ETHER

From Agepedia

^ETHER ; an extremely fine, subtile and elastic fluid, which philosophers have supposed to be diffused throughout the universe, and by means of which they have explained many of the great phenomena of nature. It is mentioned by Aristotle. Its existence cannot be proved. Newton believed in it, and explains by it the connexion of the parts of a body, and the laws of gravity. Euler asserts that aether is almost 39,000,000 times thinner, and 1,278 times more elastic, than atmospheric air.