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In 1887, the second and most famous of several similar experiments was performed by Albert Abraham Michelson and Edward William Morley. Technically, these experiments all showed positive results. This would have proved the existence of ether except that the resulting data did not conform to expectations and the results of the earliest experiments were barely measurable.

The Michelson-Morley experiment was based upon the conclusion that ether was static with matter moving through it. If matter moved through the ether, then the ether would have a measurable velocity relative to the earth's surface. This velocity could be found by rotating a table in which light moved in two directions at right angles to one another. Essentially, a single beam of light was split into two parts which traveled in different directions but along equal distances, and were then reflected to the same place. Supposedly, a difference in their velocities would be apparent as interference at the finish. The interference could be converted to a difference in the velocities of the parts of the light moving in the two different directions, and this would indicate the relative horizontal velocity of the ether. This seemed to be valid reasoning and, according to the rules given for the ether to use, a measurable velocity of a certain magnitude should have been found unless there was no ether to be found. The key phrase is according to the rules given for the ether to use.

In each experiment, a fairly consistent and barely measurable velocity was discovered. However, it was much smaller than anticipated. By those who championed the opposing theory, this "discrepancy" in magnitude was considered a strong argument in favor of a corpuscular (particle) theory for light.

Assuming that ether exists, what caused such a "discrepancy"? The fluid flowing through any gravity funnel created by a large mass is compressing in two dimensions which are tangent to the surface of any theoretical sphere (funnel cross-section) with the large mass at its center. The earth's surface almost precisely coincides with such a theoretical sphere. It would coincide exactly except for the fact that the earth is not a perfect sphere. When there is relative fluid velocity such as that caused by the earth rotating, revolving about the sun, and the sun moving about the galactic rim, this velocity is reduced beyond the point at which it can be easily measured - because of the fluid compression.
 

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