Terraplanists rediscover that the Earth is round

In recent years, several theories and movements have emerged claiming that the earth is not spherical, but completely flat. This idea was accepted in ancient times, until it was proven otherwise. It is not possible to say precisely who was the first person to assure that the Earth is spherical, some attribute it to Galileo Galilei and great minds such as Thales of Miletus, Pythagoras, Plato and Aristotle.

However, we must also take into account all ancient civilizations, especially the Egyptians, who had a highly developed astronomical knowledge, suggesting a spheroid Earth; even in the Bible, the prophets referred to the Earth in terms of roundness.

In the 21st century, the idea of a flat Earth began to become popular, and not a geoid Earth as scientifically accepted. This happened because of the massive use of the Internet, triggering numerous forums and YouTube channels, which have driven these ideas that have been labeled as conspiracy.

There is also a society with millions of members: the International Flat Earth Society. It used to be known as the Zetetic Society (which is a word not registered in the dictionary of the Spanish language and means: to investigate the truth without reaching any conclusion).

Among the numerous theories spread by this terraplanist society, the main one is based on the fact that, after many experiments and investigative analyses carried out by its members, they came to the conclusion that the earth is a giant disk, with the north pole as its center and surrounded by an ice barrier. But there is much weakness in these arguments, most of its members have little education and are highly persuasive, but when someone begins to wonder about the veracity of these theories end up confirming that the earth is round.

After asserting that there is a giant wall of ice at the edges of the planet, which separates us from space, terraplanist forums began to hold events, inviting groups of people affiliated with the association, to travel by cruise ship to the ends of the Earth, all without success, because no ship’s crew to date, believes in the flat earth.

Former ship captain Henk Keijer commented in The Guardian newspaper, regarding the journeys of the terraplaners, that all ships sail with nautical charts and navigation systems designed under the premise that the Earth is round. Furthermore, the very existence of GPS indicates the sphericity of the earth. The system is based on 24 satellites distributed around the globe and if the planet were flat, only 3 at most would be needed.

The photos of the wall that have been uploaded to their forums are pieces of iceberg, which are detached from larger ones and remain rectangular in shape. It is very easy to dismiss such a theory with the experience that can be gained by taking a flight. An airplane can go around the world without encountering any wall and from the window, you can see the horizon totally curved. This also rules out the other theory that the horizon always looks flat.

Another theory says that if the earth were round, everything on its surface would fly away, completely eliminating the law of gravity emanating from within the planetary organism. All these theories lack the scientific method and are not supported by science.

The conspiracy theory

One of the most popular theories among flat-Earth proponents is the idea that there is a global conspiracy to hide the true shape of our planet. According to this theory, NASA, the UN and other government agencies would be involved in a vast cover-up that has lasted for centuries.

Proponents of this theory argue that images of the Earth taken from space are faked and that space agencies have manipulated the images to make it appear that the Earth is round. They also suggest that space travel has never been possible and that all astronauts who have claimed to have been in space are lying.

However, there is a wealth of scientific evidence that the Earth is round, including photographs taken from space and observation of the curvature of the Earth from the Earth’s surface. The idea of a global conspiracy involving thousands of people over centuries is highly improbable and difficult to sustain without concrete evidence.

The perspective theory

Another popular theory among flat-Earth proponents is the idea that the curvature of the Earth is an illusion caused by perspective. According to this theory, the Earth appears round from space because the curvature conforms to human perspective. However, from the Earth’s surface, the curvature is imperceptible due to distance and scale.

This theory also lacks scientific evidence. In fact, the curvature of the Earth can be observed from the Earth’s surface in many places, such as on the horizon of the sea or in large landscapes. Long-distance air and sea travel are designed to take into account the curvature of the Earth, and maps of the world are created to accurately represent the spherical shape of the planet.

The expanding universe theory

Some flat-Earth proponents have proposed a theory that suggests that the universe is constantly expanding and that the Earth is flat because that is the only way it can exist within this expanding universe. According to this theory, the Earth is a flat disk at the center of the expanding universe that is supported by pillars or some other structure.

However, this theory runs counter to astronomical and physical observations that show that the universe is actually very large and constantly expanding. There is no evidence for the existence of structures or pillars supporting the Earth in this theory.

The gravitational field theory

Some flat-Earth proponents have proposed a theory that suggests that gravity does not exist and that the Earth is flat because objects simply stick to the surface due to a gravitational field generated by the planet. According to this theory, gravity is an illusion and the curvature of the Earth has nothing to do with gravitational attraction.

However, this theory runs counter to the scientific evidence that has demonstrated the existence of gravity and its ability to affect objects in space. Moreover, gravity has been measured and studied by scientists for centuries and has been confirmed by a large number of experiments and observations.

There is ample scientific evidence that the Earth is a sphere, and these flat-Earth theories directly contradict this evidence and observations. Here are some examples of why these theories are wrong:

The curvature of the Earth: The curvature of the Earth can be seen and measured in many places, such as at the horizon of the sea or in large landscapes. In addition, long-distance air and sea travel are designed to take into account the curvature of the Earth. The idea that the curvature is an illusion caused by perspective or that the Earth is flat because it is supported by pillars or some other structure makes no scientific sense.

Photographs of the Earth: Photographs of the Earth taken from space clearly show that the Earth is a sphere. Satellites and space missions have taken countless images of the Earth that show its spherical shape. The idea that these images are faked or have been manipulated by space agencies is unfounded, since the technology used to take these pictures is widely known and accessible.

Gravity: Gravity is a fundamental force of nature that has been measured and studied by scientists for centuries. The idea that gravity does not exist and that the Earth is flat because objects simply stick to the surface due to a gravitational field generated by the planet goes against scientific evidence and contradicts our current understanding of physics.

The explanation of eclipses: The way eclipses occur is a clear example of the Earth being a sphere. During a lunar eclipse, the Earth’s shadow is cast on the Moon, which creates a circular shadow on the lunar surface. If the Earth were flat, the shadow would be straight and not circular. Similarly, during a solar eclipse, the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, which creates a circular shadow on the Earth. If the Earth were flat, the shadow would be straight and not circular.

Newton’s law of gravity: Newton’s law of gravity explains how the mass and distance between two objects affect the force of gravitational attraction between them. Newton’s law of gravity has been tested and confirmed in numerous experiments and observations. If the Earth were flat, there would be no consistent way to explain the law of gravity, since the gravitational attraction would be different in different parts of the Earth.

The rotation of the Earth: The rotation of the Earth is another proof that the Earth is a sphere. The Earth’s rotation creates an effect known as the Coriolis force, which affects the way objects move on the Earth’s surface. The Coriolis force also affects the direction in which winds and ocean currents move. If the Earth were flat, there would be no coherent way to explain the Coriolis force and its effect on weather and ocean movement patterns.

Another important proof that the Earth is a sphere is the phenomenon of stellar parallax. Stellar parallax is the effect in which stars appear to move slightly relative to the background stars when viewed from different positions on Earth. If the Earth were flat, there would be no change in perspective from different positions on Earth, and no change in the position of the stars would be seen.

Air travel also provides evidence that the Earth is a sphere. If the Earth were flat, direct flights would be impossible, since airplanes would have to fly in a straight line over the flat surface of the Earth. However, in reality, direct flights are possible and are often used. This is because airplanes fly around the curvature of the Earth.

Another important proof that the Earth is a sphere is the way light bends as it passes through the atmosphere. The Earth’s atmosphere acts like a lens, which causes light to bend slightly. This can be clearly seen at sunsets and sunrises, when light appears to curve around the edge of the Earth. If the Earth were flat, there would be no explanation for this phenomenon.