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Principe] remains a fact awaiting to be accounted for in a different way." By the late 1990s, scientists agreed that any red shift observed is not explained by the GTR, but believers firmly claim the theory to be valid for light-bending.*” Or was something else other than light being bent back then—perhaps the truth? Despite such minor troubles, on 19 November 1919 Einstein was virtually canonised by the Royal Astronomical Society in London. The devil's advocate at the occasion, Professor Ludwik Silberstein, was not allowed to raise any relevant criticism until after the ceremony was over, when criticism was no longer of interest to the jubilant congregation.” Just as the GTR's success was based on a priori assumptions, so was glorification of the same theory, according to those present. But they could see nothing wrong with the procedure. > Principe] remains a fact awaiting to be accounted for in a different and it would be better felt in free space and at higher altitudes— way." By the late 1990s, scientists agreed that any red shift an idea also shared by the ageing Michelson.* So, to test his observed is not explained by the GTR, but believers firmly claim hypothesis, he put the instrument to work at sea level and later on the theory to be valid for light-bending.*” Or was something Mount Wilson, California, covered only by a light canvas that else other than light being bent back then—perhaps the truth? should be easily penetrable by the devious aetheric winds. To Despite such minor troubles, on 19 November 1919 Einstein ward off critics, Miller conducted various control experiments by was virtually canonised by the Royal Astronomical Society in exposing the instrument to unnatural heat so he could observe London. The devil's advocate at the occasion, Professor Ludwik how various temperatures would influence the readings. Silberstein, was not allowed to raise any relevant criticism until His experiments, conducted over a period of seven years after the ceremony was over, when criticism was no longer of (1920-26), were not confined to a mere 36 rotations as Michelson interest to the jubilant congregation.” Just as the GTR's success and Morley had done. Miller made a staggering 200,000 was based on a priori assumptions, so was glorification of the measurements covering various altitudes, various dates of the same theory, according to those present. But they could see year, various hours of the day and various astronomical directions nothing wrong with the procedure. relative to the Earth's movement in its orbit. And he found statistically important results! Part Ill: MYSTICAL AFTERMATH Miller noted that when his measurements How Einstein's theories gave birth to were plotted on sidereal time, they produced a new wave of mysticism "...a very striking consistency of their Einstein succeeded in influencing some of . q principal characteristics...for azimuth and the most brilliant minds of his time, but his Instead of making this magnitude...as though they were related to a fame started to snowball and the theories of common cause... The observed effect is relativity were applied to all sorts of world appear more dependent upon sidereal time and is phenomena, even ones that Einstein himself logical and sane, highly independent of diurnal and seasonal changes rater tgn sean, nseve™s | advanced mathematical. | scone nde restau sane, highly advanced mathematical arguments created an The conclusion after 200,000 precise arguments created an unintelligible universe i inl i observations was that the Earth is moving at that seemed only to be understood by a small unintelligible universe a speed of 208 km/second towards the apex elite who contributed little to the sanity that seemed only to be in the southern celestial hemisphere, of science. Science turned from useful towards Dorado, the Swordfish work to the birth of modern-day understood by a small constellation. This was based on the alchemy. elite who contributed assumption that the Earth pushes little to the sanity of science. through a stationary aether in that direction. Another and also plausible conclusion would be that the solar system is being met by a moving aether in the opposite direction, like a huge, cosmic jet-stream rushing towards the stationary solar system (remember, some movements are indeed relative, so these conclusions are equivalent). Embarrassing Ghosts of the Aether By the beginning of the 1920s, Einstein's fame was established, but in Germany the swastika had raised its ugly head and rallies were raised against Jewish science in an effort to establish a pure arena of thinking. Einstein's lectures were disrupted by What did Einstein have to say about demonstrators. Einstein complained these experiments, since he himself had that he would not have been criticised if he had been "a German never touched an interferometer? He only accused Miller of nationalist with or without a swastika, instead of a Jew with being the victim of "effects of effects", without going into any liberal international convictions" .*! explanation of why this should be so and not wanting to give In 1921 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics—not for the Miller any credit for having produced 199,964 more readings theories of relativity, but for the more simple theory of the photo- than Michelson and Morley—readings which he believed without electric effect. Einstein waited until 1922 to fetch the prize, being —_ any objections. more occupied with a world tour, lecturing on his ideas to laymen Miller naturally was hurt, and responded in January 1926: "The and scientists, much in the style of present-day media stars. trouble with Prof. Einstein is that he knows nothing about my Meanwhile, just as everybody was convinced that the aether results... He ought to give me credit for knowing that temperature was dead and buried, a professor named Dayton Miller differences would affect results. He wrote to me in November (1866-1941) at Case University—in which basement Albert suggesting this. I am not so simple as to make no allowance for Michelson set up his interferometer in 1887—decided to put the temperature."* aether to a final test. He had built an enormous interferometer And later, when the debate did not die out and Einstein could where light was made to go 210 feet [~64 metres] before reaching not defeat Miller's arguments, Einstein did the same as he had the optical measuring instruments. This new apparatus was three done to Gerber: he let others speak for him. This time he was times as sensitive as Michelson's famous "zero-effect" instrument. defended by scientist Robert S. Shankland (1908-1982) and his Miller was convinced that the "nearly-zero-effect associates who, after several consultations with Einstein, set out measurements" of Michelson and Morley were due to the on what can best be called a defamation of Miller. In their interferometer's placement in the basement. He assumed that if analysis of the data, they picked those that showed no variation; there was indeed an aether, it could not penetrate heavy objects and of those data where there were variations, they picked only arguments created an unintelligible universe abooa 22 ee ea understood by a small elite who contributed science. 50 = NEXUS Instead of making this that seemed only to be little to the sanity of www.nexusmagazine.com OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 2007