• Public

  • Public
  • Network
  • Groups
  • Popular
  • People

A black and white photo of Einstein’s blackboard as he left it. It is blocked off into different sections, each of which has formulas or results that he has drawn a box around. The calculations involve quantities denoted g, gamma, lambda, eta, and R with various indices attached. Some of the results are trivial statements that Einstein likely would not have written for himself, like “g_{ik;l} = 0” (this is the statement that the covariant derivative of the metric vanishes). It may be that he was explaining things to someone less familiar with relativity. On the other hand, he may have been exploring a formulation of relativity with some of the more common assumptions relaxed. The frame surrounding the blackboard is damaged on the left-hand side. This damage is not familiar in the full photo of Einstein’s office, suggesting this was taken later after the blackboard had been removed.