Is the earth flat?

The earth is not flat

Respuesta

It is stated by some proponents of the flat Earth theory, such as rapper B.o.B, that they seek evidence to confirm the Earth is a disc and not a globe, aiming to "find the curve" at its supposed edge

. Some flat-Earthers propose models where the Earth's edges are surrounded by an ice wall holding in the oceans, or that the planet and its atmosphere are encased in a huge, hemispherical snow globe

. To explain night and day, some theories suggest the Sun moves in circles around the North Pole, acting like a spotlight, with the Sun and Moon being 50 km in diameter and circling the disc-shaped Earth at a height of 5500 km, and stars on a rotating dome above

. The "UK model" of a flat Earth rejects gravity, suggesting that the disc itself is accelerating upwards at 9.8 m/s² to create the illusion of gravity

. Additionally, some flat-Earthers use photos of distant skylines, such as Chicago from Lake Michigan, as "proof" that the Earth is flat, arguing that given the Earth's curvature, the city's skyscrapers shouldn't be visible from 100 km out

. They also have a strong distrust of authorities and institutions, including scientists and NASA, viewing them as part of a massive conspiracy to conceal the "flat-Earth truth"

. One flat-Earther even purchased a $20,000 gyroscope, confident it would not rotate and thus prove the Earth is stationary, only to observe it rotating at 15 degrees per hour

. This individual then claimed the sky must be causing the gyroscope's rotation and attempted to shield it with metal containers

. Flat-Earthers also assert that all images of the globe are fraudulent and all astronaut testimonies are false

. They claim the horizon always looks flat and that if the Earth is spinning, they shouldn't feel it

. However, overwhelming scientific evidence refutes the flat Earth theory, unequivocally demonstrating Earth's spherical shape. The earliest documented mention of Earth's spherical shape dates back to Greek philosophers around the 5th century BC, and Hellenistic astronomy established it as a physical fact in the 3rd century BC, even calculating Earth's circumference

. A practical demonstration of Earth's sphericity was achieved by Ferdinand Magellan and Juan Sebastián Elcano's circumnavigation (1519–1522), where they continuously traveled west and returned to their starting point, observing one fewer sunrise than those who stayed home

. The realization that Earth is more accurately an oblate ellipsoid (slightly fatter at the equator due to rotation) dates to the 17th century with Isaac Newton

. Earth is massive enough that the pull of gravity maintains its roughly spherical shape

. The outward acceleration caused by Earth's rotation is greater at the equator, deforming it into an oblate ellipsoid, which is the shape with the lowest potential energy for a rotating, fluid body

. Observations from space and satellite technology provide definitive confirmation of Earth's spherical shape. Thousands of photos and videos from various space agencies (NASA, ESA) and private companies (SpaceX) confirm Earth's curvature, making a global conspiracy virtually impossible

. Independent amateur astronomers and high-altitude balloons also capture Earth's curvature

. The Global Positioning System (GPS), a network of over 30 satellites orbiting Earth twice a day, relies on mathematical models of a spherical Earth to precisely determine locations within a few yards or even inches, which would not work if the planet were flat

. GPS also requires precise information on satellite orbits and atomic clocks, with time adjustments accounting for Einstein's theory of relativity

. Scientific phenomena that unequivocally demonstrate Earth's curvature include lunar eclipses, where Earth's shadow on the Moon is always a perfect circle, a shape only a sphere can consistently cast

. The visibility of distant objects on Earth's surface provides further evidence; ships disappear hull-first over the horizon, and climbing to a higher vantage point reveals objects previously hidden by curvature

. This also explains why, for example, the Andes Mountains, though taller than a plane's altitude, were observed below the sensible horizon from 21,000 feet

. The phenomenon of seeing distant skyscrapers in Chicago from Lake Michigan, cited by flat-Earthers, is a mirage caused by temperature gradients in the air, not evidence of a flat Earth

. The Coriolis effect, responsible for cyclones rotating counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere, and deflecting projectiles, is a direct consequence of Earth's rotation and spherical shape

. Different constellations are visible from different hemispheres; Polaris, the North Star, is visible in the Northern Hemisphere but disappears as one travels south, while new constellations appear in the Southern Hemisphere, which is impossible on a flat Earth

. The existence of time zones and the varying lengths of day and night across the globe are also inconsistent with a flat Earth but perfectly explained by a spherical, rotating Earth and its axial tilt

. The Foucault pendulum, first demonstrated in 1851, provides direct empirical evidence of Earth's rotation, with its plane of oscillation appearing to rotate at a rate dependent on latitude

