Waves
Robert Hooke speculated in 1671 that gravitation is the result of all bodies emitting waves in all directions through the aether. Other bodies, which interchange with these waves, move in the direction of the source of the waves. Hooke saw an analogy to the fact that small objects on a disturbed surface of water move to the center of the disturbance.
A similar theory was worked out mathematically by James Challis from 1859 to 1876. He calculated that the case of attraction occurs if the wavelength is large in comparison with the distance between the gravitating bodies. If the wavelength is small, the bodies repel each other. By a combination of these effects, he also tried to explain all other forces.
Criticism: Maxwell objected that this theory requires a steady production of waves, which must be accompanied by an infinite consumption of energy. Challis himself admitted, that he hadn't reached a definite result due to the complexity of the processes.
Read more about this topic: Mechanical Explanations Of Gravitation
Famous quotes containing the word waves:
“His bold head
‘Bove the contentious waves he kept, and oared
Himself with his good arms in lusty stroke
To the shore.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Each day a few more lies eat into the seed with which we are born, little institutional lies from the print of newspapers, the shock waves of television, and the sentimental cheats of the movie screen.”
—Norman Mailer (b. 1923)
“Your eyes have pardoned our faults,
your hands have touched us
you have leaned forward a little
and the waves can never thrust us back
from the splendour of your ragged coast.”
—Hilda Doolittle (1886–1961)