Editing Nothing (section)

== Science ==
Despite the proven existence of vacuum, scientists through the 17th to 19th centuries thought there must be a medium pervading all space that allowed the transmission of light or gravity. Thus, in this period, it was not accepted that complete ''nothing'' was possible. Theories describing such a medium are collectively known as [[aether theories]], so named as an evocation of the [[Aether (classical element)|aether]], the classical element from Greek philosophy. In particular, the medium that is supposed to allow the transmission of light is called the [[luminiferous aether]]. This became the centre of attention after [[James Clerk Maxwell]] proposed that light was an [[electromagnetic wave]] in 1865.{{sfn|Schaffner|2016|p=3}}

Early aether theories include those of [[Robert Hooke]] (1665) and [[Christiaan Huygens]] (1690). Newton also had an aether theory, but to Newton, it was not the medium of transmission since he theorised light was composed of "corpuscles" which moved by simple mechanical motion. He needed the aether instead to explain [[refraction]]. Early theories generally proposed a mechanical medium of some sort, allowing the possibility of the same medium supporting both light and gravity.{{sfn|Schaffner|2016|p=8}} Proof that light has a wave nature, rather than Newton's corpuscles, was provided by [[Thomas Young (scientist)|Thomas Young]] in his 1803 [[Young's interference experiment|interference experiment]], seemingly confirming the need for an aether.{{sfn|Schaffner|2016|pp=11-12}} The most well known attempt to detect the existence of the aether was the [[Michelson–Morley experiment]] conducted by [[Albert A. Michelson]] on 1881, later repeated with [[Edward W. Morley]] in 1887 with more precision. This failed to show the desired effect, but reluctant to abandon the aether theory, various attempts were made to modify it to account for the Michelson-Morley result.{{sfn|Whittaker|1910|pp=417–418}}{{sfn|Schaffner|2016|pp=32–39}} Finally, [[Albert Einstein]], building on the work of [[Hendrik Lorentz]], published his theory of [[special relativity]] in 1905 which dispenses entirely with the need for a luminiferous aether to explain the transmission of light.{{sfn|Hsu|2000|p=46}}

Although a physical medium was no longer required, the concept of aether still did not entirely vanish. It remained necessary to assign properties to the vacuum for various purposes. In some respects ''vacuum'' and ''aether'' are treated as synonyms by science.{{sfn|Hsu|2000|pp=46–47}} In modern [[quantum field theory]], a completely empty vacuum is not at [[zero-point energy]], the lowest possible energy state. First proposed by [[Paul Dirac]] in 1927, the lowest energy state has constant random [[vacuum fluctuations]] which bring into existence short-lived [[virtual particle]]s.<ref name="BG-20230216">{{cite news |last=Lincoln |first=Don |title="Nothing" doesn't exist. Instead, there is "quantum foam" - When you combine the Uncertainty Principle with Einstein's famous equation, you get a mind-blowing result: Particles can come from nothing. |url=https://bigthink.com/hard-science/nothing-exist-quantum-foam/ |date=16 February 2023 |work=[[Big Think]] |accessdate=18 February 2023}}</ref><ref name="BG-20221222">{{cite news |last=Siegel |first=Ethan |title=The 4 fundamental meanings of "nothing" in science - All the things that surround and compose us didn't always exist. But describing their origin depends on what 'nothing' means. |url=https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/4-meanings-nothing/ |date=22 December 2022 |work=[[Big Think]] |accessdate=18 February 2023}}</ref> This is somewhat reminiscent of early philosophical plenum ideas, and means that ''vacuum'' and ''nothing'' are certainly not synonyms.{{sfn|Milonni|2013|p=35}}