In conclusion, the Michelson-Morley experiment, though repeated for nearly half a century later (and still replicated by students such as Rogers and Selvaggi), erased the idea of ether as a medium through which light waves traveled. Although their experiment provided no proof of the existence of ether, the conduction of the experiment was not viewed as a failure, but rather as a success -- for it opened the door to new postulations, and ultimately to Einstein's theory of special relativity. For his experiments, Michelson was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1907. Yet, unhappy with his own tests, Michelson would participate in more experiments in the future, particularly with Dayton Miller. Even though Miller's tests showed evidence of ether, his experiments have never been replicated with the same results -- and were dismissed by Einstein as mistaken.
Works Cited
"Albert a. Michelson...
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