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Fact Check: is Earth round?

Fact Check: Is Earth Round?

What We Know

The claim that Earth is round is supported by a substantial body of scientific evidence. According to the NOAA's National Ocean Service, Earth appears round when viewed from space, although it is more accurately described as an ellipsoid due to its equatorial bulge caused by centrifugal force from its rotation. This shape is further complicated by geographical features such as mountains and ocean trenches, which create a constantly changing surface.

Historically, the concept of a spherical Earth has evolved significantly. The ancient Greeks, as early as the 5th century BCE, began to propose that Earth was spherical based on observations such as the curvature of the Earth's shadow on the moon during lunar eclipses (City University of New York). By the Middle Ages, the spherical model of Earth was widely accepted among scholars, although some non-scientific beliefs persisted.

Modern scientific methods, including satellite imagery and geodesy—the science of measuring Earth's shape—confirm that Earth is indeed round, albeit with irregularities (Wikipedia). Observations from space provide direct visual evidence of Earth's curvature, reinforcing the consensus among scientists.

Analysis

The overwhelming consensus among scientists and historical evidence supports the assertion that Earth is round. The reliability of the sources cited is high, particularly the NOAA and academic institutions like the City University of New York, which provide well-researched information based on scientific inquiry and historical context.

While there exists a small segment of the population that believes in a flat Earth, as noted by Pursuit, this belief is largely rooted in conspiracy theories and misinformation rather than scientific evidence. The rise of social media has amplified these fringe views, but they do not hold up against empirical data and historical observations.

The scientific community has consistently demonstrated the Earth's roundness through various methods, including Eratosthenes' calculations of Earth's circumference in the 3rd century BCE and modern satellite data (Wikipedia). The claim that Earth is flat lacks credible scientific backing and is countered by centuries of astronomical and geographical evidence.

Conclusion

Verdict: True. The claim that Earth is round is substantiated by extensive scientific evidence and historical observations. The consensus among scientists, supported by empirical data and visual evidence from space, confirms that Earth is not only round but also an oblate spheroid, with variations in its shape due to geological features and gravitational forces.