# Best proof the earth isn't flat **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 10, 2026, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737 "2026-10-10T21:19:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/61 "2026-10-13T00:51:54Z")
**Q** : What do you call “burn all the modern flat-earthers quoting the Bible as heretics and blasphemers.” **A** : A good start. 🤪 ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/62 "2026-10-13T01:10:38Z")
One of the claims is that the ice cliffs surround the outer circumfrance of the flat earth - and this is antarctica. Easy to prove wrong - sail to antarctica and take a left- you should always have a cliff to your right as you head in a straight course around the circumfrance - you’ll find pretty quick that antarctica trails off to your right pretty quickly and if you wanted to keep it on the right - you’d have to go right as well. (Generally right, I think you get the idea). ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/63 "2026-10-13T01:22:36Z")
Yeah. If there was a circular wall flerf-style you’d have to be constantly turning away from it as it curved into your path. Conversely, if there’s a roughly circular continent there you’d have to be constantly turning towards it as it veered away from you. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/64 "2026-10-13T01:27:55Z")
So… Does this mean a compass on flat earth always points to the middle but as you walk around, because you are turning, the compass never changes? Whereas on a globe if I could walk around it the compass pointing to magnetic north would move depending where I was on the planet? Or do I have that backwards (or sideways or something)? Tl;Dr: Does a compass work differently in the two schemes? If yes, how so? ETA: Really asking…my brain is now confusing itself on how this would work. I don’t know the answer. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/65 "2026-10-13T01:33:27Z")
Joe Schwartz, a chem prof who runs McGill’s Science and Society’s office mentioned a supplement influencer who was not only a flat earther but also preached that solar cells were draining the sun’s energy. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/66 "2026-10-13T01:47:58Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > …preached that solar cells were draining the sun’s energy. Wow. That might be more stupid than a flat earth theory. That is saying a lot. Not sure but…wow! Someone like that really needs to go back to elementary school and start over. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/67 "2026-10-13T02:01:29Z")
> [@solost](#): > > It is hard to understand how they can believe that it’s a lie that the Earth is spherical when we’ve known it to be spherical since the time of Aristotle. Why, if this was a lie, would the lie have been maintained for over 6 centuries? And for what reason or purpose? One of the primary concerns I hear is that globe earth is a lie meant to lead us away from Og. The bibble tells us that Og created a flat earth, set the dome of the firmament over it and poked the stars into it.        Some people are uncomfortable with the vastness of the universe and our insignificance within it. They shudder at the thought of the Total Reality Vortex on Frogstar World B and prefer to believe that we live in a tiny bubble in the “waters of the deep”.        Which, of course, is the opposite to how most of us feel. Imagine if all reality were just this tiny thing and there was nothing beyond it but lots of water. I understand that the immense void of space is pretty scary, but so is a thunderstorm, and we can appreciate both for their indifferent beauty. An existence without the unimaginable hugeness of space would be more depressing to me than the knowledge of my insignificance. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/68 "2026-10-13T12:59:47Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > My own personal proof was seeing supertankers in the far distance on Chesapeake Bay on a very clear day, clearly tilted a bit away from me, bottoms of their hulls not visible. It might have been tilted away from you, but not because of the shape of the Earth. A tilt of 1°, not something the human eye can not detect, requires that ship be 60 nautical miles (111 kilometers or 69 statute miles) away. > [@Voyager](#): > > The Gleason map AIUI, it’s not a map, it’s a time zone calculator. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/69 "2026-10-13T14:11:24Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > Joe Schwartz, a chem prof who runs McGill’s Science and Society’s office mentioned a supplement influencer who was not only a flat earther but also preached that solar cells were draining the sun’s energy. Well, yeah. They’re full of astrophages. I saw a documentary about that starring Ryan Gosling. ---
**Author:** ![3AxisCtrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/ecd19e/32.png) [@3AxisCtrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3AxisCtrl)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/70 "2026-10-13T14:53:32Z")
> [@Ancient\_Nerd](#): > > I have multiple Webex meetings every week. They are all scheduled in the early evening here in California, starting 5 to 6 PM which is morning in Japan. The round earth is a major factor in my daily life. Flat Earthers see no problem with this. Their Sun is ~3000 miles away, cruises along in a circle between the tropics, and operates like a spotlight, causing areas of the Earth to be illuminated while others are in darkness (even when the Sun is in direct line-of-sight). They are understandably vague about how their small flaming ball manages to act this way, what forces act upon it to cause its apparent motion, how it stays the same angular size despite large variations in relative distance, how it appears to rise from and descend to the horizon every day, etc., etc. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/71 "2026-10-13T17:44:16Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > AIUI, it’s not a map, it’s a time zone calculator. Flerfs call it a map. Though I suppose you could also call it a projection, incorrect like all 2 dimensional representations of a 3 dimensional globe are.Flerfs however think it is accurate - some times. At other times they say they don’t need no steenkin’ map. They also claim that the representation of the earth in the UN flag is accurate, while that got chosen to make sure the center of the map wasn’t on any particular country. My father worked in the UN flag department in 1950 or so, so I’m pretty sure of this. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/72 "2026-10-13T17:59:29Z")
