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THE ETHER HYPOTHESIS: For the propagation of waves, a material medium is necessary. It was considered that the light waves propagate through ether the same way the sound waves propagate through air. Ether pervades all space. However, the interesting question is whether the relative motion between the earth and the ether can be detected. If such motion is detected, then a fixed frame of reference can be chosen in a stationary ether. Then all motions can be expressed relative to this frame. In 1887, Michelson and Morley, set out to measure the relative velocity of earth with respect to ether. The principle of the experiment lies in noting the shift in fringes in the Michelson interferometre due to the difference in time taken by light to travel along and opposite the direction of motion of the earth. The time taken by a beam of light to travel along and opposite the direction of motion of the earth. The time taken by a beam of light to travel along the direction of motion of earth is greater than that to travel distance opposite to the direction of motion of the earth. Surprisingly, despite best efforts, the presence of ether could not be detected.