The Michelson-Morley experiment, conducted in 1887, is a pivotal event in the history of physics that sought to detect the Earth's motion through the hypothetical luminiferous ether. The experiment was designed to measure the speed of light in perpendicular directions to discern the relative motion of matter through the ether. The outcome was unexpectedly negative, revealing no significant difference in the speed of light regardless of its direction. This null result cast doubt on the ether theory and laid the groundwork for the development of the theory of relativity, which posits that the speed of light is constant and not influenced by the motion of its source. The Michelson-Morley experiment is often hailed as one of the most famous "failed" experiments in science because it produced clear evidence that contradicted the widely accepted ether theory of the time.

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