By: Tara Belizaire

Every year, as the earth takes its cosmic lap around the sun the calendar rolls on March 14th. A day not only for infinite circles but also for genius minds, these two come together for an annual celebration. Pi Day is not just a celebration of the most widely recognized mathematical constant in the world, but it is also the birthday of a man who bent time, space, and perhaps a lot of brains. One can’t help but wonder what would Einstein think of sharing his big day with π?

It’s almost as if the universe already had a plan in place, the man who forever changed our understanding of time and space casually sharing his birthday with a mathematical concept that defines the essence of circles. Pi is a mathematical concept that represents the ratio of the circumference and diameter of a circle. “The conscious existence of pi is just as infinite as the number itself. While it may not have been known as “pi,” ancient civilizations such as the Babylonians or ancient Egyptians worked with such concepts. The symbol π originates from an abbreviation of the Greek word perimetries, which loosely translates to “circumference.”” For the question we’ve all been desperately awaiting, would Einstein have liked π? Without a doubt, Einstein would have been thrilled! In fact, Einstein made extensive use of Ruv - (1/2)Rgμv = 8πG Tμv, one of his field equations. The secrets of how the Earth functioned and the intangible laws of the cosmos fascinated Einstein’s perpetual thirst for knowledge. Einstein certainly would have valued π in a way that would have continued to teach him about the universe’s hidden secrets and unknown depths. Einstein employed π in several of his own formulas, including Black Hole Thermodynamics, Quantum mechanics, and Planck’s constant.

In the end this unbelievable cosmic coincidence isn’t just about sharing a date on the calendar, it’s a reminder of the universe’s quirky sense of humor. Einstein’s theories continue to have a significant impact on many of our discoveries today. In school, we all had to memorize the equation E = mc2, whether some of you passed or some failed. Perhaps Einstein would have joined the Pi Day festivities, delighted by the idea that every new discovery is an endless mission for knowledge. So, as we celebrate March 14th lets raise our plates to remember the universe’s perfect gift: infinite pie…we meant Pi!

(Jillian Johnson, Houston Museum of Natural Science, March 13, 2020)