# Flat earth clowns! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 17, 2015, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flat-earth-clowns/734934 "2015-10-17T20:37:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2015, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flat-earth-clowns/734934/61 "2015-10-25T01:13:38Z")
Flat, like an old-fashioned vinyl LP. The “center” is the north pole. The circumference is the South Pole. Beyond that is an infinite plain of ice. Some embellish this by saying there is a huge and unclimbable cliff of ice before you get to the plain. Of course, this only makes me wonder: how far out into the plain of ice can we explore? Let’s have endurance runs. Go out, cache fuel and supplies, use those for farther runs, etc. Why not? Exploration of the unknown is in our nature. Maybe we’ll find other “islands” of habitable land. These guys have no imagination! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flat-earth-clowns/734934/62 "2015-10-26T21:03:31Z")
The [UN flag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_United_Nations#/media/File:Flag_of_the_United_Nations.svg) (sans olive branches) is used by Flat Earthers to claim that the world leaders _really know_ it’s flat. The Earth doesn’t really extend much past the ice wall at the edge. After all, the Sun, Moon, etc., all have to pass around those edges (and they are orbiting quite close). One odd thing about the Discworld view is that it contradicts the Bible which mentions the Earth having 4 corners. So the edge should be a square, not a circle. Also, Jerusalem, not the North Pole, should be at the center of the Universe. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2015, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flat-earth-clowns/734934/63 "2015-10-26T21:05:12Z")
Dante knew the truth! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flat-earth-clowns/734934/64 "2015-11-02T18:44:43Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > The Earth doesn’t really extend much past the ice wall at the edge. After all, the Sun, Moon, etc., all have to pass around those edges (and they are orbiting quite close). I realized that this doesn’t apply for _some_ people using the North Pole-centric model. They have the Sun and Moon circling ~above the equator. They have ridiculous super-magic optics to explain day-night and the seasons. Ergo, the “edge” of the Earth could be quite far off or even without end. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flat-earth-clowns/734934/65 "2015-11-02T19:25:44Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Yes. Are these the same guys (or guy) who write about the Anglican Church and its hierarchy as “the greaseball Anglicans”? That’s what stuck in my mind the last time I browsed a flat-earth site, or maybe it was some kind of newsletter. An odd assemblage of predjudices and nonsense, in any case. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flat-earth-clowns/734934/66 "2015-11-02T21:36:48Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > I realized that this doesn’t apply for _some_ people using the North Pole-centric model. > > They have the Sun and Moon circling ~above the equator. They have ridiculous super-magic optics to explain day-night and the seasons. > > Ergo, the “edge” of the Earth could be quite far off or even without end. Exactly so! And it doesn’t require all that much in “super-magic optics.” Just ordinary refraction (where you cheat and the refraction is away from the angle of incidence, instead of toward it. But shhh.!) This is also why you can’t see very distant mountains. For instance, here in San Diego, I should be able to see the San Gabriel mountains, because they’re proportionally higher than any intervening hills. But (negative) refraction accounts for it perfectly. (Also the illusion of ships sinking into the water as they go out to sea. Optical illusions!) Ah, the joy of a simple (stupid) explanation that covers everything! ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flat-earth-clowns/734934/67 "2017-01-03T16:30:21Z")
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