After establishing the theory of relativity as a founding rule of modern physics , Albert Einstein turned his thoughts to higher matter : home appliances . In 1926 , the Nobel Prize - deliver the goods scientist put his considerable mental energies towards developing the refrigerator to cease all refrigerator — Energy Department - efficient , environmentally friendly , and durable enough to last a century .
Einstein ’s involvement in consumer goods was initially offend by a news news report recite the death of a family in Berlin from the poisonous fumes of their poorly sealed icebox — a danger which was growing increasingly prevalent as households exchanged their ice box for modern refrigerators control explosive chemic coolants . He propose a answer that forefend the function of deadly methyl chloride , ammonia , or sulphur dioxide , draft the aid and expertise of untested Magyar physicist , friend , and thermodynamics specialist Léo Szilàrd to enlist a epitome of a safe , better “ soaking up refrigerator ” instead .
In the traditional stylus of icebox , a mechanical compressor pressurizes potentially toxic gases to lead up the cool cognitive process . So long as the fridge remains safely seal , the risk of infection to user are minimum , but a icebox ’s moving part often wear out its seal and expose its black contents to the air . Einstein and Szilàrd ’s design would require no moving function , rather using a heat source to course pressurize the natural gas contained within the series of circuits . With no immediate germ of wear and snag , the Einstein - Szilàrd refrigerator would last as long as its external casing did — up to 100 years , experts estimate .
Over the course of their partnership , the two scientist took out 45 patents for refrigeration technology in six countries , eventually selling their key patent to convenience manufacturer AB Electro Lux . However , their design remained less effective than compressor - type models , and the merge advent of the Great Depression ’s effect on industrial budgets and the introduction of chlorofluorocarbons as less toxic chemical substance alternatives put an end to Einstein and Szilàrd ’s domestic technology dreams — until a recent resurgence of interest byresearchers at Oxford University , who have break up up on the estimation of a electric refrigerator that can function without electricity or nursery gases as a unripened solution to our increased global dependence on cooling applied science . Though the remake of the original Einstein electric refrigerator has yet to make it to grocery , every kitchen might soon be keepingtheir drinks coldandtheir pie crusts chilledin Einstein ’s new and improved brainchild .
