Fact Check: "The Earth is flat"
What We Know
The claim that "the Earth is flat" contradicts centuries of scientific evidence. The concept of a spherical Earth has been established since ancient Greece, with philosophers like Pythagoras and later, Aristotle, providing early evidence based on observations of the stars and the horizon. Modern science has further confirmed this through various means, including satellite imagery, gravitational measurements, and the physics of planetary formation. According to a comprehensive overview of scientific evidence, the curvature of the Earth can be observed in numerous ways, such as the way ships disappear hull-first over the horizon and the varying positions of stars in the night sky depending on one's latitude.
Analysis
The assertion that the Earth is flat is primarily supported by conspiracy theorists and lacks credible scientific backing. Sources that promote this idea often rely on anecdotal evidence and misinterpretations of scientific principles. For instance, the Media Bias/Fact Check site categorizes many of these sources as unreliable, indicating they often present information that is misleading or factually incorrect.
In contrast, reputable scientific organizations, including NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), provide extensive documentation and data supporting the Earth's spherical shape. This includes photographs taken from space, which clearly show the Earth's curvature. Furthermore, the scientific community widely accepts the principles of physics that explain gravity and planetary motion, which inherently support a spherical Earth model.
The reliability of sources promoting the flat Earth theory is questionable. Many of these sources do not adhere to rigorous scientific standards and often lack peer-reviewed research. As noted in a guide on how to spot fake news, credible information typically comes from established scientific institutions or peer-reviewed journals, which are absent in the flat Earth discourse.
Conclusion
Verdict: False. The claim that "the Earth is flat" is not supported by scientific evidence and contradicts established knowledge in astronomy, physics, and geology. The overwhelming consensus among scientists is that the Earth is an oblate spheroid, and claims to the contrary are based on misinformation and pseudoscience.
