Albert Michelson received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1907. He was the first American scientist and the first American Jew to receive the prize. His early experiments at the Naval Academy in Annapolis led to his discovery of a method to measure the speed of light (at the age of 26). He also developed the interferometer, an optical instrument used to measure velocity. Michelson was considered one of the world's leading physicists and his theories provided Einstein with the base for developing his Theory of Relativity. His books include: The Velocity of Light and Studies in Optics.