Flat Earth History
Even the most cursory historical survey shows that the idea that the Earth is flat has been a notion shared by an extraordinarily wide range of cultures and tied to vastly different metaphysical systems and cosmologies.
It was a common belief in ancient Greece, as well as in India, China and in a wide range of indigenous or “pre-state” cultures. Both the poets Homer and Hesiod described a flat Earth. This was maintained by Thales, considered by many one of the first philosophers, Lucretius, an avowed materialist, as well as Democritus, the founder of atomic theory.
The ancient Greek conception, in turn, has some parallels with that of early Egyptian and Mesopotamian thought, with both thinking that the Earth was a large disc surrounded by a gigantic body of water. The ancient Chinese were also virtually unanimous in their view of the Earth’s flatness, although – in this system – the heavens were spherical and the Earth was square.
A number of ancient Indian conceptions, common – with some degree of variation – to ancient Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism, tie their cosmography to botanical images, with the earth being comprised of four continents surrounding a mountain, akin to the way petals encircle the bud of a flower. Ancient Norse thought postulated a circular flat Earth surrounded by a sea inhabited by a giant serpent.
Others, like the Mountain Arapesh people of Papua New Guinea, envisage a world which ends at the horizon, the place where giant clouds gather. But even where commonalities exist across these traditions, vastly different metaphysical and cosmological narratives are at stake.
Flat earthers, use an "appeal to ancient wisdom fallacy" where someone assumes that concepts and knowledge from ancient times are superior to modern ones. In reality, just because they are from ancient times, it does not mean they are better than modern ones. On the contrary, in practically all the cases, we know a lot more than our predecessors.
Flat-Earthers often show us that in the past, people from various cultures believed that Earth is flat. Using it as “evidence” of a flat Earth is the fallacy of appeal to ancient wisdom.
In fact the modern versions of the religions that remain today ALL currently believe the earth is a sphere! And it has been this way for 2400 years!
Even the most cursory historical survey shows that the idea that the Earth is flat has been a notion shared by an extraordinarily wide range of cultures and tied to vastly different metaphysical systems and cosmologies.
It was a common belief in ancient Greece, as well as in India, China and in a wide range of indigenous or “pre-state” cultures. Both the poets Homer and Hesiod described a flat Earth. This was maintained by Thales, considered by many one of the first philosophers, Lucretius, an avowed materialist, as well as Democritus, the founder of atomic theory.
The ancient Greek conception, in turn, has some parallels with that of early Egyptian and Mesopotamian thought, with both thinking that the Earth was a large disc surrounded by a gigantic body of water. The ancient Chinese were also virtually unanimous in their view of the Earth’s flatness, although – in this system – the heavens were spherical and the Earth was square.
A number of ancient Indian conceptions, common – with some degree of variation – to ancient Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism, tie their cosmography to botanical images, with the earth being comprised of four continents surrounding a mountain, akin to the way petals encircle the bud of a flower. Ancient Norse thought postulated a circular flat Earth surrounded by a sea inhabited by a giant serpent.
Others, like the Mountain Arapesh people of Papua New Guinea, envisage a world which ends at the horizon, the place where giant clouds gather. But even where commonalities exist across these traditions, vastly different metaphysical and cosmological narratives are at stake.
Flat earthers, use an "appeal to ancient wisdom fallacy" where someone assumes that concepts and knowledge from ancient times are superior to modern ones. In reality, just because they are from ancient times, it does not mean they are better than modern ones. On the contrary, in practically all the cases, we know a lot more than our predecessors.
Flat-Earthers often show us that in the past, people from various cultures believed that Earth is flat. Using it as “evidence” of a flat Earth is the fallacy of appeal to ancient wisdom.
In fact the modern versions of the religions that remain today ALL currently believe the earth is a sphere! And it has been this way for 2400 years!
Flat Earth Fell out of Favour 2400 years ago!!
However, from at least the 6th century BCE, the theory of the flat Earth began to fall out of favour. By the time we get to Aristotle in the 4th century BCE, the idea of a spherical Earth is commonplace, at least among the educated classes. And by the 1st Century BCE it is considered an uncontroversial truth.
Pythagorus (6th century BC) - 1st to suggest a Spherical earth, but that idea did not catch on at that point.
Aristotle (4th century BC) - Agreed with Pythagorus and supported the hyptothesis with observations such as that the Southern constellations rise higher in the sky when a person travels south. He also noted that during a lunar eclipse the Earth's shadow is round.
stellar constellations shift if you travel. A similar effect is observed when spotting land from a ship. It was obvious that the sea's surface must curve continually.
However, from at least the 6th century BCE, the theory of the flat Earth began to fall out of favour. By the time we get to Aristotle in the 4th century BCE, the idea of a spherical Earth is commonplace, at least among the educated classes. And by the 1st Century BCE it is considered an uncontroversial truth.
