The incomprehensible secrets of the universe are hardly possible to reveal to the end. And even what at first glance seems to be an immutable truth, in some cases it can be very controversial. The distortion of historical facts for the sake of political, economic and moral-ethical interests no longer causes such surprise, because the concept of alternative history has more and more adherents every day. And even those who until recently believed in the tales of the existence of the Tatra-Mongol yoke and the founding of St. Petersburg by Peter I, today are not so confident in supporting their beliefs.
What if not only the story is distorted? Modern geography, geodesy and other sciences have elevated the idea that the Earth is round to the rank of an axiom, but this theory has its opponents as well. At first glance, the idea of a flat Earth can be perceived as a joke, but its adherents are giving more and more convincing evidence in favor of their theory, which looks quite logical and reasonable. Is this so, or is science not lying in this case? Who knows…
Flat Earth Theory: Basic Concepts
The essence of this theory is revealed by its very name. According to the assumptions of flat-earthers, the globe is a circular disk, the center of which is the North Pole. But the South Pole on this map basically does not exist - instead of it there is a high ice wall that encircles the territory of the Earth. What lies behind this wall is a mystery. Some assume that there is only ice and permafrost behind it, others believe that there is a parallel life of other inhabitants of the planet hidden there, but still others believe that the wall serves as a fence, behind which there is absolutely nothing. A map that graphically reflects a flat Earth's structure is called an azimuthal map.
The planet's diameter is 40,000 kilometers. Above this huge disk, like a dome, the constellations, the Sun and the Moon, rise. And so that the day goes on as usual, and the day gives way to night, not the planet itself rotates, but the dome located directly above it. That is why the constellations move during the night, a mysterious and cold moon comes to replace the bright sun, and sunrise and sunset alternate regularly.
And since the sun is constantly moving, then the usual ideas about the solar system have no right to exist. In the concept of a Flat Earth, the solar system is not considered in principle, since the rotation of the sun is carried out at a breakneck speed, and the planets simply could not follow it and rotate about their own axis. The gravitational force of the planets also serves as a weighty argument. According to modern scientists, the Earth ranks third among the planets located around the Sun. But according to the laws of physics, the force of attraction is directly related to mass, which means that the smaller the size of the planet, the closer it should be to the Sun. Having carried out simple mathematical calculations, one can understand that the Earth should be not in third, but in sixth place. Then our world would be enveloped in permafrost,after all, the atmosphere simply physically could not warm up enough to comfortably support life.
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But if everything is arranged exactly as the adherents of the Flat Earth theory see, what about space flights, numerous photographs of the Earth taken from outer space, data about other planets and other information that clearly demonstrates the structure of the universe. In the opinion of flat-earthers, all this is nothing more than fiction, staging and enormous deception. The illusion created by the Freemasons allows to hide the truth from the population. One of the proofs of this assumption is the Apollo 11 image, in which the Americans allegedly flew to the moon. With a detailed magnification, you can see that the spacecraft is made of "scrap materials" - foil, strips, oilcloth, cardboard, etc. In fact, this is just a decoration intended for filming astronauts who, by the way, did not even bother to take off their jewelry (bracelets and rings),which show the engraved letter G inside a compass and square - a symbol of the Masonic movement.
And the pictures of Mars? The unreal and mysterious beauty of this mysterious planet, according to adherents of the Flat Earth theory, is nothing more than photo filters, a play of light and shadows, classic computer programs that any "advanced" schoolchild can use. If you remove the Photoshop effects from these pictures, you will get very beautiful, but still quite real landscapes, shot in remote corners of the Earth, untouched by human hand.
A bit of history, or Where does the flat earth theory get its start?
At first glance, it may seem that the theory of the flat shape of our planet is nothing more than a fashion trend, of which there are now a lot of things on the Internet. However, this is not at all the case: looking through the prism of history, you can track how the opinion about the shape of the Earth has changed. This theory was mentioned in the ancient mythology of Egypt and Babylon, Hindu and Buddhist scriptures, and the Scandinavian epic. And even the ancient philosophers, whose teachings are considered historical heritage, including Leucippus and his student Democritus, were firmly convinced that the Earth is flat. The same idea was adhered to in the oldest manuscript of the Book of Enoch, found at Qumran. However, over time, these beliefs gave way to astronomical knowledge, and the idea of a Flat Earth has sunk into oblivion.
