Einstein Notes with Sketches of Relativity Theory Sold in Paris Auction for $13 Mln

The document is a 54-page manuscript written by Einstein and his partner, the Swiss physicist Michele Besso (AFP)
The document is a 54-page manuscript written by Einstein and his partner, the Swiss physicist Michele Besso (AFP)
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Einstein Notes with Sketches of Relativity Theory Sold in Paris Auction for $13 Mln

The document is a 54-page manuscript written by Einstein and his partner, the Swiss physicist Michele Besso (AFP)
The document is a 54-page manuscript written by Einstein and his partner, the Swiss physicist Michele Besso (AFP)

A manuscript co-authored by Albert Einstein, offering a rare insight into the legendary physicist's thinking leading up to his general theory of relativity, was sold in an auction on Tuesday for 11.7 million euros ($13.17 million).

Auction house Christie's had estimated the value of the manuscript at between 2million and 3 million euros, Reuters said.

The 54 pages of paper, around half filled with Einstein's handwriting, are one of only two working documents known in which the thinker approaches his famous theory that laid the groundwork for modern cosmology and technology such as GPS navigation.

They had been kept in the custody of the Swiss physicist Michele Besso, a close friend and academic partner of Einstein's, who co-authored the work between 1913 and 1914.

"That's also what makes it particularly important given that working documents by Einstein before 1919 are extremely rare," said Vincent Belloy, an expert at Christie's who hosted the auction in Paris.

"Einstein is someone who kept very few notes, so the mere fact that the manuscript survived and made its way to us already makes it absolutely extraordinary," he added.

Made up mainly of endless calculations in black ink on wrinkled, lightly yellowed paper, the manuscript challenges Einstein's popular image as an absolute genius, because it shows that even he - at least sometimes - made mistakes.

"Einstein makes errors in this manuscript, and that I think makes it even greater in a way, because we see the persistence, the thought that was in the process of being built, that is being corrected and redirected," Belloy said.

In May, a handwritten letter in which Einstein mentioned his famous E=mc² equation, a part of his earlier theory of special relativity, was sold at roughly one million euros in the United States, more than three times its estimated price.

With his general theory of relativity that was published in 1915, Einstein revolutionized modern physics when he first described gravitation as a geometric warping of space and time, a finding that remains valid.

Christie's did not reveal the name of the buyer.



Saudi Arabia Takes Part in 64th COPUOS Legal Subcommittee Session in Vienna

A drone view shows cityscape in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 1, 2025 REUTERS/Mohammed Benmansour
A drone view shows cityscape in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 1, 2025 REUTERS/Mohammed Benmansour
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Saudi Arabia Takes Part in 64th COPUOS Legal Subcommittee Session in Vienna

A drone view shows cityscape in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 1, 2025 REUTERS/Mohammed Benmansour
A drone view shows cityscape in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 1, 2025 REUTERS/Mohammed Benmansour

Saudi Arabia, represented by the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) and the Saudi Space Agency (SSA), participated in the 64th session of the Legal Subcommittee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), held in Vienna, Austria, from May 5 to 16, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The session aimed to address legal issues related to space activities, including the legal aspects of the use of outer space and the challenges arising from commercial activities and space debris.

The session witnessed discussions and a general exchange of views on several topics related to the peaceful use of outer space, a review of the status and application of the five United Nations treaties related to outer space, and the definition and delimitation of outer space, in addition to various other topics.

COPUOS was established by the UN General Assembly more than 65 years ago and is headquartered in Vienna. The committee began with 24 member states and has since expanded to 102, making it one of the larger UN committees.

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) serves as the committee’s secretariat.