Pythagorus (6th century BC) - 1st to suggest a Spherical earth, but that idea did not catch on at that point.
Aristotle (4th century BC) - Agreed with Pythagorus and supported the hyptothesis with observations such as that the Southern constellations rise higher in the sky when a person travels south. He also noted that during a lunar eclipse the Earth's shadow is round.
stellar constellations shift if you travel. A similar effect is observed when spotting land from a ship. It was obvious that the sea's surface must curve continually.
Much more definitively, the 3rd century BC head librarian at the Library of Alexandria Eratosthenes, built on their ideas and managed to calculate the circumference of the earth with amazing accuracy.
How? He simply used the knowledge that at noon on the summer solstice there was a well in Syene where the sun shown directly down to the bottom with no shadow.
Thus at noon on Summer Solstice he used a rod to measure the angle of the shadow made in Alexandria and found it to be about 7 degrees or about 1/50th of a circle.
With this information, he now just needed to know the exact distance between Syene and Alexandria to get the circumference of the Earth (about 50 times the distance between seen and Alexandria).
He hired a survey crew know as bematists, to measure the distance, which they found to be about 5000 stadia. He then concluded that the earth must be about 250,000 stadia around. Many scholars think it likely he was using the Egyptian station (157.5 m) being used in Egypt at the time, which would make his estimate roughly 1% too small.
Bematists or bematistae, were specialists in ancient Greece who were trained to measure distances by counting their steps.
How? He simply used the knowledge that at noon on the summer solstice there was a well in Syene where the sun shown directly down to the bottom with no shadow.
Thus at noon on Summer Solstice he used a rod to measure the angle of the shadow made in Alexandria and found it to be about 7 degrees or about 1/50th of a circle.
With this information, he now just needed to know the exact distance between Syene and Alexandria to get the circumference of the Earth (about 50 times the distance between seen and Alexandria).
He hired a survey crew know as bematists, to measure the distance, which they found to be about 5000 stadia. He then concluded that the earth must be about 250,000 stadia around. Many scholars think it likely he was using the Egyptian station (157.5 m) being used in Egypt at the time, which would make his estimate roughly 1% too small.
Bematists or bematistae, were specialists in ancient Greece who were trained to measure distances by counting their steps.
Now moving to the so called Dark Ages which Christianity supposed squashed such outlandish ideas as a spherical earth, the truth is actually the opposite. In Christian medieval Europe, 7th century Catholic monk and scholar Bede produced an influential treatise that included a discussion of the spherical nature of the world. This work, the Reckoning of Time, was copied and distributed to clerics across the Carolingian empire. Later, in the 1300s, Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy also describes the Earth as a sphere and again nobody seemed to have a problem with this. The Islamic world also concurred.
Historian Jeffrey Burton Russell sums up, "With extraordinary few exceptions, no educated person in the history of Western Civilization from the third century B.C. onward believed that the earth was flat. Even the most uneducated sailor knew the earth was spherical simply by the fact that ships disappear over the horizon with the bottom first and then the mast the last to be sighted.
Historian Jeffrey Burton Russell sums up, "With extraordinary few exceptions, no educated person in the history of Western Civilization from the third century B.C. onward believed that the earth was flat. Even the most uneducated sailor knew the earth was spherical simply by the fact that ships disappear over the horizon with the bottom first and then the mast the last to be sighted.
What about Christopher Columbus?
Many flat earthers claim the world at large thought the earth was flat up until Christopher Columbus (even though the world already knew it was a sphere for 1800 years already). Of course they think science got it wrong, but their history is just as wrong as their science and logic.
Despite a persistent legend, neither Columbus nor his Spanish patrons thought Earth was a finite plane instead of a round planet. They knew it was spherical. However, Columbus ran into resistance when he tried to get funding for his landmark journey for a different reason. He mistakenly believed that the circumference of Earth was very small and that by traveling west toward what he thought was China, he’d open up new trade routes. After years of negotiation and argument over the actual length of the proposed journey, he finally convinced Ferdinand II of Spain and his wife Isabella to finance the expedition.
The myth of Columbus’ supposed flat earth theory is tempting: It casts the explorer’s intrepid journey in an even more daring light. Problem is, it’s completely untrue. The legend doesn’t even date from Columbus’ own lifetime. Rather, it was invented in 1828, when Washington Irving published The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus. Irving, a master storyteller, was already famous for tales like “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” when he tackled the life of Columbus. His inspiration came after his friend, Alexander Hill Everett, the United States’ minister to Spain, invited Irving to stay with him in Madrid. While visiting the city, Irving was tempted by a gigantic archive of documents about Columbus and decided to write the explorer’s biography.
