REFLECTIONS ON THE AETHER: Is it real? And if so, what are the ramifications?

March 31, 2026

During the past few days, I have been, once again, contemplating the concept of the “aether’ (or “ether”). It’s a notion that has always intrigued me; in fact I’ve felt forever that the ether does exist, as the oceanic medium in which all of creation dwells.

In other words, space is not empty, a vacuum; space is full, a plenum!

Here’s one woman’s attempt to describe the Aether (as distinct from Air, which is aether in movement)

 

Interesting. Today I see a post that went up yesterday on X, describing the social, economic, and political ramifications of not recognizing the aether.

BTW: the concept of ‘zero” has long been equally fascinating to me. Always, I seek to break through, see through, whatever  conceptual frame (or overton window) we humans construct in our efforts to represent, conceptually, the ever pulsing presence of the real that simply refuses to lend itself completely to any of our efforts to fix it in place.

Always and forever, “the map is NOT the territory.”

Today, I decided to ask grok some questions, regarding this notion of the aether. Great educational fun, ranging far and wide: philosophical, historical, cultural, psychological . . .

Some of what grok states, I was already familiar with (or had been, long ago, and so was reminded), but much of it, decidedly not.

Here are my questions, in order. In each case, grok’s response inspired a new question.

Describe and elaborate theories that contrast aether with vacuum.

Is aether required for action at a distance? (Answer: NO!)

Why does belief in aether persist?

After reading through the entire grok synthesis/analysis of these questions, I see that grok concludes that it favors the vacuum over the aether. Final paragraph:

“The persistence ultimately reflects science’s human side: the drive for intuitive, unifying pictures; discomfort with unresolved mysteries,; and the recursive nature of interpretation. While not part of standard textbooks, aether ideas continue to inspire speculation and occasional fringe research, much as they did in the transitional period after 1905. If new evidence (e.g Lorentz violation) emerges, the debate could intensify — but current data strongly favors the vacuum-based framework.”

Well, well. Once again, I find myself decidedly fringe.

 

 

So, I happened to be downtown during yesterday’s NO KINGS rally . . .

March 30, 2026

I was downtown in Bloomington on Saturday, sporting a box of used books for a used book store, when I came upon, guess what? A large No Kings rally.

Car stuck in traffic.

Sensing inner rage starting to ignite.

— What’s that about, Ann? —

Well, likely it has to do with my instant judgment that these people are off their rockers; this exacerbated by my imaginative washing of their collective demeanor as “strutting about, politically correct.”

Of course, I live in a leftist academic town, so no wonder. But: it still surprises me, each time I come upon some kind of rally downtown that, were I braver, or even more foolish, I would join with a sign that said something opposite to whatever they were saying.

But I’m not so brave, and/or not so foolish.

This No Kings business. Funny how it seemingly spontaneously burst forth last year, with thousands of sites and supposed millions of people instantly! Huh? What’s that about. Is it just another manifestation of the rabid TDS syndrome?

More: was No Kings organic or designed? If the latter, then is Soros complicit? On and on. Conspiracy theories sprout up, multiply . . .

But then my rabid anti-TDS syndrome ain’t much better.

When, on when, can we all just settle down, break bread together: welcome each in turn as we speak, about whatever, the rest of us actually listening; meanwhile, feeling our hearts beat in unison, below our frantically busy minds that have been working so desperately to justify whatever it is we have likely been conditioned to believe.

Who are the real “kings”?

Geriatric members of congress.

The last two presidents.

Here’s an historical perspective . . .

Ever the trolling champion . . .

Meanwhile, here’s one assessment of what President Trump has actually accomplished, so far.