I turned off my phone puzzled after watching a video that lasted over an hour; it showed how some people still cling to the flat-Earth theory until today! Have they never seen the distinctive spherical shape of Earth as seen from satellites?
Where did the flat-Earth myth begin?
The common belief during ancient times was that the Earth was flat because it was impossible to observe its curved horizon, as this required the observer to be at a height of no less than 10,668 meters above the Earth's surface. At that time, ancient technologies did not allow people to reach such heights, so the world around them appeared flat and stationary.
Ancient civilizations records are full of information about the flatness of Earth; for example, an ancient tablet from the Babylonian civilization dating back to 1000 BCE depicts planet Earth in the form of a flat disc. Likewise, some artifacts from the Ancient Egyptian civilization depict the Earth as a disc in the ocean surmounted by the arcs of the sky. The Greek philosopher Anaximander (610-546 BCE) conceived of Earth as a flat disc resting on top of a cylinder.
Compelling evidence of the Earth's Sphericity
I thought about it for a while: if someone who claims that Earth is flat traveled to Cape Town, for example, or to any city located in the Southern Hemisphere, would they see the North Star shining brightly in the sky? Of course not; this alone completely refutes the flat-Earth hypothesis.
Evidence for the sphericity of the Earth are endless; from satellite images and solar eclipses to the shapes of other observed planets, they leave no doubt that our planet has the same spherical shape.
The decisive evidence is gravity. Scientists have conducted numerous experiments that have proven that gravity depends on the single space convention between objects and is directed towards the center of the attractive object. The only shape in which the distance from all points on its surface to its center is equal is the sphere. Therefore, it is logical to say that the Earth is spherical.
Why do some people still believe that the Earth is flat?
There are many allegations believed by those who adhere to the flat-Earth theory, including the following:
- The horizon is flat: these people claim that they see the horizon as flat in the line separating the sea and the sky, which is normal given the huge size of Earth and the difficulty of seeing its curvature with the naked eye.
- Not feeling Earth's movement: The flat Earth theory comply with the fact that it does not rotate; however, gravity and the Earth's rotation speed are what make it impossible to feel that constant movement.
- Direct flight does not agree with the sphericity of Earth; however, the science of aviation itself explains that flight paths are curved.
In conclusion
With a simple internet search, you will find many channels and groups on various social media platforms that claim Earth is flat. Despite the frailty of its unscientific allegations, the number of people who believe in a flat Earth is increasing, among them many celebrities. A number of scholars attribute this to the lack of trust some people have in informational materials that may be misleading from their point of view. Our duty to ourselves when we feel confused about such myths is to refer to reliable scientific sources and not to be satisfied with what non-specialists publish on social media platforms.
References
hup.medium.com
britannica.com
unlv.edu
pursuit.unimelb.edu.au
Cover image source: BBC Science Focus Magazine. Photo credit: Alamy.