Albert Einstein's handwritten notes on theory of relativity sell for record $13 million

Albert Einstein’s rare manuscript containing calculations of his ‘General Theory of Relativity' was sold for a record $13 million, in an auction held in Paris on Wednesday, November 24. Auctioned by Christie's of Paris's Aguttes Auction Home, the 54-page document fetched far more than the predicted amount of $2-$3 million. Multiple media reports suggest that this handwritten note has become the most expensive work of the genius physicist ever sold. 

Christie’s call it ‘the most valuable Einstein manuscript’

Einstein’s ‘General Theory of Relativity' is considered a fundamental principle of modern physics and is something that transformed the world of astronomy. According to The Guardian’s report, Christie’s called the documents “ the most valuable Einstein manuscript ever to come to auction”, stating that it offers “a fascinating plunge into the mind of the 20th century’s greatest scientist”. 

However, the auctioneers would not have been able to sell the manuscript if it wasn’t for Einstein’s colleague and close friend Michele Besso, who was a Swiss engineer. The General relativity papers, which were published in 1915, including contributions from both the scientists as 24 pages of the total were written by Besso. Preservation of these documents is almost a miracle, as per Christie’s as it believes that even Einstein would not have bothered to save what he considered mere documents.

It is reported that the latest documents sold had an error in the calculations made by the scientists, which Einstein spotted and started afresh, following which Besso took away the faulty papers. Talking about the manuscript, the auctioning body told The Guardian,

Scientific documents by Einstein in this period, and before 1919 generally, are extremely rare. Being one of only two working manuscripts documenting the genesis of the theory of general relativity that we know about, it is an extraordinary witness to Einstein’s work.

Although this isn't the only work of Einstein that has fetched millions in auctions. His other manuscripts including a "God Letter" was sold for $2.8m in 2018 and his notes containing the formula for happiness fetched $1.5 million in 2017. The 'General Theory of Relativity' is the follow-up work of Einstein after his famous 'Special Theory of Relativity' that was published in 1905.

Image: Twitter/@engineers_feed