Arago (1810): the first experimental result against the ether
Rafael Ferraro; Daniel M. Sforza · 2004 · arXiv
WASTE classifies this as Negative / Null Result Report · AI classification, approximate
The study found no significant effect — useful as a negative control or null benchmark for your own design.
The finding, in one line
“The null result of this experiment gave rise to the Fresnel's hypothesis of an ether partly dragged by a moving substance.”
Abstract (excerpt)
95 years before Special Relativity was born, Arago attempted to detect the absolute motion of the Earth by measuring the deflection of starlight passing through a prism fixed to the Earth. The null result of this experiment gave rise to the Fresnel's hypothesis of an ether partly dragged by a moving substance. In the context of Einstein's Relativity, the sole frame which is privileged in Arago's experiment is the proper frame of the prism, and the null result only says that Snell's law is valid in that frame. We revisit the history of this premature first evidence against the ether theory and
Excerpt shown for reference under fair use — read the full paper at the publisher.
About to run something similar?
Run an AI Precheck on your own design to catch failure modes like this one before you spend the time. Your first desk check is free.
Related failures
Resonant amplitude distribution of the Hilda asteroids and the free-floating planet flyby scenario
Negative / Null Result Report3D Simulations of Plasma Filaments in the Scrape Off Layer: A Comparison with Models of Reduced Dimensionality
Negative / Null Result ReportHerd Behaviour in Public Goods Games
Negative / Null Result ReportAccurate coarse-graining of small organic molecules in melts and thin films using density-dependent potentials
Negative / Null Result ReportSemi-Analytical Models for Lensing by Dark Halos: I. Splitting Angles
Negative / Null Result ReportSimulated Annealing with Tsallis Weights - A Numerical Comparison
WASTE indexes this work — it does not host or republish it. Failure-type classification is automated and approximate.
Metadata source: arXiv