The archive may have been extensive, but Irving couldn’t help from adding fictional flourishes to Columbus’ already fascinating life. Crucially, he claimed that when the explorer told Spanish geographers the earth was not actually flat, they refused to believe him, even questioning his faith and endangering his life. Irving’s readers were taken in by his inaccurate account. And when his book became a runaway bestseller, the supposed confrontation between the rational explorer and the dogmatic official was accepted as truth. And many people are still taught this in school. I remember I WAS!
Though Columbus never proved Earth was round, he did manage to upset long-held dogma in another way when he ran across a continent nobody in Europe even knew was there. (Of course, his “discovery” wasn’t new either as the Americas had been known to indigenous people for thousands of years, and Vikings since the 11th century.) He didn’t think Earth was flat, but by jumpstarting the Age of Exploration, he changed the course of human history.
Many flat earthers claim the world at large thought the earth was flat up until Christopher Columbus (even though the world already knew it was a sphere for 1800 years already). Of course they think science got it wrong, but their history is just as wrong as their science and logic.
Despite a persistent legend, neither Columbus nor his Spanish patrons thought Earth was a finite plane instead of a round planet. They knew it was spherical. However, Columbus ran into resistance when he tried to get funding for his landmark journey for a different reason. He mistakenly believed that the circumference of Earth was very small and that by traveling west toward what he thought was China, he’d open up new trade routes. After years of negotiation and argument over the actual length of the proposed journey, he finally convinced Ferdinand II of Spain and his wife Isabella to finance the expedition.
The myth of Columbus’ supposed flat earth theory is tempting: It casts the explorer’s intrepid journey in an even more daring light. Problem is, it’s completely untrue. The legend doesn’t even date from Columbus’ own lifetime. Rather, it was invented in 1828, when Washington Irving published The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus. Irving, a master storyteller, was already famous for tales like “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” when he tackled the life of Columbus. His inspiration came after his friend, Alexander Hill Everett, the United States’ minister to Spain, invited Irving to stay with him in Madrid. While visiting the city, Irving was tempted by a gigantic archive of documents about Columbus and decided to write the explorer’s biography.
The archive may have been extensive, but Irving couldn’t help from adding fictional flourishes to Columbus’ already fascinating life. Crucially, he claimed that when the explorer told Spanish geographers the earth was not actually flat, they refused to believe him, even questioning his faith and endangering his life. Irving’s readers were taken in by his inaccurate account. And when his book became a runaway bestseller, the supposed confrontation between the rational explorer and the dogmatic official was accepted as truth. And many people are still taught this in school. I remember I WAS!
Though Columbus never proved Earth was round, he did manage to upset long-held dogma in another way when he ran across a continent nobody in Europe even knew was there. (Of course, his “discovery” wasn’t new either as the Americas had been known to indigenous people for thousands of years, and Vikings since the 11th century.) He didn’t think Earth was flat, but by jumpstarting the Age of Exploration, he changed the course of human history.
If the world at large has known the earth is a sphere for 2400 years, who the heck started the modern flat earth movement?
And why did people believe it?
Samuel Rowbotham
The genesis of the modern flat earth movement started in the mid 19th century thanks to one Samuel Rowbotham in London England. Dropping out of school at the tender age of 9, Rowbotham would eventually become convinced that not only is the earth flat, but everything we see up in the heavens is only a few thousand miles up from the earth, stars and all.
What Rowbotham had going for him is he was a great orator, charismatic, and quick on his feet in debates. A showman to his core, for his public persona Rowbotham named himself Parallax (one of several monikers he adopted throughout his life). Rowbotham marketed himself as the new Francis Bacon, a hero of his. Rowbotham saw himself in stark contrast as an anti-elitist scientist, trying to put knowledge back in the hands of the people, as opposed to it being the sole property of the Royal Society. The highest irony here is the use of the flat earth as an insult was, it appears, tossed up by none other than Rowbotham's hero Francis Bacon.
Regardless, as an exceptional orator and intensely shrewd debater, in the guise of Parallax, Rowbotham swayed, confused, divided, and often generally convinced crowds as he toured around Britain with his entertaining mixture of the ludicrous and the ostensibly scientific.
It did not matter if he was right or not, only that he was better at convincing lay people than the academics he regularly debated or at least good at creating reasonable doubt. He made a small fortune from his public speaking and debates and wrote a book entitled Zetetic Astonomy, Earth not a globe.
Rowbotham started the Zetetic Society and not only advocated a flat earth but also advocated that only facts one could prove true themselves could be accepted as true. On the side Rowbotham made extra money by parading as Dr Samuel Birley making money selling cure alls and life extenders of his own invention.
And why did people believe it?
Samuel Rowbotham
The genesis of the modern flat earth movement started in the mid 19th century thanks to one Samuel Rowbotham in London England. Dropping out of school at the tender age of 9, Rowbotham would eventually become convinced that not only is the earth flat, but everything we see up in the heavens is only a few thousand miles up from the earth, stars and all.
