The Flat Earth

"The earth is flat; any fool can see that."
--motto of the Flat Earth Society

Wiley cartoon

Video: "In Search of the Edge"

Flat Earth arguments:

  • Eratosthenes' calculation shows that the Sun is 4000 miles over a flat Earth.
  • Plumb bobs point to the center of a spherical Earth, so buildings would be wider at the top than at the bottom.
  • Einstein said that gravity bends light, so the reason that a ship on the horizon disappears hull first and mast last is because the Earth's gravity is bending the light rays from the hull into the ocean before they reach our eyes.
  • The equatorial speed of the Earth is about 1000 miles per hour; this is faster than the speed of sound, so someone standing east of you would never be able to hear you.
  • A merry-go-round moves at about 10 mph and you get dizzy; the Earth supposedly moves at 1000 mph and you don't notice this.
  • If the Earth were spinning, all the continents would move toward the equator.
  • When you look at pictures of the round Earth taken from space, you must remember that gravity bends light so straight objects appear curved and curved objects appear straight.

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