Giacomini's 2026 analysis shows Gibbs and Einstein independently derived the canonical ensemble via Liouville's theorem in 1902

Giacomini draws on fresh archival records showing Gibbs' book reached European libraries by spring 1902, weakening Einstein's later claim of independent discovery. Both works define temperature as the parameter equalized by energy exchange and derive the canonical distribution from phase-space volume conservation rather than collisions. Paul Hertz's 1910 critiques highlighted the overlap, prompting Einstein to shift away from his early statistical program after a private Basel meeting. The study flags that Einstein's 1903–1904 follow-ups extended the same mechanical-probabilistic framework, yet historiography long marginalized them relative to Gibbs' rapid canonization.