In the Middle Ages, the question of the shape of the Earth again became debated. One of the striking examples of this idea was "Christian Topography", written by Cosma Indikoplov in 535-547. In it, the planet is presented in the form of a rectangular plane, on top of which is a dome: “Some people, hiding behind the name of Christians, assert, along with pagan philosophers, that the Heaven has a spherical shape. No doubt these people are deceived by the eclipses of the Sun and Moon. " This work in translation was widespread in Russia, because at that time it was a unique encyclopedia of medieval knowledge, which there was no reason not to believe.
One of the clear examples of the theory was the engraving published in the book "Atmosphere: Popular Meteorology", published by the French astronomer Camille Flammarion in 1888. It depicts a pilgrim who has reached the end of the Earth and looks out from under the dome towards new worlds. The caption on the picture reads: "A medieval missionary tells that he found the point where the sky touches the Earth."
How did the Flat Earth Society come about?
In the 19th century, adherents of the described concept united into a group - the Flat Earth Society, headed by the English scientist Samuel Rowbotham. For several decades, he conducted all kinds of experiments, experiments, research in support of his theory and, importantly, found a lot of evidence. Using the pseudonym Parallax, he wrote "Zetetic Astronomy", in which he thoroughly and clearly stated all his developments and results that refute the spherical shape of the planet. Initially, Rowbotham's small work was reprinted several times, becoming more and more extensive and evidence-based literature, because it was constantly supplemented by the students of the Society. Until his death, Samuel Rowbotham defended his theory, giving numerous lectures and seminars around the world.
The followers of Rowbotham's theory later united into the Universal Zetetic Society, which found its adherents in all corners of the planet. Since 1956, this organization, led by Samuel Shenton, again became known as the Flat Earth Society, but with the significant prefix "International". When Shenton saw photographs of the globe from orbit, he never doubted his beliefs for a moment: "It is easy to see how photographs of this kind can fool an ignorant person."
Since 1971, Charles Johnson has been the head of the organization. He launched a major campaign to promote his ideas, handing out flyers, producing brochures and booklets in which he championed the flat earth model. Thanks to such activity, during his leadership, the number of supporters of the theory increased several times.
Arguments for a flat earth theory
To make an informed decision about the shape of our planet, you should consider the arguments of both sides, figuring out which ones are the most reasonable and consistent. So what do flat-earthers say about their theory?
1. The speed of rotation of the Earth
Scientific data says that the Earth rotates on its axis at a speed of the order of half a kilometer per second. It is difficult even to imagine such a fast object! There are a few simple experiments in favor of flat-earthers, such as jumping. Everyone knows that jumping up, a person lands in the same place. But what about rotation? Indeed, in those fractions of a second that he was in the jump, the planet had to move a considerable distance, and another point would become the landing place. A cannon shot into the sky gives the same result. In addition, if you shoot to the east (against the direction of rotation), the core should fly half the norm, and if to the west - twice as much. However, this does not happen. And the pilots flying over the Earth have never registered how it rotates, although who, if not them,the change in the position of the planet should be visible from above.
2. Perfectly flat horizon
Look into the distance. Take a good look, not losing sight of the smallest detail. What do you see? The standard level edge of the horizon in the area where it is clearly visible - fields, meadows, sea surface - cannot deceive. Indeed, in a free area, the gaze covers several kilometers in the distance, so why are they perfectly flat? According to the adepts of the theory, the answer is obvious - the Earth is flat! In addition, tall objects (for example, towers, lighthouses, mountain peaks) would simply not be visible, because the spherical surface would hide them from an attentive eye, since the horizon would be significantly higher. But this does not happen, and you can admire the mountains from a very long distance, numbering more than one kilometer.
3. Routes of air travel
Many flights, especially long ones, at first glance seem illogical from the point of view of the sphericity of the Earth. Looking at the globe, one might wonder why pilots choose this, at first glance, illogical route and inconvenient refueling points. However, there is no mystery or irrationalism in this: if you compare these routes with a flat map, it becomes clear that the route is perfect.
