Äthertheorie
Äthertheorie, also known as the ether theory, is a historical scientific concept that posited the existence of a luminiferous ether as the medium through which light and electromagnetic waves propagate. Developed primarily in the 19th century, the theory was rooted in the idea that, just as sound waves require a medium like air or water, light waves also needed a substance to travel through—an invisible, all-pervading ether filling space.
The theory gained prominence alongside the advancement of wave-based explanations for light and electromagnetic phenomena. Prominent
However, the ether theory faced significant challenges as experimental evidence accumulated. A decisive moment was the
The development of Einstein's special relativity in 1905 provided a new framework that eliminated the need
Today, the ether theory is considered obsolete in science, regarded as a historical hypothesis that prompted