What Rowbotham had going for him is he was a great orator, charismatic, and quick on his feet in debates. A showman to his core, for his public persona Rowbotham named himself Parallax (one of several monikers he adopted throughout his life). Rowbotham marketed himself as the new Francis Bacon, a hero of his. Rowbotham saw himself in stark contrast as an anti-elitist scientist, trying to put knowledge back in the hands of the people, as opposed to it being the sole property of the Royal Society. The highest irony here is the use of the flat earth as an insult was, it appears, tossed up by none other than Rowbotham's hero Francis Bacon.
Regardless, as an exceptional orator and intensely shrewd debater, in the guise of Parallax, Rowbotham swayed, confused, divided, and often generally convinced crowds as he toured around Britain with his entertaining mixture of the ludicrous and the ostensibly scientific.
It did not matter if he was right or not, only that he was better at convincing lay people than the academics he regularly debated or at least good at creating reasonable doubt. He made a small fortune from his public speaking and debates and wrote a book entitled Zetetic Astonomy, Earth not a globe.
Rowbotham started the Zetetic Society and not only advocated a flat earth but also advocated that only facts one could prove true themselves could be accepted as true. On the side Rowbotham made extra money by parading as Dr Samuel Birley making money selling cure alls and life extenders of his own invention.
Modern flat Earth belief originated with the English writer Samuel Rowbotham (1816–1884). Based on conclusions derived from the Bedford Level experiment, Rowbotham published a pamphlet titled Zetetic Astronomy. He later expanded this into the book Earth Not a Globe, proposing the Earth is a flat disc centred at the North Pole and bounded along its southern edge by a wall of ice, Antarctica. Rowbotham further held that the Sun and Moon were 3,000 miles (4,800 km) above Earth and that the "cosmos" was 3,100 miles (5,000 km) above the Earth] He also published a leaflet titled The Inconsistency of Modern Astronomy and its Opposition to the Scriptures, which argued that the "Bible, alongside our senses, supported the idea that the earth was flat and immovable and this essential truth should not be set aside for a system based solely on human conjecture".
Rowbotham and followers like William Carpenter gained attention by successful use of pseudoscience in public debates with leading scientists such as Alfred Russel Wallace. Rowbotham created a Zetetic Society in England and New York, shipping over a thousand copies of Zetetic Astronomy.
Let's debunk a couple of the Proofs of Rowbotham to get the ball rolling. In total, I will share 201 proofs the earth is a sphere, but let's look at a couple from Zetetic Astronomy that STILL are prevelant in the Flat earth lore of 2021. In fact a LOT of his information is still taken as gospel (and still no proof!).
Rowbotham and followers like William Carpenter gained attention by successful use of pseudoscience in public debates with leading scientists such as Alfred Russel Wallace. Rowbotham created a Zetetic Society in England and New York, shipping over a thousand copies of Zetetic Astronomy.
Let's debunk a couple of the Proofs of Rowbotham to get the ball rolling. In total, I will share 201 proofs the earth is a sphere, but let's look at a couple from Zetetic Astronomy that STILL are prevelant in the Flat earth lore of 2021. In fact a LOT of his information is still taken as gospel (and still no proof!).
Proof 1: Bedford Level Experiment Confirmed the Curvature of the Earth
In 1870, Alfred Russell Wallace successfully demonstrated the curvature of the Earth to answer the challenge put forward by a flat-Earther, John Hampden.
Hampden was a disciple of Rowbotham, who was a significant influence on flat-Earth movement back in the day. Rowbotham had previously used the Bedford Canal to prove the non-existence of Earth’s curvature. He looked through a telescope from one end of the canal and was able to observe boats on the other end.
He ignored the effect of refraction and wrongly concluded that the Earth does not have curvature. Wallace designed a better experiment to minimize the effect of refraction:
He raised the entire experiment by 13 ft 3 in (4 m) above water. In contrast, Rowbotham did his experiment only 8 in (20 cm) above water.
He added a pole with two discs in the middle of the canal for observational aid. This way, if there’s a curvature, it would be easy to observe.
In the experiment, Wallace successfully proved the existence of Earth’s curvature. Unfortunately, Hampden was not an honest person. He didn’t allow Wallace to take the wager. Instead, he made various threats to Wallace and his friends over the years and as a result, was put in jail many times.
So the whole foundation for starting the flat earth movement should have crumbled once its founding experiment and thesis was falsified. Rowbothams results were because of refraction NOT a flat earth!! But beliefs due like to perservere.
In 1870, Alfred Russell Wallace successfully demonstrated the curvature of the Earth to answer the challenge put forward by a flat-Earther, John Hampden.
Hampden was a disciple of Rowbotham, who was a significant influence on flat-Earth movement back in the day. Rowbotham had previously used the Bedford Canal to prove the non-existence of Earth’s curvature. He looked through a telescope from one end of the canal and was able to observe boats on the other end.
