Considered the world's most intriguing genius, Einstein has inspired hundreds of writings. Here's a short list of some of the most enlightening looks at his life and ideas, including some he penned.

Wouldn't it be cool if you could create a rain cloud? Or call cosmic rays into view? Well, you can do both! All you need is an aquarium, a slide projector, dry ice, and a few other easy-to-get supplies.

When does a 12-inch ruler look shorter than it really is? When it's fast on the move. In fact, at the speed of light, it would shrink to nothing. See length contraction for yourself ... at a safe speed.

Confused about fusion? You won't be once you've completed this experiment, which demonstrates how a strong nuclear force can fuse two protons that naturally repel each other.

Talk about a long-term power source. For billions and billions of years, the Sun has been giving off energy that equals 4 x 10²⁶ watts. What keeps the Sun burning so bright?

Who said daydreams are a waste of time? One of Einstein's flights of fancy led to the equivalence principle—the knowledge that while an object is in free fall, it's free of gravity's effects.

Where to begin when a Web search turns up millions of sites about Einstein? Let us point you to some of the best—from Time's person of the century profile to a black hole animation.

If you could take a trip to a black hole, would you? Before you answer, take a peek at what you'd encounter. The trip certainly would qualify as adventure travel!