As noted, James Clerk Maxwell, in his treatise, The Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field, theorized aether as the physical setting for his equations of electromagnetism that are still in use today. While his theory was initially generally accepted,  the advent of the Michelson-Morley experiments, Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity and the Quantum Mechanics theory, subsequently led to his aether falling into disuse.

Reconsidering Maxwell’s Aether, Phys. Essays 27, 601 (2014) contends that the medium of aether as theorized by Maxwell underlies electromagnetism.  This article counters the arguments that led to the disuse of aether in theoretical physics.  It sets out evidence that supports the proposition that aether in fact exists and provides reasons why aether as theorized by Maxwell should be reconsidered as fundamental to electromagnetism.  The article refers to a broad array of electromagnetic phenomena that are consistent with the form of aether theorized by Maxwell being the essential underlying element.

On Maxwell’s 1865 Theory of Aether: A Step Toward Unity, Phys. Essays 33 , 256 (2020), also refers to electromagnetic phenomena that are consistent with Maxwell’s theory of aether.

The phenomena set out in the above articles include the following:

• Electric current. Maxwell’s aether is consistent with electric current being successive interactions  (collisions and displacements) of aether cells within and along a conductor, propelled by electromagnetic force.
• Back surge of electricity.  This is consistent with compressed aether cells snapping back from their distorted shapes into their normal shape when electric current is stopped. Compare this to compressed rubber balls springing back into their normal shape when the compressing force is removed.
• Magnetic fields that surround conductors. Aether cells as elastic structures bulge and shrink in line with the direction of electric current, but also bulge and shrink at right angles thereto, like ordinary rubber balls.  The bulging and shrinking at right angles to the line of the applied force provides a simple explanation of why magnetic fields are orthogonal to electric current.
• Polarization.   Maxwell’s reference to polarization patterns of iron provides an example of electromotive force forcing aether cells to assume positions vis-à-vis each other into collective patterns.
• Magnetism.   The action of electromotive force on aether cells is a rational concept of the mechanism of the cause of magnetism.
• Electromagnetic radiation.   Collisions and interactions of aether cells within the medium of aether is a rational explanation for the transmission of electromagnetic waves.
• Electromagnetic fields.   Maxwell’s treatise explains electromagnetic fields — interactions of Maxwell’s parts and connections (aether cells) in his medium of aether.
• Frequencies and wavelengths.   Structured aether cells that are capable of vibrating and doing so collectively with other aether cells offer a rational explanation for the broad spectrum of frequencies and wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation.
• Entanglement. The medium of aether as theorized by Maxwell is the proposed physical setting in which the correlations of electromagnetic characteristics observed in entanglement experiments occur.  (See the Quantum Mechanics & Entanglement page on this website.)
• Dark matter. Given Maxwell’s propositions that the medium of aether permeates space and has “small but real density”, then Maxwell’s aether can be seen as a rational candidate for what is presently called dark matter.
• Dark energy. Given Maxwell’s propositions that the aether medium permeates space and is capable of a “vast variety” of motion that produces electromagnetic phenomena, the energy of these phenomena can be seen as a rational candidate for what is presently called dark energy.
• Induction. Interactions between aether cells and atomic matter present logical means for transferring energy from aether to atomic matter and from atomic matter to aether.
• Cosmic Background Radiation. The concept that space is occupied by a medium of aether that consists of aether cells that are vibrating with the energy of radiation that is being transmitted through them and the energy of interactions between the cells is consistent with the phenomenon of Cosmic Background Radiation and the observed temperature of 2.7 degrees Kelvin in space.
• Interference. Constructive and destructive interference are typical wave phenomena.  It is generally believed that wave phenomena require a medium.  Maxwell’s aether medium is a likely setting for interference that is observed to occur in a vacuum (the absence of atomic matter).
• Refraction. Refraction is the change of direction of electromagnetic waves when moving from one medium to another.  Refraction is observed when waves enter and leave a vacuum.  One can reason that observations of refraction in a vacuum indicate that the vacuum is in fact occupied by a medium, such as the medium of aether theorized by Maxwell.
• Lensing. Lensing occurs where light from a distant galaxy or cluster of galaxies bends as it passes by the sides of an intervening galaxy or cluster of galaxies.  The existence of Maxwell’s aether medium provides a rational explanation for the phenomenon of lensing.

Note: In the Cause of Gravity page on this website, it is posited that aether exists in separate states, including gaseous and liquid states. This proposition is an element of the explanation of why gravity is a one-way force.  In regard to electromagnetism, the proposition of separate states of aether raises the question of what role or roles might each state of aether play.  I am not aware of any papers or experimental data that address this question.

However, the article, On Maxwell’s 1865 Theory of Aether: A Step Toward Unity suggests a solution (at p.259):

“However, it is proposed that gaseous aether plays the dominant role in the phenomena of electromagnetism.  The rational for this assumption is that the individual cells of gaseous aether, viewed as separate entities, are relatively close to each other compared to individual droplets of liquid aether, each one of which is probably composed of immense numbers of aether cells.  The relative closeness of gaseous aether cells to each other makes it more likely that they will play the dominant role in the interactions that comprise the phenomena of electromagnetism.”