He ignored the effect of refraction and wrongly concluded that the Earth does not have curvature. Wallace designed a better experiment to minimize the effect of refraction:
He raised the entire experiment by 13 ft 3 in (4 m) above water. In contrast, Rowbotham did his experiment only 8 in (20 cm) above water.
He added a pole with two discs in the middle of the canal for observational aid. This way, if there’s a curvature, it would be easy to observe.
In the experiment, Wallace successfully proved the existence of Earth’s curvature. Unfortunately, Hampden was not an honest person. He didn’t allow Wallace to take the wager. Instead, he made various threats to Wallace and his friends over the years and as a result, was put in jail many times.
So the whole foundation for starting the flat earth movement should have crumbled once its founding experiment and thesis was falsified. Rowbothams results were because of refraction NOT a flat earth!! But beliefs due like to perservere.
Proof 2 - Suez Canal Proves Earth's Curvature and Gravity
Flat-Earthers are claiming that the Suez Canal was constructed without accounting for curvature. They said if the Earth were spherical, then the middle of the canal should have been 1666 ft deep. This is merely a misconception. The surface of the water is equipotential. It has roughly the same distance to the Earth’s center of gravity. It is not necessary to dig 1666 ft in the middle of the Suez Canal. The engineers only need to ensure the base of the canal is below sea level for sea water to flow.
The misconception is more than a century old. In 1881, Samuel Rowbotham wrote it in his book ‘Earth not a Globe, second edition.’ In 1885, another perpetrator of flat Earth, William Carpenter, also covered it in his book ‘One Hundred Proofs That the Earth is not a Globe.’ In 1890, Alex Gleason —who is more known for his so-called ‘flat Earth map’— also got his hands dirty spreading the misconception in his book ‘Is the Earth a Globe?’. And more than 100 years later, Eric Dubay repeated the same mistake in his book ‘The Flat Earth Conspiracy.’
All made the same mistake by misinterpreting the Suez Canal’s datum line which was 26 ft below sea level at the time of its initial construction. They claim if the Earth is a sphere, then the Suez Canal must be dug according to a straight line between 26 ft below sea level from either side, which would require digging 1666 ft deep below sea level in the middle of the Suez Canal.
They are wrong. The surface of the water is equipotential or is at the same level, including when the water flows through the Suez Canal. The engineers only need to ensure the canal bed is 26 ft deep, relative to the equipotential surface of sea water. Because the surface of the water curves, then the foundation of the canal will also curve along the curvature of the Earth.
Flat-Earthers are claiming that the Suez Canal was constructed without accounting for curvature. They said if the Earth were spherical, then the middle of the canal should have been 1666 ft deep. This is merely a misconception. The surface of the water is equipotential. It has roughly the same distance to the Earth’s center of gravity. It is not necessary to dig 1666 ft in the middle of the Suez Canal. The engineers only need to ensure the base of the canal is below sea level for sea water to flow.
The misconception is more than a century old. In 1881, Samuel Rowbotham wrote it in his book ‘Earth not a Globe, second edition.’ In 1885, another perpetrator of flat Earth, William Carpenter, also covered it in his book ‘One Hundred Proofs That the Earth is not a Globe.’ In 1890, Alex Gleason —who is more known for his so-called ‘flat Earth map’— also got his hands dirty spreading the misconception in his book ‘Is the Earth a Globe?’. And more than 100 years later, Eric Dubay repeated the same mistake in his book ‘The Flat Earth Conspiracy.’
All made the same mistake by misinterpreting the Suez Canal’s datum line which was 26 ft below sea level at the time of its initial construction. They claim if the Earth is a sphere, then the Suez Canal must be dug according to a straight line between 26 ft below sea level from either side, which would require digging 1666 ft deep below sea level in the middle of the Suez Canal.
They are wrong. The surface of the water is equipotential or is at the same level, including when the water flows through the Suez Canal. The engineers only need to ensure the canal bed is 26 ft deep, relative to the equipotential surface of sea water. Because the surface of the water curves, then the foundation of the canal will also curve along the curvature of the Earth.
Proof 3 - Polaris
If Polaris were a star in the center of the ‘firmament’, and stars rotate around it, then we should be able to see it from all over the Earth. In fact, this is claimed by 19th-century pseudoscientist and a notorious peddler of the flat Earth ‘theory’, Samuel Rowbotham:
“If the Earth is a sphere and the pole star hangs over the northern axis, it would be impossible to see it for a single degree beyond the equator, or 90 degrees from the pole. The line-of-sight would be a tangent to the sphere, and consequently several thousand miles out of and divergent from the direction of the pole star. Many cases, however, are on record of the north polar star being visible far beyond the equator, as far as the tropic of Capricorn.”
—Dr. Samuel Rowbotham, “Earth Not a Globe, 2nd Edition”
Obviously, he got the fact wrong. But astonishingly, this statement is still cited by various flat Earth ‘literature’ even today. Anyone who lives in the southern hemisphere can verify this themselves simply by looking up. It is a well-known fact that we can’t see Polaris from the southern hemisphere.
