Michelson and Morley: interferometric ether-drift test

What changed

A central expected ether-drift signal was not observed at the experiment's sensitivity.

Scientific scope

The 1887 two-author experiment and reported result; not a direct proof of all relativity or modern ether exclusions.

Evidence

The linked sources identify this contribution and its scope. WRS has not independently reconstructed the scientific claims. The bounded achievement is the 1887 measurement and reported small/null result. Later relativity interpretations and stronger modern exclusions are not projected backward into the paper.

Contributors

• Albert A. Michelson · SCIENCE: Named source author of the scoped work; individual effort shares are not measured.
• Edward W. Morley · SCIENCE: Named source author of the scoped work; individual effort shares are not measured.

• Michelson and Morley, On the Relative Motion of the Earth and the Luminiferous Aether

Provisional WRS assessment, edition 2026-10-16.1. Independent expert calibration is pending. This grade does not certify correctness or assign ownership.

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