Analysis
No primary source in Einstein's letters, speeches, or publications contains this wording. The phrasing first surfaced in the mid‑1990s as a summary of Einstein's attitude toward curiosity, and it is sometimes linked to a 1955 obituary that used different language. Fact‑checking sites and quote‑investigation research have found no evidence that Einstein authored the statement.
Background
Einstein frequently emphasized the importance of questioning and curiosity, but his actual words were different (e.g., "I have no special talent; I am only passionately curious"). The specific sentence in question appears to be a modern paraphrase rather than a direct quotation.
Verdict summary
The quote is widely attributed to Einstein but there is no record of him writing or saying it; it appears to be a paraphrase from later commentary.