. Furthermore, large structures like the Humber Bridge are built to account for Earth's curvature, with its towers being 36 mm farther apart at the top than the bottom

. Based on the overwhelming and consistent evidence from various scientific fields, historical observations, and modern technology provided in the sources, the statement "Is the earth flat?" is definitively false. The combined evidence from celestial observations (lunar eclipses, changing star patterns), human exploration (circumnavigation, high-altitude photos), and fundamental physics (gravity, Coriolis effect, gyroscope behavior) consistently supports a spherical (or more precisely, oblate ellipsoid) Earth. The arguments presented by flat-Earthers are either based on misinterpretations of observable phenomena that are scientifically explained by a spherical Earth (e.g., mirages for distant objects) or require the invention of unproven, contradictory physical laws and a vast, implausible global conspiracy involving numerous independent entities. The empirical data provided, from ancient Greek calculations to modern GPS and satellite imagery, robustly refute the notion of a flat Earth.

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Preguntas Relacionadas

¿What scientific phenomena unequivocally demonstrate the Earth's curvature?

The Earth's curvature is unequivocally demonstrated by several scientific phenomena. Observing ships or tall objects like skyscrapers disappear bottom-first over the horizon is one such phenomenon

. From higher altitudes, such as those reached by aircraft or high-altitude balloons, the curvature of the Earth becomes visibly apparent

. During a lunar eclipse, the Earth casts a consistently circular shadow on the Moon, which is only possible if the Earth is spherical

. Additionally, the ability to see the sunset twice by quickly changing elevation (e.g., lying down and then standing up) demonstrates the horizon effect caused by curvature

. The Coriolis effect, which causes low-pressure weather systems like hurricanes to rotate in opposite directions in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, also provides evidence of a spherical, rotating Earth

. Furthermore, the fact that different stars and constellations are visible from different latitudes, with Polaris disappearing as one travels south from the Northern Hemisphere, confirms the Earth's curved surface

. Practical demonstrations like the Foucault pendulum, which changes its plane of oscillation due to the Earth's rotation, also serve as empirical proof

. Lastly, the principles of gravity dictate that a massive object like Earth will naturally form a sphere

¿How does gravity function in a spherical model compared to a flat Earth model?

In a spherical model, gravity functions as a force that pulls mass towards the Earth's center of mass. This is the fundamental reason why Earth, and indeed all planets and large moons, are spherical; a non-rotating, gravitationally self-attracting liquid will naturally form a sphere because it is the only stable shape where every point on the surface is equidistant from the center

. Everyone on the Earth's surface experiences a roughly equal gravitational pull straight down towards their feet, which is consistent with a spherical shape

. The laws of gravity are well-tested and applied successfully in engineering and space exploration, which rely on the Earth's known mass and the principle that it cannot support itself against its own gravity if it were a non-spherical shape

. In contrast, flat Earth models offer alternative, scientifically unsubstantiated explanations for gravity. Some flat-Earthers reject gravity entirely, suggesting that the flat disc is itself accelerating upwards at 9.8 m/s² to create the illusion of gravity

. However, this concept would mean the Earth would quickly approach light-speed, which is not observed

. Other flat-Earth models propose that gravity would not pull downward with respect to the surface but instead pull towards the center of the disc

. This is contrary to what is observed on level terrain and would cause significant issues, such as oceans flowing towards the center of the disc

. These alternative explanations for gravity in flat Earth models are not consistent with observed phenomena like tides, which are conventionally explained by the gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon

¿How do observations from space and satellite technology confirm Earth's spherical shape?

Observations from space and satellite technology provide definitive confirmation of Earth's spherical shape. Thousands of photographs and videos of Earth, taken by satellites and astronauts from various space agencies like NASA, ESA, and private companies such as SpaceX, consistently show our planet as a sphere

. The International Space Station (ISS) provides a continuously changing livestream view of the globe from orbit, and astronauts aboard the ISS can personally see the Earth's curvature and observe it rotating multiple times a day

. Furthermore, the Global Positioning System (GPS), which consists of over 30 navigation satellites circling Earth, operates based on mathematical models that assume an approximately spherical Earth

. The incredible precision with which GPS receivers can determine a user's location, sometimes within a few inches, validates these underlying assumptions about Earth's shape and the satellites' known orbits around it

. The fact that these satellites remain in orbit also supports the modern theory of gravitation, which in turn explains the spherical formation of planets

¿What are the common arguments for a flat Earth, and what are their scientific refutations?

