Is aether compatible with Special Relativity (SR)?
• Yes, the general concept of aether is compatible with special relativity. However, as defined by its postulates, special relativity doesn’t need to invoke a physical medium to describe the processes. Thus, as Einstein stated, an aether isn’t a necessary for the formal definition of SR, as formulated. H. A. Lorentz formulated an aether based version of special relativity, known as Lorentz Ether Theory [LET] which is mathematically equivalent to classical SR in all known predictions and observations. However, to ever understand the processes that give rise to special relativity, rather that just accept the fact that it occurs, one will need to re-introduce the physical medium concept and quantify the interaction of matter/EM energy that give rise to SR’s results.
