# Is the world really round? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [June 15, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439 "2005-06-15T20:39:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mfprowley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@mfprowley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mfprowley)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/1 "2005-06-15T20:39:01Z")
In addition to the “Proofs” of concept given by Cecil, lets remember our old greek friend, Eratosthenes, who in about 300 BC used a stick to compare the shadow when the sun was directly overhead to the shadow at some known distance directly north at the same time. He used the angle to very acurately calculate the circumfrence, and therefor the diameter of the earth. Of course to do this he was already assuming the earth was round becasue of the differences in the shadow length on the same day in different locations - the conclusion was inescapable. Except apparently for the “Church” who only within the last 30 years admitted that the earth was round. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/2 "2005-06-15T20:44:29Z")
> [@mfprowley](#): > > Except apparently for the “Church” who only within the last 30 years admitted that the earth was round. Which church is that, and when did they admit it? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/3 "2005-06-15T20:46:58Z")
Actually, it’s kind of pear-shaped. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/4 "2005-06-15T20:56:48Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Actually, it’s kind of pear-shaped. As long as you’re careful to note that it’s less “pear-shaped” than a cue ball, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Hoodoo\_Ulove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/58956e/32.png) [@Hoodoo\_Ulove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoodoo_Ulove)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/5 "2005-06-15T20:59:36Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Actually, it’s kind of pear-shaped. No. Pears are prolate. Terra is oblate. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/6 "2005-06-15T21:13:45Z")
> [@Captain Amazing](#): > > Which church is that, and when did they admit it? Seeing that educated people in the West have known that the Earth is round for over 2,300 years, that would apparently be the Church of Straw. ---
**Author:** ![Hoodoo\_Ulove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/58956e/32.png) [@Hoodoo\_Ulove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoodoo_Ulove)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/7 "2005-06-15T21:33:33Z")
> [@John W. Kennedy](#): > > Seeing that educated people in the West have known that the Earth is round for over 2,300 years, that would apparently be the Church of Straw. Or the Christian Catholic Apostolic Church. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/8 "2005-06-16T12:19:59Z")
> [@Hoodoo Ulove](#): > > Or the Christian Catholic Apostolic Church. That would presumably be the Christian Catholic Apostolic Church of Zion, Illinois, of which the less said, the better. ---
**Author:** ![Hoodoo\_Ulove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/58956e/32.png) [@Hoodoo\_Ulove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoodoo_Ulove)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/9 "2005-06-16T13:18:45Z")
I said less than you! ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/10 "2005-06-16T14:54:55Z")
> [@John W. Kennedy](#): > > Seeing that educated people in the West have known that the Earth is round for over 2,300 years, that would apparently be the Church of Straw. I hope they don’t use candles in their services, because that could easily become a disaster. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/11 "2005-06-16T18:00:58Z")
Well it’s round 'round here, is it round 'round you? 😛 ---
**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:** [June 16, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/12 "2005-06-16T20:13:53Z")
A guest does post a link, that’s one thing. But half a dozen members pile on with still no link. Shame, shame. 🙂 The column in question appears to be [You say the earth is round? Prove it](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_087.html). Welcome to the boards, oh guest who provides a fine example that Cecil missed. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/13 "2005-06-17T21:03:55Z")
No, you’re probably thinking of this: It may have been only in the last 30 years that “the Church” (by which I assume you mean the Vatican, harlot of Babylon, Holy Mother Church, keeper of the death cookie, your mileage may vary) officially conceded that the earth was not the center of the universe. They probably also maintained that it was a near-perfect sphere. That said, considering the fringe [“Biblical Astronomy”](http://www.atlbible.org/astronomy.htm) group is out there publishing (I think they’re medieval-style geocentrist astrologers), & then there was the guy that insisted we live inside a hollow earth, I’m not shocked that anyone is going further to Flat Earth-ism. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/14 "2005-06-17T21:38:11Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > No, you’re probably thinking of this: It may have been only in the last 30 years that “the Church” (by which I assume you mean the Vatican, harlot of Babylon, Holy Mother Church, keeper of the death cookie, your mileage may vary) officially conceded that the earth was not the center of the universe. They probably also maintained that it was a near-perfect sphere. Rubbish. The RCC has accepted heliocentrism for centuries. What you are probably thinking of is the reopening of the case as to whether Galileo was guilty of defying the Church, even though the Church had been wrong. (For which a good case can be made; there’s no doubt that Galileo was a bit of a smartass.) ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/15 "2005-06-17T21:43:28Z")
Who on earth says that the earth is round? I tend to lean towards it being spherical. ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/16 "2005-06-19T05:11:01Z")
Someone’s got to say it - though I’m not sure why - it just seems necessary: What with global warming, other environmental concerns, the same worries about hunger and poverty, and the access that yo-yo’s around the world have to advanced weapons of local destruction - the world’s in poor to fair shape. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/17 "2005-06-19T13:51:42Z")
> [@John W. Kennedy](#): > > What you are probably thinking of is the reopening of the case as to whether Galileo was guilty of defying the Church, even though the Church had been wrong. (For which a good case can be made; there’s no doubt that Galileo was a bit of a smartass.) I’m working on a cite, but I think he more or less called the pope a simpleton. Maybe he wasn’t so bright after all. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/18 "2005-06-20T21:37:20Z")
I think that the character Simplicus that he used in his book was a thinly veiled reference to the then Pope. I also seem to remember that there was a lot of fuss made over him having dolphins on the front of the book, which were interpreted as being an anti-Vatican reference, too. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/19 "2005-06-20T22:13:15Z")
> [@](#): > > (For which a good case can be made; there’s no doubt that Galileo was a bit of a smartass.) I would cast plenty of doubt on the proposition that Galileo was a bit of a smartass. He was not a bit of a smartass, he was 100% smartass jerk, through and through. Were he a member of the SDMB, he’d probably have been banned within six months of joining. But he was still right. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439/20 "2005-06-21T01:52:58Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Actually, it’s kind of pear-shaped. Ah. I thought the world had gone all pear-shaped. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-world-really-round/308439.md?page=2)