4. Star drawing
If all objects in the Universe are in constant motion, why then the stars in the sky are located exactly the same both today and several centuries ago. After all, in theory, the star pattern should change, if not every day, then once a week, for sure. However, this does not happen. The thing is that the stars are just holograms on the celestial dome, which cannot mutate, move relative to each other, and even less fall. And the famous meteor shower, which all the romantics of the world are eagerly awaiting to make a wish, is a holographic effect.
5. Yellow color of the Sun
Scientific laws explain at some length why the sky is blue and the sun is yellow. According to official data, ultraviolet light, passing through the atmosphere, is scattered into spectra, one of which colors the sky. However, this does not explain in any way why part of the rays concentrated around the Sun does not disintegrate, because then it should be bluish-blue. Is it because the Sun is below the dome-sky, which limits space? Rotating around the Earth, it alternately illuminates the territory, so the light hours regularly replace each other.
6. Space travel - a hoax
None of the flat-earthers have seen outer space with their own eyes, which means that you can dispute its existence to the point of hoarseness. Photos are fake, videos are all special effects, and space flights are fantastic stories. Convinced adherents of this theory even several times organized an expedition-investigation to find places of photography "on the moon". And when the astronauts were asked to swear on the Holy Scriptures that they were on the moon, they all showed aggression and avoided answering.
7. Free flow of rivers
According to the law of communicating vessels, the network of reservoirs enveloping the Earth simply could not exist on a spherical planet in the form in which we see it today. However, the rivers flow to the west, east, north and south in almost equal numbers, and their depth and fullness has nothing to do with geographic location. Such characteristics are possible only if the Earth is flat.
8. The Technician's View
One of the powerful arguments in favor of their theory, flat-earthers use a universal conspiracy of engineers, technicians and other personalities, one way or another associated with work in vast spaces. For example, surveyors do not consider the curvature of the earth when designing buildings and structures. But in this case, the structure, made according to this project, simply could not withstand the total load and collapsed. However, this does not happen, and the buildings have been idle for several decades. Only one conclusion suggests itself: they are aware that the Earth is actually flat, but they keep this secret from the population. The same goes for airplane pilots who, taking off from a ball-shaped surface, no longer correct their flight path until landing. How? Indeed, under such conditions, the plane would fly into open space. And if you look at it from the point of view of a flat earth, everything falls into place.
This evidence is the most common of those used by the Flat Earth Society to refute a widely accepted theory. To judge their fidelity, it is necessary to consider the beliefs of the so-called "Sharover" who adhere to a scientific point of view.
Why is the Earth a ball? Flat Earth Arguments
The concept that the scientific community adheres to has many rationales, some of which look quite convincing. What are the Sharovers talking about in favor of their theory?
1. The moon and its eclipse
Even if we do not take into account photographs proving the existence of the Moon as a satellite of our planet, the shadow that the Earth casts, gradually reaching a lunar eclipse, directly testifies to its sphericity. Even Aristotle, who supported the spherical nature of the planet, considered the cast shadow as an oval, which directly contradicted the theory of the flat shape of the Earth.
2. Change of constellations
This argument was also considered back in the days of Aristotle. Traveling the world, he recorded the position of the stars in the sky and the visibility of each of them. So, being at the equator, constellations were revealed to him, which were not visible in other latitudes. And the further from the equator the scientist was, the fewer familiar stars he saw, which were replaced by others. This effect could only be explained by the fact that a person looks at the sky from a spherical surface, otherwise the location would not so much affect the visibility of the stars.
3. Time zones
And although the half-Earthers claim that the time of day changes due to the rotation of the Sun, the glovers are sure that it is the Earth that rotates on its axis. That is why different times are set in different countries, and when, for example, in America it is deep night, the sun shines in China, and the day is in full swing.
