| Line 146: |
Line 146: |
| | | | |
| | == Unsupported attributions == | | == Unsupported attributions == |
| − | Many ideas and quotes are falsely attributed to Einstein. He did not invent very much of we now call [[special relativity]]. The Principle of Relativity, that the law of physics should be the same in all inertial frames, had already been published before Einstein.<ref>[http://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0408077]</ref> He did not discover the [[Lorentz transformation]], or the Lorentz invariance of [[Maxwell's equations]] for electromagnetism.<ref>[http://eprint.uq.edu.au/archive/00002307/]</ref> He was not the first to propose that the [[speed of light]] is constant for all observers, or that "[[the aether]]" is superfluous and not observable.<ref>Lost in Einstein's Shadow, American Scientist, 2006. [http://www.americanscientist.org/template/AssetDetail/assetid/49611/page/1]</ref> He was not the first to recognize and explain how special relativity causes an ambiguity in defining simultaneity.<ref>[http://www.everythingimportant.org/relativity/Poincare.htm]</ref> He did not combine space and time into a four-dimensional [[spacetime]] in his special relativity papers until others had been doing it for a couple of years. | + | * Many ideas and quotes are falsely attributed to Einstein. He did not invent very much of we now call [[special relativity]]. The Principle of Relativity, that the law of physics should be the same in all inertial frames, had already been published before Einstein.<ref>[http://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0408077]</ref> He did not discover the [[Lorentz transformation]], or the Lorentz invariance of [[Maxwell's equations]] for electromagnetism.<ref>[http://eprint.uq.edu.au/archive/00002307/]</ref> He was not the first to propose that the [[speed of light]] is constant for all observers, or that "[[the aether]]" is superfluous and not observable.<ref>Lost in Einstein's Shadow, American Scientist, 2006. [http://www.americanscientist.org/template/AssetDetail/assetid/49611/page/1]</ref> He was not the first to recognize and explain how special relativity causes an ambiguity in defining simultaneity.<ref>[http://www.everythingimportant.org/relativity/Poincare.htm]</ref> He did not combine space and time into a four-dimensional [[spacetime]] in his special relativity papers until others had been doing it for a couple of years. |
| | | | |
| − | Einstein did not invent the term "relativity theory", and did not even like the term. He called it the "so-called relativity theory" until 1911. Einstein did not banish the ether from Physics. In a 1920 lecture, he said, "More careful reflection teaches us, however, that the special theory of relativity does not compel us to deny æther."<ref>Quoted by Tulane astrophysicist Frank J. Tipler, http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1271310</ref> | + | * Einstein did not invent the term "relativity theory", and did not even like the term. He called it the "so-called relativity theory" until 1911. Einstein did not banish the ether from Physics. In a 1920 lecture, he said, "More careful reflection teaches us, however, that the special theory of relativity does not compel us to deny æther."<ref>Quoted by Tulane astrophysicist Frank J. Tipler, http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1271310</ref> |
| | | | |
| − | Einstein was not the first to observe the equation E=mc<sup>2</sup> as a consequence of special relativity,<ref>H. Poincare published it in 1900. [http://www.serve.com/herrmann/ein.htm]</ref> | + | * Einstein was not the first to observe the equation E=mc<sup>2</sup> as a consequence of special relativity,<ref>H. Poincare published it in 1900. [http://www.serve.com/herrmann/ein.htm]</ref> |
| | or to foresee its application to [[nuclear binding]] energies or [[antimatter]] annihilation. | | or to foresee its application to [[nuclear binding]] energies or [[antimatter]] annihilation. |
| − | Einstein only published faulty and incomplete proofs.<ref>Einstein's Mistakes: The Human Failings of Genius, by Hans C. Ohanian, http://www.amazon.com/Einsteins-Mistakes-Human-Failings-Genius/dp/0393062937</ref><ref>http://discovermagazine.com/2008/sep/01-einstein.s-23-biggest-mistakes</ref> | + | * Einstein only published faulty and incomplete proofs.<ref>Einstein's Mistakes: The Human Failings of Genius, by Hans C. Ohanian, http://www.amazon.com/Einsteins-Mistakes-Human-Failings-Genius/dp/0393062937</ref><ref>http://discovermagazine.com/2008/sep/01-einstein.s-23-biggest-mistakes</ref> |
| − | He did not foresee a nuclear [[chain reaction]] and had to be persuaded about the possibility of an [[atomic bomb]]. | + | * He did not foresee a nuclear [[chain reaction]] and had to be persuaded about the possibility of an [[atomic bomb]]. |
