1997/11/14 by Leo Corry, Jürgen Renn, John Stachel · 136 citations
Physics and Astronomy · Mathematics · #Relativity and Gravitational Theory #Quantum and Classical Electrodynamics #Noncommutative and Quantum Gravity Theories #Einstein #Covariant transformation #General relativity #Mathematical proof #Theory of relativity #Unified field theory #Theoretical physics #Mathematical physics #Field (mathematics) #Mathematics #Physics #Pure mathematics #Geometry
paper · doi:10.1126/science.278.5341.1270
published in Science 278(5341), 1270-1273 (American Association for the Advancement of Science)
openalex publication_date 1997/11/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
According to the commonly accepted view, David Hilbert completed the general theory of relativity at least 5 days before Albert Einstein submitted his conclusive paper on this theory on 25 November 1915. Hilbert's article, bearing the date of submission 20 November 1915 but published only on 31 March 1916, presents a generally covariant theory of gravitation, including field equations essentially equivalent to those in Einstein's paper. A close analysis of archival material reveals that Hilbert did not anticipate Einstein. The first set of proofs of Hilbert's paper shows that the theory he originally submitted is not generally covariant and does not include the explicit form of the field equations of general relativity.