Enrico Fermi was born in Rome to Alberto Fermi, a division head in the Ministry of Railways, and Ida de Gattis, an elementary school teacher. He was the youngest of three children.

The tragic death of his older brother, Giulio, spurred Fermi into a deeper engagement with physics and mathematics as a means of coping with grief. He immersed himself in textbooks and solved complex problems, largely self-taught.

Fermi gained admission to the prestigious Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa based on his exceptional performance in the entrance examination, particularly in physics. The examiner, impressed by Fermi's knowledge of general relativity, recognized his extraordinary talent.

Fermi earned his doctorate in physics from the University of Pisa at the young age of 20. His dissertation focused on X-ray diffraction images.

Fermi spent time in Göttingen, Germany, with Max Born and later in Leiden, Netherlands, with Paul Ehrenfest, gaining valuable experience and exposure to different approaches to physics research. This period broadened his scientific horizons and established connections with leading physicists.

Fermi returned to Italy and secured a lectureship in mathematical physics and mechanics at the University of Florence. This marked the beginning of his academic career.

At just 24 years old, Fermi was appointed professor of theoretical physics at the University of Rome, a position created specifically for him. He quickly assembled a brilliant research group, becoming a leading figure in Italian physics.