LeSagean Gravity

[Fear_nam_Beanntan]

I'm curious what the physicits on this board think of LeSage's theory of the underlying cause of gravity. Here's a brief description, for those not familiar:

Neil DeRosa from NY United States:
In the mid 18th century, G.L. LeSage proposed a mechanical theory of gravity whereby tiny particles in space move about in all directions and at very high speeds, causing equal force on all sides of any object or planet they make contact with. But the space between any two objects has less of these particles or "gravitons" than the surrounding space, because some of the gravitons have already been absorbed as they passed through the object. This dearth of gravitons between objects causes a kind of low-pressure area allowing the gravitons in the outlying areas to push the objects together-thus causing gravity.
LeSage's theory has been revived and then rejected by many famous scientists over the years, and is presently undergoing its most recent revival. If such particles exist, there must be a way to detect them. One method, attempted by the physicist Q. Majorana, early in the 20th century, was to test the effect that gravitational shielding has on the absorption of gravitons and hence the weight of objects. Through elaborate scaling experiments carried out in a very careful and meticulous manner, he obtained some seemingly positive results. But these results, along with more recent shielding experiments using satellites in Earth orbit, have not been conclusive. They have not yet been demonstrated to the satisfaction of the mainstream of science.
What the theory of pushing gravity does have, especially in its modern versions, is its compelling logic. It posits a physical cause to gravity as opposed to, for example, Newton's instant action at a distance, (IAAD), (which, incidentally Newton was never happy with), and Einstein's "fabric of space."
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...226601-5061460