Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Birds, Bees and Physics: Breakthrough Insights Revealed in Long-Lost Letter By Albert Einstein

Birds, Bees and Physics: Breakthrough Insights Revealed in Long-Lost Letter By Albert Einstein

The letter that prompted the study was first found in 2019, after a retiree living in the United Kingdom read a published article by RMIT University, Australia, on the mathematical abilities of bees, and reached out to the scientific team to share the epistle, which Albert Einstein had addressed to her late husband Glyn Davys.

A recently-discovered letter, written by German-born mathematician and physicist Albert Einstein in 1949, sheds new light on his illuminating views on the birds, bees, and their links to physics, according to a study into the correspondence.

Einstein, one of the greatest physicists of all time, is revealed to have theorised in the letter that animals can provide vital clues about how physics work, and what makes birds and bees fly.


“Remarkably, it is clear through his writing that Einstein envisaged new discoveries could come from studying animals’ behaviours,” stated Professor Andrew Greentree, a theoretical physicist at RMIT.

The letter by Albert Einstein, validated by The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where Einstein bequeathed his notes, letters and records, was researched thoroughly by a team led by Adrian Dyer, an Associate Professor at RMIT University, Australia.

The findings, entitled “Einstein, von Frisch and the honeybee: a historical letter comes to light”, were published on 10 May in the Journal of Comparative Physiology A.

Animal Physics


The team of scientists got their hands on the historical letter in 2019, after Judith Davys had offered to share the 72-year-old letter that the Nobel Prize-winner had addressed to her late husband, England-based radar researcher Glyn Davys. The retiree had been prompted to do so after accidentally reading an article published by RMIT University that dwelt upon the mathematical abilities of bees. A year was accordingly spent investigating the document.

Einstein’s letter is a response to a question he received from Glyn Davys, who had joined the British Royal Navy in WWII and trained as an engineer, researching topics such as the use of radar to detect ships and aircraft.

Around the same time, bio-sonar sensing had been discovered in bats, prompting further research into how animals may have different senses from humans.

Bees Synchronise to Create Beehives Waves


As for what may have prompted Davys to write to the famous physicist, the team researched England’s news archives dated to 1949 to discover that Austrian-German honey bee researcher and Nobel Prize winner Karl von Frisch’s findings on bee navigation were already making the headlines. As a debate had been triggered on how bees use polarised light to navigate, it is believed this spurred Davys to write to Einstein.

While the original missive to the scientist from Davys no longer exists, it is likely to have specifically mentioned von Frisch.
In the discovered letter, Einstein responds:

“I am well acquainted with Mr. v. Frisch’s admirable investigations.”

Einstein’s deliberations on animal physics were supposedly triggered by conversations with Karl von Frisch.

Encounter of Two Great Minds


In 1933, Einstein left Germany to work at Princeton University in the United States. In April 1949, he met von Frisch as the animal sensory researcher was giving a lecture at Princeton University.

Bat


The Nobel laureate’s findings on bee navigation were already big news by that time. That year von Frisch published research detailing how honey bees find their way around by resorting to polarisation patterns of light scattered from the sky.

Shortly after the Princeton lecture, the two men shared a private meeting, which the discovered letter throws light on.

“It is thinkable that the investigation of the behaviour of migratory birds and carrier pigeons may someday lead to the understanding of some physical process which is not yet known,” reads an excerpt from Einstein’s letter.

In his letter to Davys, Einstein envisaged new discoveries could be made from studying animals’ behaviours.

“Seven decades after Einstein proposed new physics might come from animal sensory perception, we’re seeing discoveries that push our understanding about navigation and the fundamental principles of physics,” stated RMIT University Associate Professor Adrian Dyer in a press release.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
EU Majority Demands Hungary Reverse Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
Top Hotel Picks for 2025 Stays in Budapest Revealed
Iron Maiden Unveils 2025 Tour Setlist in Budapest
Chinese Film Week Opens in Budapest to Promote Cultural Exchange
Budapest Airport Launches Direct Flights to Shymkent
Von der Leyen Denies Urging EU Officials to Skip Budapest Pride
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance with Convincing Wins at Roland Garros
EU Ministers Lack Consensus on Sanctioning Hungary Over Rule of Law
EU Nations Urge Action Against Hungary's Pride Parade Ban
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
U.S. Considers Withdrawing Troops from Europe
Russia Deploys Motorbike Squads in Ukraine Conflict
Critics Accuse European Court of Human Rights of Overreach
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Non-EU Holiday Home Purchases
German Intelligence Labels AfD as Far-Right Extremist
Geert Wilders Threatens Dutch Coalition Over Migration Policy
Hungary Faces Multiple Challenges Amid EU Tensions and Political Shifts
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Any trade deal with US must be based on respect not threats', says EU commissioner
UK Leads in Remote Work Adoption, Averaging 1.8 Days a Week
Thirteen Killed in Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
High-Profile Incidents and Political Developments Dominate Global News
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Ukraine and Russia Conduct Largest Prisoner Exchange of the War
×