Due to the .6 c velocity of ship B relative to ship A, the observers(c) aboard A observe that ship B is now only 80 meters long. This foreshortening of ship B observed aboard A will seem strange to those who have not been exposed to this phenomenon in physics courses. But experiments have shown that this foreshortening occurs -- just as relativity theory predicts. The question we are concerned with is, WHY does this phenomenon and related phenomena occur? Can you think of any reason? We will see that the phenomena are natural consequences of a medium through which quanta of energy are propagated.

     Even stranger is that observers(c) aboard ship B observe the passing of the ships as follows!

They observe that A is the foreshortened ship. This also is predicted by relativity theory. But why should A be foreshortened? Nothing occurred that would cause any physical changes aboard A. Could it be that something occurred aboard ship B that caused the observers(c) aboard B to observe a foreshortening of A? We will see that this is the case. The quantum medium and the change in B's velocity through the medium cause physical changes aboard B that cause the observers(c) aboard B to observe a foreshortening of A.

     There is a symmetry between the observations of observers(c) in the reference frame of A and the reference frame of B. This strange symmetry of observations is a natural consequence of the quantum medium, and it is compelling evidence of the medium's existence. It is not easy to understand quickly why this symmetry of observations occurs, and we hope the following explanation will succeed.