| − | However, Einstein's interpretation of the E=mc<sup>2</sup> equation was fairly popular. | + | * However, Einstein's interpretation of the E=mc<sup>2</sup> equation was fairly popular. |
| − | According to Einstein, a body losing energy through heat or [[radiation]] was losing mass.<ref>Einstein, A., 1905, [http://www.physik.uni-augsburg.de/annalen/history/papers/1905_18_639-641.pdf Ist die Trägheit eines Körpers von dessen Energieinhalt abhängig?], Annalen der Physik, volume 18, pages 639–643. See also [http://www.fourmilab.ch/etexts/einstein/specrel/www English translation].</ref> | + | * According to Einstein, a body losing energy through heat or [[radiation]] was losing mass.<ref>Einstein, A., 1905, [http://www.physik.uni-augsburg.de/annalen/history/papers/1905_18_639-641.pdf Ist die Trägheit eines Körpers von dessen Energieinhalt abhängig?], Annalen der Physik, volume 18, pages 639–643. See also [http://www.fourmilab.ch/etexts/einstein/specrel/www English translation].</ref> |
| | | | |
| − | Einstein did not originate the idea of using non-Euclidean geometry<ref>His friend Paul Ehrenfest pointed out the need for curved space. [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/181349/Albert-Einstein]</ref> [[metric tensor]]s to reconcile gravity with special relativity.<ref>[http://www.univ-nancy2.fr/DepPhilo/walter/papers/b4.pdf]</ref> It was not his idea to describe gravity in [[covariant equations]], and he published papers supposedly showing that it was impossible.<ref>[http://www.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/papers/decades_re-set.pdf]</ref> He did not discover the Lagrangian formulation of [[general relativity]], and was not the first to publish the field equations. He did not foresee the [[expansion of the universe]] (although this expansion is consistent with the field equations), the possibility of black holes, or [[dark energy]]. | + | * Einstein did not originate the idea of using non-Euclidean geometry<ref>His friend Paul Ehrenfest pointed out the need for curved space. [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/181349/Albert-Einstein]</ref> [[metric tensor]]s to reconcile gravity with special relativity.<ref>[http://www.univ-nancy2.fr/DepPhilo/walter/papers/b4.pdf]</ref> It was not his idea to describe gravity in [[covariant equations]], and he published papers supposedly showing that it was impossible.<ref>[http://www.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/papers/decades_re-set.pdf]</ref> He did not discover the Lagrangian formulation of [[general relativity]], and was not the first to publish the field equations. He did not foresee the [[expansion of the universe]] (although this expansion is consistent with the field equations), the possibility of black holes, or [[dark energy]]. |
| | | | |
| − | Einstein did not originate the idea that light is observable as particles. Max Planck published that a few years before Einstein, and received a Nobel prize for it. | + | * Einstein did not originate the idea that light is observable as particles. Max Planck published that a few years before Einstein, and received a Nobel prize for it. |
| | | | |
| − | Einstein did not prove that matter was made of atoms. That had been known for a century when Einstein published his 1905 paper on Brownian motion. | + | * Einstein did not prove that matter was made of atoms. That had been known for a century when Einstein published his 1905 paper on Brownian motion. |
| | | | |
| − | Einstein never developed a [[unified field theory]] of any significance. He published papers on [[quantum mechanics]], but always insisted on a deterministic interpretation. | + | * Einstein never developed a [[unified field theory]] of any significance. He published papers on [[quantum mechanics]], but always insisted on a deterministic interpretation. |
| | | | |
| − | Many quotes are falsely attributed to Einstein. Here are a few. "If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left." "We use only 10% of our brains." "Evil is simply the absence of God." "Originality is the art of concealing your sources." <!-- please show location of quotes attributed to Einstein and who said them if they are to be attributed to another individual --> | + | * Many quotes are falsely attributed to Einstein. Here are a few. "If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left." "We use only 10% of our brains." "Evil is simply the absence of God." "Originality is the art of concealing your sources." <!-- please show location of quotes attributed to Einstein and who said them if they are to be attributed to another individual --> |
| | | | |
| | == Quotes == | | == Quotes == |