Only 10-12% of all humans live in the southern hemisphere. So if you were to sell the flat Earth ‘theory’, then it would make sense to focus on the northerners. After all, the market is 10× bigger. You can be as vague as possible on the southern facts and phenomenon, and practically nobody will notice.
Samuel Rowbotham could have told everyone a blatant lie and got away with it. In the 19th century, nobody would waste their time sailing to southern hemisphere just to check if you get your facts correct. A victim of flat-earth misinformation could be forgiven for falling for it.
There are many other proofs of Rowbotham, which were also summarized by William Carpenter, and we will encounter many more throughout this book, because modern day Flat Earth theories are still HEAVILY influenced by a 19th century uneducated man!
If Polaris were a star in the center of the ‘firmament’, and stars rotate around it, then we should be able to see it from all over the Earth. In fact, this is claimed by 19th-century pseudoscientist and a notorious peddler of the flat Earth ‘theory’, Samuel Rowbotham:
“If the Earth is a sphere and the pole star hangs over the northern axis, it would be impossible to see it for a single degree beyond the equator, or 90 degrees from the pole. The line-of-sight would be a tangent to the sphere, and consequently several thousand miles out of and divergent from the direction of the pole star. Many cases, however, are on record of the north polar star being visible far beyond the equator, as far as the tropic of Capricorn.”
—Dr. Samuel Rowbotham, “Earth Not a Globe, 2nd Edition”
Obviously, he got the fact wrong. But astonishingly, this statement is still cited by various flat Earth ‘literature’ even today. Anyone who lives in the southern hemisphere can verify this themselves simply by looking up. It is a well-known fact that we can’t see Polaris from the southern hemisphere.
Only 10-12% of all humans live in the southern hemisphere. So if you were to sell the flat Earth ‘theory’, then it would make sense to focus on the northerners. After all, the market is 10× bigger. You can be as vague as possible on the southern facts and phenomenon, and practically nobody will notice.
Samuel Rowbotham could have told everyone a blatant lie and got away with it. In the 19th century, nobody would waste their time sailing to southern hemisphere just to check if you get your facts correct. A victim of flat-earth misinformation could be forgiven for falling for it.
There are many other proofs of Rowbotham, which were also summarized by William Carpenter, and we will encounter many more throughout this book, because modern day Flat Earth theories are still HEAVILY influenced by a 19th century uneducated man!
After Rowbotham's death, Lady Elizabeth Blount established a Universal Zetetic Society, whose objective was "the propagation of knowledge related to Natural Cosmogony in confirmation of the Holy Scriptures, based on practical scientific investigation". The society published a magazine, The Earth Not a Globe Review, and remained active well into the early 20th century.A flat Earth journal, Earth: a Monthly Magazine of Sense and Science, was published between 1901 and 1904, edited by Lady Blount.
Samuel Shenton
It was the decade of the 1920's, and Samuel Shenton had a good idea. Born the son of an army sergeant, he recalled after the First World War he would often stand in awe as zeppelins and other "bird-shaped" aircraft refused gravity and took flight. It was a great interest to him and he wondered how he could improve upon this technology for the benefit of humankind. Having learned - again to his amazement - that the earth rotates aound the axis at some 1000 miles per hour, the idea struck him: why not build a craft that would combine the power of gas and engine to float into the atmosphere carrying cargo. Resting anchored at high altitude, it would have to but wait as the earth spun its practical course westward. Aided by this frantic spin of the earth, after the proper amount of time the cargo craft would simply the simply descend upon its new destination far faster than anything yet developed. "Think of the possibilities," he later gushed.
Shenton could not understand why someone had not previously thought of this idea until he discovered, not realizing his lack of science education held the answer. The earth, atmosphere and everything in it is rotating WITH the earth. If it did not we would experience beyond hurricane force winds all the time. It is simple physics concepts such as gravity, inertia, conservation of momentum, drag, viscosity, etc. that describe why the atmosphere is dragged along with the earth's rotation.
While one might assume the rest of the story involves a melancholic man getting on with his life after the readily available information concerning inertia, momentum, etc. popped his money making bubble, the truth is much stranger, and echos the strangeness of the flat earth movement as a whole. Instead of seeking a scientific explanation, there must be some kind of conspiracy.
So as the story goes, in the reading room of the British Library at Bloomsbury that Archbishop Stevens, a friend of Lady Blount, the founder of the Universal Zetetic Society, had suggested an aircraft design similar to his own. When he discovered Parallax's Zetetic Astronomy he was an instant convert. "What the authorities were concealing, was the 'fact' that the earth was flat". Overlooking this basic physics known for a few centuries.