Common arguments for a flat Earth often stem from basic scientific misunderstandings and distrust in institutions. One argument is that the horizon always looks flat

. This is refuted by explaining that the horizon appears flat due to human perspective and scale, but from higher altitudes, the curvature is clearly visible

. Another claim is that if the Earth were spinning, we wouldn't feel it

. The scientific refutation is that Earth's rotation is constant and smooth, similar to being in a plane at cruising altitude, so we don't directly perceive its motion

. Flat-Earthers also use photos of distant skylines, such as Chicago from Lake Michigan, as 'proof' that objects don't disappear over the horizon

. However, this is explained by atmospheric refraction or superior mirages, where light bends towards colder, denser air, making distant objects appear visible above the horizon

. Many flat-Earthers reject gravity, proposing that the flat Earth is constantly accelerating upwards to give the illusion of gravity, or that gravity would pull towards the center of a disc, not straight down

. This is refuted by the fact that gravity pulls mass towards a center, naturally forming spheres, and universally pulls downward relative to the surface on a globe

. Additionally, a continuously accelerating Earth would quickly approach light-speed

. They may claim that all images of the globe and testimony from astronauts are fraudulent inventions

. This is countered by the existence of thousands of photos and videos from multiple independent space agencies and private companies, as well as confirmation from amateur astronomers and high-altitude balloons

. Some suggest a 'spotlight Sun' model to explain day and night on a flat Earth, where the Sun only illuminates part of the disc

. This is inconsistent with observations that the Sun appears at the horizon at sunrise and sunset, and that the angle of the Sun varies significantly across different longitudes at the same time

. The flat-Earth model also struggles to explain time zones, varying day lengths at different latitudes, and the observation of different constellations from different hemispheres

. Ultimately, flat-Earth theories lack scientific evidence and often rely on inventing new forces or denying established laws of nature without proof, while demanding impossibly high standards of evidence for refuting their beliefs

¿What historical evidence or experiments contributed to the understanding of Earth's shape?

The understanding of Earth's spherical shape has a rich historical foundation, dating back to ancient times. The earliest documented mention of a spherical Earth appeared in the writings of Greek philosophers around the 5th century BC

. By the 3rd century BC, Hellenistic astronomy had established the roughly spherical shape as a physical fact and calculated Earth's circumference

. Ancient Greek philosophers like Aristotle used observations such as different stars being visible from different latitudes (e.g., some stars visible from Egypt but not Europe) to infer Earth's roundness

. Eratosthenes, a Greek mathematician in the 3rd century BC, famously calculated the Earth's circumference with remarkable accuracy by measuring the differences in shadow lengths cast by vertical sticks in two cities (Syene and Alexandria) at local noon on the summer solstice

. This method, based on the assumption of parallel sunbeams due to a distant Sun, showed that Earth had a curvature

. The knowledge of a spherical Earth was gradually adopted throughout the Old World and inherited by Ancient Rome, and Christian and Islamic realms in the Middle Ages

. Practical demonstration of Earth's sphericity was achieved by Ferdinand Magellan and Juan Sebastián Elcano's circumnavigation of the globe between 1519 and 1522

. This journey provided direct evidence that one could continuously travel westward and return to the starting point

. In the 17th century, Isaac Newton's *Principia* refined the understanding of Earth's shape, describing it more accurately as an ellipsoid, a concept further detailed in the 19th century with the determination of its flattening

. In 1851, French physicist Léon Foucault's pendulum experiment provided clear, direct evidence of Earth's rotation, which is consistent with a spherical, spinning Earth

¿Can you observe different constellations from different hemispheres, and what does that imply about Earth's shape?

Yes, different constellations can be observed from different hemispheres, and this unequivocally implies that the Earth is spherical

. For example, Polaris, the North Star, is almost directly overhead at the North Pole and is visible from the Northern Hemisphere. However, as one travels south, Polaris sinks lower towards the horizon until it disappears entirely once in the Southern Hemisphere

. Conversely, a completely different set of constellations, such as Crux and Centaurus, become visible in the Southern Hemisphere, which are not visible from the north

. This phenomenon, where stars visible from one hemisphere are obscured by the Earth's curvature when viewed from another, would be impossible on a flat Earth where all stars would theoretically be visible from any point

. The fact that the visible star patterns change as one moves north or south across the globe was noted even in ancient times by philosophers like Aristotle

. This observation, combined with distance measurements on the ground, allows for the calculation of Earth's size, with a sphere being the only possible shape that fits these stellar observations from various points across the Earth