Albert Einstein’s Desk
Albert Einstein revolutionized our understanding of the universe with his groundbreaking theories. He passed away on April 18, 1955, due to heart failure at the age of 76. His funeral and cremation were private events. But a Life Magazine photographer named Ralph Morse captured the moments of the great scientist’s passing. Upon receiving the news of Einstein’s death, Morse drove to Princeton and stopped at a store to buy a case of scotch.
He used this as payment to gain access to Einstein’s office. Morse was the only photographer on the scene. He captured several photographs of the day and headed to the magazine’s offices in Manhattan, expecting to be celebrated for his scoop. But this backfired. Morse’s photographs of the day remained forgotten in the magazine’s archives for over five decades after the editors chose not to run the full story.
