In 1887, Albert A. Michelson and Edward W. Morley conducted a pivotal experiment intending to measure the effects of the aether, which was believed to be a medium for light waves. To their surprise, they found no evidence of the aether, challenging a two-century long scientific belief. The experiment's results led to confusion and dismay among physicists but initiated a revolutionary shift in physics. The absence of aether meant that space was nearly a vacuum, redefining the location of celestial objects and contributing to the development of Einstein's theories of relativity, which fundamentally altered the understanding of gravity, space, and time.
The Michelson-Morley tests revealed the absence of the aether, leading to a paradigm shift where space is considered nearly empty and features no universal reference.
Following their shocking results in 1887, Michelson and Morley abandoned further experiments, leaving many physicists perplexed, including the renowned Hendrik Lorentz.
The discovery that space is a featureless vacuum sparked significant advancements in physics, paving the way for Einstein's radical theories of relativity.
The major outcome of the Michelson-Morley experiment was a shift from believing in a fixed aether to understanding that objects are defined in relation to each other.
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