I do love that they never use a complete Gleason’s with the centrally mounted time calculating arms or ever note the second largest text on it, LONGITUDE AND TIME CALCULATOR [![](https://scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/629171514_18392668666197006_1449850884733384187_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=103&ig_cache_key=MjY1MzkzOTYxMDU1ODU0MjkxOQ%3D%3D.3-ccb7-5&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=58cdad&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6IkZFRUQueHBpZHMuODUyLnNkci5yZWd1bGFyX3Bob3RvLkMzIn0%3D&_nc_ohc=CcJd4Tprdu4Q7kNvwGypYja&_nc_oc=AdoD39Q7rIfRBj9h_Q9SbvtzyBTbKvGBEMeoPtTbFjIOB_ZCF2PtRl_cYh-c8epslfQ&_nc_ad=z-m&_nc_cid=0&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_gid=ztgibSwIHpKYk051xaG5ew&_nc_ss=7a22e&oh=00_AQMFAlXfeVV5puX-fU34uHSToVYVLQVA3nQEQTCmlYxouA&oe=6AD44A16) ](https://scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/629171514_18392668666197006_1449850884733384187_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=103&ig_cache_key=MjY1MzkzOTYxMDU1ODU0MjkxOQ%3D%3D.3-ccb7-5&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=58cdad&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6IkZFRUQueHBpZHMuODUyLnNkci5yZWd1bGFyX3Bob3RvLkMzIn0%3D&_nc_ohc=CcJd4Tprdu4Q7kNvwGypYja&_nc_oc=AdoD39Q7rIfRBj9h_Q9SbvtzyBTbKvGBEMeoPtTbFjIOB_ZCF2PtRl_cYh-c8epslfQ&_nc_ad=z-m&_nc_cid=0&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_gid=ztgibSwIHpKYk051xaG5ew&_nc_ss=7a22e&oh=00_AQMFAlXfeVV5puX-fU34uHSToVYVLQVA3nQEQTCmlYxouA&oe=6AD44A16) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/73 "2026-10-13T18:40:46Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Conversely, if there’s a roughly circular continent there you’d have to be constantly turning towards it as it veered away from you. Hey, this sounds suspiciously like what happens in an satellite orbit of earth. Watch it, glober. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Blaylock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_blaylock/32/3235_2.png) [@Bob\_Blaylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Blaylock)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/74 "2026-10-14T05:35:56Z")
  Approximately ¾ of the Earth’s surface is covered with water.   And nearly none of this water is carbonated.   Therefore the Earth is, in fact, flat. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/75 "2026-10-14T09:25:58Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > If it were flat, cats would have pushed everything off by now. 🙂 Thread over. We are done here. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/76 "2026-10-14T09:59:44Z")
Ironically a close, sharp horizon is great evidence for the globe. In terms of flerfers…at this point, post-[final experiment](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Final_Experiment_(expedition)), there are very few genuine flat earthers remaining. However, the ignorance, arrogance and logical fallacies live on. It’s easy to point and laugh at these people. Fun, too. But their same “reasoning” is used to make claims like climate change is a hoax, we didn’t land on the moon, Trump won 2020, covid was made by Fauci etc etc. So in a way it’s useful to understand and maybe try to rehabilitate flerfers (the ones that aren’t out and out jerks), because they represent the extreme edge of the idiocy that will be the death of us all. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/77 "2026-10-14T10:02:56Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > In terms of flerfers…at this point, post-[final experiment](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Final_Experiment_(expedition)), there are very few genuine flat earthers remaining. Your own cite to wikipedia says: > [@](#): > > The **larger** flat Earth community has largely rejected the results and accused the participants, including the flat Earthers, of having faked the expedition and of being part of a larger conspiracy to promote the spherical Earth model. My emphasis ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/78 "2026-10-14T10:15:19Z")
The flerf community was already small, so losing several prominent advocates means there are very few left. Several channels that used to run shows taking flat earth calls, like Dr Blitz, have had to branch out to covering e.g. creationism, because they were struggling to get enough callers. BTW young-earth creationism was the example I should have used for my previous post. It’s arguably more stupid than flat earth (in fact, it should _include_ positing a flat earth, if it includes biblical literalism), but is believed by millions of Americans and influences public policy and skepticism towards science. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/79 "2026-10-14T12:22:50Z")
I was under the impression that a large majority of flat-earthers were just philosophical contrarians (which may just be a fancy word for “trolls”.) ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737/80 "2026-10-14T13:19:23Z")
Yes, I think so: large majority of trolls, some genuine believers. And I’d also say there’s a lot more flat-curious than genuine flerfs. By which I mean: there are people into various conspiracies, who don’t have great scientific understanding, or critical thinking. They really want to be a contrarian of “mainstream science” and its “so-called experts”, and this is one way. However, they may not have committed to a particular view about the earth, and certainly don’t want to try to defend a flat earth. They just want to throw out talking points about how the vacuum of space or relativity is silly. Whether that’s a troll or a confused person, potato tomato. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-proof-the-earth-isnt-flat/1033737.md?page=5)