The earliest decades of the 20th century were exciting times for science. It was an age when many brilliant thinkers from around the world stepped up with some groundbreaking ideas and theories that would forever change our understanding of the world. Subsequently, there was also the need for conferences that would focus on and tackle certain pressing questions of science. #physics

The world’s first conference on physics took place in 1911, initiated by Belgian industrialist Ernest Solvay. Known as the Conseil Solvay, this gathering followed an invite-only format, and more importantly, stimulated Solvay to establish the Solvay Institutes for Physics and Chemistry by 1912.

Of course, some editions were more special than others. Judged by group photos, the fifth edition of the conference in 1927, focusing on electrons and photons, seems to be the most significant. Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, and Marie Curie can all be spotted in the group photograph that year, and the rest of the 26 attendees were not the less brilliant at all.

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