Comments on: Queer Machine Checks Up on Ether Drift http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:20:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Mikey http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-982755 Mikey Wed, 02 Jan 2008 12:56:23 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-982755 People will probably be just as disparaging about the quest for the Higgs boson in 50 years time. People will probably be just as disparaging about the quest for the Higgs boson in 50 years time.

]]> By: Paul Crowley http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-963757 Paul Crowley Thu, 27 Dec 2007 14:08:24 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-963757 Could it be this experiment? The date is right... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennedy%E2%80%93Thorndike_experiment Could it be this experiment? The date is right…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K.....experiment

]]> By: Casandro http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-959790 Casandro Wed, 26 Dec 2007 17:11:26 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-959790 It was probably buildt by Zeiss http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeiss It was probably buildt by Zeiss http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeiss

]]> By: Robert Horton http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-956852 Robert Horton Wed, 26 Dec 2007 00:50:07 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-956852 Except for the photo being unstylishly monochrome, I also can't see what makes this apparatus "loony". From the description and its appearance, it seems to be designed to look for a tiny phase shift difference between interferometer legs oriented parallel and perpendicular to any hypothetical ether velocity. (Imagine a water-wave apparatus in a moving stream, which would in fact allow the water velocity to be inferred.) Tney may have in fact measured zero ether velocity, but that would be a useful,if unexciting (by 1932) result. Except for the photo being unstylishly monochrome, I also can’t see what makes this apparatus “loony”. From the description and its appearance, it seems to be designed to look for a tiny phase shift difference between interferometer legs oriented parallel and perpendicular to any hypothetical ether velocity. (Imagine a water-wave apparatus in a moving stream, which would in fact allow the water velocity to be inferred.) Tney may have in fact measured zero ether velocity, but that would be a useful,if unexciting (by 1932) result.

]]> By: Firebrand38 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-953147 Firebrand38 Tue, 25 Dec 2007 03:36:23 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-953147 In the context of 1932 it's queer insofar that it's unusual or according to the Etymology Dictionary http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?l=q&p=1 "1508, "strange, peculiar, eccentric," from Scottish, perhaps from Low Ger. (Brunswick dialect) queer "oblique, off-center," related to Ger. quer "oblique, perverse, odd," from O.H.G. twerh "oblique," from PIE base *twerk- "to turn, twist, wind" (related to thwart). The verb "to spoil, ruin" is first recorded 1812. Sense of "homosexual" first recorded 1922; the noun in this sense is 1935, from the adj." In the context of 1932 it’s queer insofar that it’s unusual or according to the Etymology Dictionary http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?l=q&p=1 “1508, “strange, peculiar, eccentric,” from Scottish, perhaps from Low Ger. (Brunswick dialect) queer “oblique, off-center,” related to Ger. quer “oblique, perverse, odd,” from O.H.G. twerh “oblique,” from PIE base *twerk- “to turn, twist, wind” (related to thwart). The verb “to spoil, ruin” is first recorded 1812. Sense of “homosexual” first recorded 1922; the noun in this sense is 1935, from the adj.”

]]> By: charles kiddell http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-952861 charles kiddell Tue, 25 Dec 2007 02:12:25 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-952861 Um, no. There is nothing obviously queer about this machine. If you do an experiment and it has a result or the opposite result, it is a legitimate experiment. My parents had an old physics textbook lying around the house from the early 30s that mentioned the "ether." We know there is no ether now, so what is the big deal? they were looking for it then and didn't find evidence for it. The Michelson/Morely experiment had been done decades earlier, but this is a more subtle machine. If you look for something and don't find it your experiment has succeeded. Um, no. There is nothing obviously queer about this machine. If you do an experiment and it has a result or the opposite result, it is a legitimate experiment. My parents had an old physics textbook lying around the house from the early 30s that mentioned the “ether.” We know there is no ether now, so what is the big deal? they were looking for it then and didn’t find evidence for it. The Michelson/Morely experiment had been done decades earlier, but this is a more subtle machine. If you look for something and don’t find it your experiment has succeeded.

]]> By: Mitch http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-951463 Mitch Mon, 24 Dec 2007 16:55:58 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-951463 The Nazis didn't come to power until Jan 1933, so it seems unlikely that this had much to do with their racial views. The Nazis didn’t come to power until Jan 1933, so it seems unlikely that this had much to do with their racial views.

]]> By: Charlie http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-951440 Charlie Mon, 24 Dec 2007 16:47:06 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-951440 I think there are two reasons. First, this experiment had longer arms than the MM one. Second this one used a photographic detector rather than relying on a person to to judge it. I think there are two reasons. First, this experiment had longer arms than the MM one. Second this one used a photographic detector rather than relying on a person to to judge it.

]]> By: MB http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-951400 MB Mon, 24 Dec 2007 16:32:38 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-951400 It has something to do with Aryan vs. Jewish science -- because Einstein was Jewish, Nazis did not accept the theory of relativity. It has something to do with Aryan vs. Jewish science — because Einstein was Jewish, Nazis did not accept the theory of relativity.

]]> By: William http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-951288 William Mon, 24 Dec 2007 15:49:39 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/24/queer-machine-checks-up-on-ether-drift/#comment-951288 Isn't this just another version of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelson%E2%80%93Morley_experiment" rel="nofollow">Michelson-Morley experiment</a>? If so, what were they doing building these things 40 years later? Isn’t this just another version of the Michelson-Morley experiment? If so, what were they doing building these things 40 years later?

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