Shenton resurrected the Zetetic Society after being hooked on Rowbothams teachings and in 1956 started the International Flat earth research society (IFERS), whih adopted most of its ideas from the Zetetic Society before it, most notably that the earth was flat. This was bad timing as the Sputnik was launched the very next year which beyond being in orbit, but out a signal that anyone could track, very much demonstrating the spherical nature of the earth. This did not phase Shenton as he explained they were orbiting around the flat earth. Funny though he did acknowledge satellites something many modern flat earths do not (they are all weather balloons).
In December 1968, during the Apollo 8 mission, Shenton admitted, "If they show us a very clear picture of the earth from space and the picture does not show all the continents, and the edge of the picture is out of perspective, then that would prove that the earth is round. Until then, we shall continue fighting to prove the earth is flat." A month later Shenton asserted deception and conspiracy. Asked about Apollo 8 sending images of a round Earth, he said, "That's where those Americans and Russians are so damned cunning. For some reason or other they obviously want us to think the world is round. Some of the pictures have been blatantly doctored. Studio shots, probably." Following Apollo 11, he added, "The astronauts are hypnotized into believing they go into space.' Again these crazy kind of explanations persist up to this day with flat earthers.
When pictures of the earth were taken from space, clearly showing the earth's spherical nature, the man how strongly telling people that you can only believe what you see with your own eyes, stated, "It's easy to see how a photograph like that could fool the untrained eye." When the astronauts came back confirming what we already knew for 2400 years that the earth was indeed spherical, Shenton resorted to conspiracy theories as no other explanation could be had. He said, "It's a deception of the public and it isn't right." Despite the giant mound of spherical evidence staring the members right in the face, the society did not die completely though dropped from a peak of about 3000 members down to just around 100 by 1972 spanning the globe.
It was the decade of the 1920's, and Samuel Shenton had a good idea. Born the son of an army sergeant, he recalled after the First World War he would often stand in awe as zeppelins and other "bird-shaped" aircraft refused gravity and took flight. It was a great interest to him and he wondered how he could improve upon this technology for the benefit of humankind. Having learned - again to his amazement - that the earth rotates aound the axis at some 1000 miles per hour, the idea struck him: why not build a craft that would combine the power of gas and engine to float into the atmosphere carrying cargo. Resting anchored at high altitude, it would have to but wait as the earth spun its practical course westward. Aided by this frantic spin of the earth, after the proper amount of time the cargo craft would simply the simply descend upon its new destination far faster than anything yet developed. "Think of the possibilities," he later gushed.
Shenton could not understand why someone had not previously thought of this idea until he discovered, not realizing his lack of science education held the answer. The earth, atmosphere and everything in it is rotating WITH the earth. If it did not we would experience beyond hurricane force winds all the time. It is simple physics concepts such as gravity, inertia, conservation of momentum, drag, viscosity, etc. that describe why the atmosphere is dragged along with the earth's rotation.
While one might assume the rest of the story involves a melancholic man getting on with his life after the readily available information concerning inertia, momentum, etc. popped his money making bubble, the truth is much stranger, and echos the strangeness of the flat earth movement as a whole. Instead of seeking a scientific explanation, there must be some kind of conspiracy.
So as the story goes, in the reading room of the British Library at Bloomsbury that Archbishop Stevens, a friend of Lady Blount, the founder of the Universal Zetetic Society, had suggested an aircraft design similar to his own. When he discovered Parallax's Zetetic Astronomy he was an instant convert. "What the authorities were concealing, was the 'fact' that the earth was flat". Overlooking this basic physics known for a few centuries.
Shenton resurrected the Zetetic Society after being hooked on Rowbothams teachings and in 1956 started the International Flat earth research society (IFERS), whih adopted most of its ideas from the Zetetic Society before it, most notably that the earth was flat. This was bad timing as the Sputnik was launched the very next year which beyond being in orbit, but out a signal that anyone could track, very much demonstrating the spherical nature of the earth. This did not phase Shenton as he explained they were orbiting around the flat earth. Funny though he did acknowledge satellites something many modern flat earths do not (they are all weather balloons).
In December 1968, during the Apollo 8 mission, Shenton admitted, "If they show us a very clear picture of the earth from space and the picture does not show all the continents, and the edge of the picture is out of perspective, then that would prove that the earth is round. Until then, we shall continue fighting to prove the earth is flat." A month later Shenton asserted deception and conspiracy. Asked about Apollo 8 sending images of a round Earth, he said, "That's where those Americans and Russians are so damned cunning. For some reason or other they obviously want us to think the world is round. Some of the pictures have been blatantly doctored. Studio shots, probably." Following Apollo 11, he added, "The astronauts are hypnotized into believing they go into space.' Again these crazy kind of explanations persist up to this day with flat earthers.
