Yes. It is so profoundly important and useful that it was bound to be discovered sooner or later anyway. The mathematical equations are actually relatively straightforward. Someone once said that the problem with the Theory of Relativity is not that it is difficult to understand, but that it is difficult to believe.
probably; it's there, it just has to be discovered. thing is, there are SO many things that've been discovered multiple times through the ages so it would've eventually been devised.
s'like ramanujan's re-discoveries, the whole zero thing etc etc