4. Force of gravity
Another proof of a spherical planet is gravity - the force of attraction between objects. According to the laws of physics, it acts relative to the center of mass. But falling, the apple lands from top to bottom, and not at an angle to the center, and a person walking on the surface of the Earth feels an attraction to the bottom, and not sideways, closer to the center of the "disk". That is why it can be judged that under it every time there is the center of the Earth, from which the maximum gravity comes, which means that the Earth has a spherical shape. However, flat-earthers reject this evidence, because they believe that gravity is just the result of the planet's upward movement with an acceleration of 9.8 m / s2.
5. Visibility of objects from a height
If you climb a mountain, a tall tree or a lighthouse, looking at the outlines of the horizon through binoculars, you will notice that the visibility distance increases in direct proportion to the height at which the person is. Of course, visible obstacles can interfere with the purity of the experiment, but in the field or in the meadow this effect is most noticeable. But if the Earth were flat, the height of the observation deck would not affect the visibility of objects on the horizon in any way. This is possible only if the planet has the shape of a ball.
6. A ship on the horizon
Sailing away, the ship on a perfectly flat sea surface does not disappear immediately. First of all, its hull is lost sight of, and only after that the sails disappear behind the horizon. The same is observed when it approaches the coast: the sails are immediately visible, and only then the ship itself. This directly proves that, despite the apparent straightness of the horizon, it is curved by the spherical shape of the Earth.
7. Sundial
The sundial effect is calculated based on the shadow that the sun gives at different times. By sticking a stick into the ground, you can observe how the shadow from it gradually changes its shape. And if the world were a plane, the position of the stick would not affect the shape of the shadow, and at different points it would be identical. However, even a seemingly insignificant distance of several tens of kilometers between two experimental rods gives different results, and the shadows differ by at least a few tenths of a millimeter. This principle was applied even before our era when calculating the circumference of the Earth, which was carried out by Eratosthenes.
8. Documentary facts
And while flat-earthers claim that satellite and spaceflight photos are a hoax, sharers are firmly convinced of their existence. Numerous images of our planet taken from outer space, flights to the Moon and exploration of other planets are a scientific asset that humanity has reached over hundreds of years of experiments and development. True, considerable funds are invested in these studies, and their effectiveness is confirmed only by photographs, but this is the other side of the coin.
Flat Earth in the context of contemporary art
No matter how controversial the theory that denies the generally accepted form of our planet, it has repeatedly surfaced in the writings of science fiction writers, filmmakers and writers. It is enough to recall the well-known Chronicles of Narnia by Clive Lewis to understand that this idea attracts the general public. The cosmology of Narnia presents the idea of the plane of the Earth, outside of which there is paradise - Aslan. The heroes go there, following the routes of an old map reminiscent of a medieval one.
English science fiction writer Terry Pratchet devoted a whole cycle of works to the concept with the predictable title Discworld. In his opinion, based on ancient Indian myths, the disk-shaped planet is supported by four elephants, and those, in turn, stand on a centuries-old turtle. And what about the "Pirates of the Caribbean", loved by the multimillion-dollar crowd? Captain Jack Sparrow's team was able to reach the end of the planet, where a bottomless waterfall raged.
Domestic writers did not bypass this concept either. Thus, the story "A Monk at the End of the Earth" by Sergei Sinyak describes an expedition to the heavenly dome, after which its participants were repressed by the state. However, the results of the expedition were undeniable: a flight into space was nothing more than an invention based on a distortion of the picture of the universe.
Afterword
What to believe in, what concept to adhere to is everyone's personal business. It is more convenient for some to believe that the Earth is a ball, while others are also unshakably convinced that our planet is flat. One way or another, it is not possible for most people to ascend into space in order to visually verify the correctness of one of these movements, so we will have to use what we have - eyes, logic and common sense. It is enough to close the textbooks, open the satellite map and drive a considerable distance on it, checking the mileage and trajectory with official data. Simple practical experiments will allow you to understand where reality ends and mystification begins.
It is best to end this dispute with the words of the wisest Dalai Lama: “In any case, all this is very insignificant, isn't it? The basis of the Teaching is the Four Noble Truths; what they say about the structure of life, about the nature of suffering, about the nature of the mind. These are the foundations of the teaching. This is what is most important; what is directly related to our life. Whether the world is square or round does not really matter as long as prosperity and peace reign in it."
