May 11, 1916 - Albert Einstein presents his General Theory of Relativity

Albert Einstein published the General Theory of Relativity on May 11, 1916 in the scientific journal Annalen Der Physik, shortly after the scientist introduced the Special Theory of Relativity after studying the movement of bodies and electromagnetism in the absence of the force of gravitational interaction.

What are now known as "Einstein's Field Equations" formed the core of his theory and specify how the local density of matter and energy determines the geometry of space-time.

According to this theory, gravity is geometric. Instead of being basically a force that attracts objects, as Newton theorized in 1687, Einstein went further by determining that gravity is actually a curvature or deformation of space. Thus, the bigger an object is, the more the space around it bends.

According to general relativity, planets warp space and time around them. In this way, the fact of dropping a pencil on the ground is not just that, but rather it falls towards the center of the Earth because the enormous mass of the Earth is pulling space towards itself.

Einstein's Theory of General Relativity transformed our understanding of gravity and forever changed the way we view space.

If you want to know more about Einstein and his theories, click on the following link: Albert Einstein