A generalization of Einstein's gravitational theory is discussed in which the spin of matter as well as its mass plays a dynamical role. The spin of matter couples to a non-Riemannian structure in space-time, Cartan's torsion tensor. The theory which emerges from taking this coupling into account, the U4 theory of gravitation, predicts, in addition to the usual infinite-rhnge gravitational interaction mediated by the metric field, a new, very weak, spin contact interaction of gravitatiorial origin. %'e summarize here all the available theoretical evidence that argues for admitting spin and torsion into a relativistic gravitational theory. Not least among this evidence is the demonstration that the U4 theory arises as a local gauge theory for the Poincare group in space-time. The deviations of the U" theory from standard general relativity are estimated, and the prospects for further theoretical development are assessed. CONTENTS

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In this series of notes, we introduce a new quantity into the theory of classical matter fields. Besides the usual energy-momentum tensor, we postulate the existence of a further dynamical attribute of matter, the 3rd rank tensor ⊿

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