aether theory

Aether theory proposed that a hypothetical, invisible substance called "aether" filled all of space, serving as the medium through which light waves traveled, similar to how air carries sound. Scientists believed this medium was necessary because, unlike sound, light appeared to travel through empty space. The theory persisted until experiments, like the Michelson-Morley experiment, failed to detect the aether’s presence, leading to its decline. Modern physics explains light propagation without an aether, using the concept of electromagnetic fields and Einstein’s theory of relativity, which describes space and time as interconnected and interference-free.