Bjarne Posted October 16, 2015 Posted October 16, 2015 In the mid-1800s there was a widespread belief that light was moving in a elastic ether.The idea was that space may possess an elastic property.Let’s (as a thought experiment) assume that the elastic property of space is responsible for the curvature of space. We know that the gravitational field of the Earth follows the movement of Earth, ....so if the ether and the gravitation field of earth are made of the same elastic “stuff” there are simply no collision with the ether and the earth, right ?How sure can we by that it was correct to reject the existence of a ether back in 1887?Next year, - time dilation measurements. - on board the ISS will, - definitive will prove whether the interpretation was correct.But lets assume we get evidence that show that special relativity must be understood in a absolute reference frame, what would be left of relativity ? I mean still the Lorentz Transformation will be valid. Is the Lorentz Transformation enough to account for GPS and all relativistic effects that so fare is proven correct.http://www.space.com/26897-pharao-atomic-clock-space-station.html
swansont Posted October 16, 2015 Posted October 16, 2015 In the mid-1800s there was a widespread belief that light was moving in a elastic ether. The idea was that space may possess an elastic property. Let’s (as a thought experiment) assume that the elastic property of space is responsible for the curvature of space. We know that the gravitational field of the Earth follows the movement of Earth, ....so if the ether and the gravitation field of earth are made of the same elastic “stuff” there are simply no collision with the ether and the earth, right ? How sure can we by that it was correct to reject the existence of a ether back in 1887? You're ignoring that we know we would have to be moving with respect to an ether because of stellar aberration, discovered ca 1725 (Bradley). Ether entrainment has also been tested and rejected. So, if we aren't stationary and we aren't moving, what option is left? I mean still the Lorentz Transformation will be valid. It will?
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