Paper 44: Revisiting Michelson–Morley: Coherence, Rotation, and the Hidden Structure of Spacetime

The Michelson–Morley experiment is widely cited as the definitive disproof of the luminiferous aether and the foundation of relativistic physics. [9] However, emerging models of spacetime based on discrete coherence structures [3]such as the Holosphere lattice—invite a reconsideration of its assumptions and interpretations. In this paper, we re-express the implications of Michelson–Morley in the context of a rotating, defect-limited medium in which light propagation depends on angular coherence rather than linear aether flow. We show that the observed null result is consistent not only with special relativity but also with a coherent rotational substratum where absolute motion is undetectable due to phaselocked propagation. [10] Furthermore, we propose experimental tests using directional strain gradients and phase coherence detectors that may reveal underlying anisotropies missed by the original apparatus. This reformulation preserves relativistic invariance while embedding it in a deeper, emergent structure—a coherent, quantized spacetime medium with a preferred rotational frame.