No, not all forms of electromagnetic radiation require a material medium to propagate. Electromagnetic radiation consists of oscillating electric and magnetic fields that can travel through empty space (a vacuum) without the need for a material medium.
In the early 19th century, it was believed that electromagnetic waves, including light, required a medium called the "luminiferous ether" to propagate. However, subsequent experiments, such as the Michelson-Morley experiment, failed to detect the presence of such a medium, leading to the development of the theory of special relativity by Albert Einstein.
According to the theory of special relativity, electromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum because they are self-propagating disturbances in the electric and magnetic fields. This means that electromagnetic radiation, including radio waves, microwaves, infrared rays, visible light, ultraviolet rays, X-rays, and gamma rays, can propagate through empty space without the need for a material medium.
It's important to note that while electromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum, they can also interact with and be influenced by matter when they encounter it. For example, when electromagnetic waves encounter a material medium, they may be absorbed, reflected, or refracted, depending on the properties of the material. These interactions with matter give rise to various phenomena, such as the absorption of radio waves by certain objects or the refraction of light as it passes through a prism.