosity, and brilliance reshape our understanding of the world. Marie Curie is one of those rare people. At Collider Cafe, we celebrate the ideas and individuals who changed the course of STEM. Curie didn’t just change it she illuminated it. A Pioneer in Every Sense Born in Warsaw in 1867, Marie Curie grew up at a time when higher education for women was almost impossible. But her curiosity wouldn’t be contained. She moved to Paris, studied at the Sorbonne, and began research that would lead to some of the most important scientific discoveries of the 20th century. Together with her husband Pierre, she explored strange new materials that emitted invisible energy. What began as curiosity turned into groundbreaking research on radioactivity — a term she herself coined. Her discoveries of polonium and radium revealed tha

When we think about the technology that defines our daily lives, smartphones in our pockets, laptops on our desks, and powerful servers driving the internet, it’s easy to see only the hardware and software in front of us. But the roots of all this technology trace back to a mathematician who lived almost a century ago: Alan Turing. The Universal Machine In 1936, while still in his twenties, Turing published a paper describing what he called a universal computing machine. This was not a physical device, but a theoretical model; one that could perform any calculation if given the right set of instructions. That idea that a single machine could take on any computational task was revolutionary. It laid the foundation for all modern computers. Every smartphone, laptop, and supercomputer today is, at its core, a real-world version of Turing’s universal machine. Cracking the Code Turing’s work was not confined to theory. During World War II, he became central to the team at Bletchley Park, wh

In 1962, as John Glenn prepared to become the first American to orbit the Earth, he had one final request before launch: "Get the girl to check the numbers." That "girl" was Katherine Johnson, a mathematician whose quiet brilliance would help change the course of space history. Katherine Johnson was one of NASA’s "human computers" — a team of highly skilled mathematicians who calculated flight trajectories long before digital computers became reliable. Her work ensured that American spacecraft would not only reach their destinations, but also return home safely. Her most famous contributions came during the Apollo program, including the 1969 lunar landing. Johnson's calculations were crucial in plotting the precise trajectories that would guide Apollo 11 to the Moon and, just as importantly, bring the astronauts back to Earth. Her mastery of orbital mechanics turned what once seemed like science fiction into reality. But Katherine Johnson’s story isn’t just about numbers. It’s about co

There’s a story about an apple falling from a tree and landing with a thud near a young Isaac Newton. It didn’t hit him on the head, as the cartoon versions would have you believe. But it did spark something far more powerful: a question. Why did the apple fall straight down? That question eventually led Newton to write one of the most important scientific books ever published: Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, or simply, Principia. Published in 1687, the Principia didn’t just change science, it changed how we understand the universe. At its heart, the book introduced three laws of motion and a universal law of gravitation. These weren’t just ideas, they were rules that applied to everything from the trajectory of a cannonball to the orbit of the moon. First Law: An object in motion stays in motion (unless acted upon). Second Law: Force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma). Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. These are taught in classroom