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Aetherists populate European think tanks, but their true homes are universities, the media, the European Parliament, and the politicised parts of the European Commission. In Germany, a considerable part of the political class is in their camp (Photo: German Marshall Fund)

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Taking the aether out of the EU universe

Until the late 19th century, scientists around the world believed that the vast space between the universe's stars and planets was filled with a mythical and mysterious substance called aether.

Aether, so the story went, was the carrier of light through the vacuum of space, the "quintessential" material without which the sun's energy could not reach Earth and which penetrated and permeated everything.

The theory made a lot of sense, it was beautiful, even poetic. Its only proble...

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The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s, not those of EUobserver

Author Bio

Jan Techau is a senior fellow and director of the Europe Program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF).

Aetherists populate European think tanks, but their true homes are universities, the media, the European Parliament, and the politicised parts of the European Commission. In Germany, a considerable part of the political class is in their camp (Photo: German Marshall Fund)

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Author Bio

Jan Techau is a senior fellow and director of the Europe Program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF).

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