Einstein Didn’t Say That: Exposing the Common Sense in Relativity Theory

Einstein Didn’t Say That is a lighthearted but respectful exploration of the everyday logic behind special and general relativity. The first person to use the term ‘curved space’ was not Einstein, and not a physicist, but a reporter for the New York Times, who needed a catchy headline. What did Einstein really say, or not say, about curved space, time travel, wormholes, traveling twins, extra dimensions, multiple universes, dark matter and more? Have we been sold more sizzle than steak? With the help of dozens of quotes from well-known physicists, but mainly from Einstein himself, the author tries to separate Einstein’s original ideas from some of the speculation that those ideas inspired in others. This is not a textbook or a history of physics, but rather the personal story of an ordinary guy’s delight in discovering firsthand the genius, the logic, and the good old common sense in Einstein’s work. When we take the time to look at what Einstein did say, and why, we can go on to develop our own opinions about the multitude of subsequent theories and ideas which claim to contain the DNA of relativity. An enjoyable pursuit!