What Did Einstein Know, And When Did He Know It?

We have to experience more Einsteins if we are to survive.

http://blogdredd.blogspot.com/2009/06/ecocosmology.html

The proof that the M-M experiment was unimportant in the development of relativity or even in disproving ether is that Lorentz studied the experiment very closely and yet failed to develop relativity or deduce the invariance of light speed. In fact he thought length contraction occurred due to pressure of ether on the molecules of the meter stick. Even tho he developed the Lorentz transforms he did not postulate invariance of light speed. In fact no other physicist clearly did. Thus Einstein and Maxwell share this kudos.

The first indication of light speed invariance was implied by Maxwell's equations which Einstein studied closely. Most physicists were seeking flaws in those equations whereas Einstein decided to just believe them as true. In fact I heard that the only 2 portraits he kept were those of Maxwell and Faraday. The M-M experiment probably played no role.

Unlike these modern times when anyone can Google any subject under the sun, I doubt if Einstein at age 16 would have read or heard of the Michelson-Morley experiment. Einstein genius manifest at the latter age. I bet at 16, his mind is more preoccupied by girls.