I can provide you with the scientific perspective on the topic you've mentioned.
The concept of particle-wave duality is a fundamental principle in quantum mechanics, supported by a large body of experimental evidence and mathematical formalism. According to this principle, particles such as photons and electrons can exhibit both particle-like and wave-like behavior under certain circumstances.
The idea that light is composed of longitudinal waves in the aether is not consistent with our current understanding of physics. The classical notion of the aether as a medium through which electromagnetic waves propagate was widely discarded with the advent of special relativity in the early 20th century. The Michelson-Morley experiment in 1887 failed to detect the motion of the Earth through the hypothetical aether, leading to the development of new theories that didn't require its existence.
The wave-like behavior of light, including phenomena like interference and diffraction, can be well explained by considering it as an electromagnetic wave with transverse oscillations. This wave behavior has been extensively studied and confirmed by numerous experiments.
Particle-wave duality, on the other hand, arises in quantum mechanics, where particles can exhibit wave-like properties, such as interference and diffraction patterns. This has been demonstrated experimentally through the famous double-slit experiment and various other experiments involving photons, electrons, and other particles.
It's important to note that scientific theories and concepts are continuously refined and updated based on empirical evidence. However, the overwhelming consensus among scientists is that particle-wave duality is a valid and essential concept to understand the behavior of particles at the quantum level, including the behavior of light.