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PreprintCC BY 4.0Zenodo

Ontological Reinterpretation of the Physical Vacuum: From Mechanical Aether to a Pre-Stressed Elastic Continuum

  • Miroslav Novak1
  1. 1Independent Researcher
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Abstract

This paper presents a unified ontological reinterpretation of fundamental space in modern physics. The null result of the Michelson-

Morley experiment (1887) has historically been conflated with proof of the non-existence of any transmission medium, compelling

theoretical physics to introduce abstract entities devoid of physical grounding. Applying Occam’s razor, we demonstrate that the vacuum

behaves as an omnipresent, fully occupied, and elastically pre-stressed continuum. Electromagnetic excitations (photons) and

gravitational perturbations are not autonomous ballistic projectiles traveling across nothingness, but quantized elastic stress impulses

propagating at the characteristic phase velocity of the substrate, c (analogous to pressure shockwaves in pressurized hydraulics or

electromagnetic signal transmission along conductors). The double-slit paradox is demystified: the introduction of a detector does not

collapse a wave function via an observer's consciousness, but locally deforms the elastic impedance and phase coherence of the

continuum itself. Furthermore, matter stability is shown to be maintained by an external omnidirectional compressive stress (press-on

effect), directly substantiated by the Casimir effect, Meitner's anomalous gamma scattering, and the Schwinger limit. Finally, three

falsifiable experimental challenges are formulated for the scientific community.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@misc{novak2026ontological,
  title = {{Ontological Reinterpretation of the Physical Vacuum: From Mechanical Aether to a Pre-Stressed Elastic Continuum}},
  author = {Miroslav Novak},
  howpublished = {Zenodo},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.5281/zenodo.23670611},
  url = {https://zenodo.org/records/23670611},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - UNPB
TI  - Ontological Reinterpretation of the Physical Vacuum: From Mechanical Aether to a Pre-Stressed Elastic Continuum
AU  - Miroslav Novak
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/26
PB  - Zenodo
DO  - 10.5281/zenodo.23670611
UR  - https://zenodo.org/records/23670611
AB  - This paper presents a unified ontological reinterpretation of fundamental space in modern physics. The null result of the Michelson-  Morley experiment (1887) has historically been conflated with proof of the non-existence of any transmission medium, compelling  theoretical physics to introduce abstract entities devoid of physical grounding. Applying Occam’s razor, we demonstrate that the vacuum  behaves as an omnipresent, fully occupied, and elastically pre-stressed continuum. Electromagnetic excitations (photons) and  gravitational perturbations are not autonomous ballistic projectiles traveling across nothingness, but quantized elastic stress impulses  propagating at the characteristic phase velocity of the substrate, c (analogous to pressure shockwaves in pressurized hydraulics or  electromagnetic signal transmission along conductors). The double-slit paradox is demystified: the introduction of a detector does not  collapse a wave function via an observer's consciousness, but locally deforms the elastic impedance and phase coherence of the  continuum itself. Furthermore, matter stability is shown to be maintained by an external omnidirectional compressive stress (press-on  effect), directly substantiated by the Casimir effect, Meitner's anomalous gamma scattering, and the Schwinger limit. Finally, three  falsifiable experimental challenges are formulated for the scientific community.
ER  -