When pictures of the earth were taken from space, clearly showing the earth's spherical nature, the man how strongly telling people that you can only believe what you see with your own eyes, stated, "It's easy to see how a photograph like that could fool the untrained eye." When the astronauts came back confirming what we already knew for 2400 years that the earth was indeed spherical, Shenton resorted to conspiracy theories as no other explanation could be had. He said, "It's a deception of the public and it isn't right." Despite the giant mound of spherical evidence staring the members right in the face, the society did not die completely though dropped from a peak of about 3000 members down to just around 100 by 1972 spanning the globe.
Charles Johnson
That same year, after Shenton died, Californian Charles Johnson more or less took over the remnants, creating the International Flat Earth Society of America. Johnson also advocated that there was a global conspiracy with regards to the very flat Earth, not just today, but spanning millennia. To quote him, this was a conspiracy that "Moses, Columbus, and FDR all fought against."
Beyond that Columbus most definitely thought that the earth was roughly spherical, simply misjudging its circumference, we're guessing Moses didn't have to fight anyone on this one as the ancient Egyptians firmly believed in the concept of a flat earth as did seemingly the Hebrews at the time.
So what exactly do the world's governments and countless scientists and high school physics throughout human history have to gain by convincing people the world is spherical instead of flat.
Johnson noted that this is a tool used by scientists to get rid of religions, though of course Christian scholars throughout history on the whole advocated for the very spherical earth and we're not aware of any major religious denominations the world over today, that goes with the flat earth model, so no apparent conflict.
Despite Johnson's less than compelling arguments, this new society actually gained followers up to a peak of about 3500 members under his leadership. Johnson died in 2001 and at that time the society was almost dead.
That same year, after Shenton died, Californian Charles Johnson more or less took over the remnants, creating the International Flat Earth Society of America. Johnson also advocated that there was a global conspiracy with regards to the very flat Earth, not just today, but spanning millennia. To quote him, this was a conspiracy that "Moses, Columbus, and FDR all fought against."
Beyond that Columbus most definitely thought that the earth was roughly spherical, simply misjudging its circumference, we're guessing Moses didn't have to fight anyone on this one as the ancient Egyptians firmly believed in the concept of a flat earth as did seemingly the Hebrews at the time.
So what exactly do the world's governments and countless scientists and high school physics throughout human history have to gain by convincing people the world is spherical instead of flat.
Johnson noted that this is a tool used by scientists to get rid of religions, though of course Christian scholars throughout history on the whole advocated for the very spherical earth and we're not aware of any major religious denominations the world over today, that goes with the flat earth model, so no apparent conflict.
Despite Johnson's less than compelling arguments, this new society actually gained followers up to a peak of about 3500 members under his leadership. Johnson died in 2001 and at that time the society was almost dead.
Daniel Shenton and Flat Earth Wiki
But in 2004, one Daniel Shenton created a discussion forum home for the mostly dead Flat Earth Society and by 2009, a new wiki website was created in its place, with the society slowly growing again. Then Facebook, Youtube and other internet groups expanded the movement considerably with the help of social media.
In the latest incarnation of the society, as with their forebears, the modern group strongly advocates for only accepting that which you can only see with your own eyes and prove with your own efforts.
Planets are orbiting astronomical objects. The earth is not a planet by definition, as it sits at the center of our solar system above which the planets and Sun revolve.
Constant acceleration - dark energy or etheric wind.
1 year to reach the speed of light.
We are in a dome like a snow dome. No way to fall off.
Mike Hughes ....
NASA retraining.
Many beliefs we cling too.
But in 2004, one Daniel Shenton created a discussion forum home for the mostly dead Flat Earth Society and by 2009, a new wiki website was created in its place, with the society slowly growing again. Then Facebook, Youtube and other internet groups expanded the movement considerably with the help of social media.
In the latest incarnation of the society, as with their forebears, the modern group strongly advocates for only accepting that which you can only see with your own eyes and prove with your own efforts.
Planets are orbiting astronomical objects. The earth is not a planet by definition, as it sits at the center of our solar system above which the planets and Sun revolve.
Constant acceleration - dark energy or etheric wind.
1 year to reach the speed of light.
We are in a dome like a snow dome. No way to fall off.
Mike Hughes ....
NASA retraining.
Many beliefs we cling too.
The Bible does NOT teach or Mention a Flat Earth!
Also the Christian Church NEVER accepted the flat earth model, never!
Only local denominations at rare times, but neither the Catholic OR Protestant Church as a whole EVER accepted a flat earth.
Also nowhere in the bible does it even mention flat earth.
Check out this excellent article!
https://answersingenesis.org/astronomy/earth/does-bible-teach-earth-flat/
Also the Christian Church NEVER accepted the flat earth model, never!
Only local denominations at rare times, but neither the Catholic OR Protestant Church as a whole EVER accepted a flat earth.
Also nowhere in the bible does it even mention flat earth.
Check out this excellent article!
https://answersingenesis.org/astronomy/earth/does-bible-teach-earth-flat/
