"TOP 10 REASONS Why We Know the Earth is Round" Debunked

We get this video a lot, so I thought I'd make an easily found thread debunking it. If a mod could sticky this that would be awesome.

1. Other planets are round

According to Flat Earth Theory, the Earth and other planets are not really the same type of celestial body. To put it another way, which I'm sure everyone everywhere will take offense to, the Earth is different.

2. Time Zones

This is the first of a trend in this video, in which Henry (the host of MinutePhysics, for those not subscribed) assumes that the Flat Earth is exactly the same as the Round Earth in every way except for shape. The sun works in a manner similar to a spotlight in Flat Earth Theory, which is why time zones exist. When the Sun isn't pointing overhead, it's nighttime.

3. The Coriolis Effect

Once again, Henry is making assumptions. There are a few differing opinions about this, as Flat Earth Theory is not a unified theory. Some people doubt the existence of Coriolis as anything more than a theorized force, as the evidence for it is largely contrived. Others have various explanations for it, such as the Shadow of the Aetheric Wind theorized by myself.

4. Triangles

This is little more than conjecture. It is literally impossible to perform this experiment on the scale required.

5. The Sun

Henry is assuming again. The Sun's apparent movement is caused by the Sun actually moving. As for Eratosthenes's famous experiment to measure the diameter of the Earth, that assumes a Round Earth. If we assume a Flat Earth, the same experiment gives us the distance to the Sun.

6. Stars Change

Another assumption. This time, he's assuming that FE geography is just a Mercator map. It's not. The Earth is a disk centered around the North Pole, which would provide the same effect.

7. Magellan

Again, the Earth isn't in the shape of a Mercator map. That would be silly. Magellan and many others simply made a circle around the disk of the Earth.

8. The Horizon

This is just a perspective effect. First of all, apparently large waves will obscure apparently small objects. Therefore, looking out long distances over water you will of course be unable to see land on the other side. In addition, refraction has an effect. Some flat Earthers theorize an electromagnetic acceleration which appears to bend light upward.

9. Eclipses

Eclipses are caused by the sun going behind the moon, or vice versa. It's that simple. Once again, Henry is assuming everything is exactly the same.

10. Photographic Evidence

Most photographic evidence actually demonstrates what we would expect to see on a disk shaped, flat Earth: a circle with little to no apparent curvature. Add in camera distortion, and that's our explanation for low Earth photos. As for photos like the famous Blue Marble, that the space agencies of the World are involved in a conspiracy is depressingly obvious if you look at the evidence.

____

I'd appreciate it if you didn't respond to this thread, or if a mod locked it. It's not up for discussion. This is just to let newcomers know that they can't 'destroy FES with a single video' as so many hope to. It's not that easy. Sorry.

Seriously, this isn't a debate thread. If you want to debate it, feel free to make a new thread. I'm not responding to questions or concerns in this one.

I don't know, stickying this might make Thork angry.

Thork is always angry.

Thank you. This is a must.

Sorry to clog the thread, but can something also be added about the superluminal velocity objection to UA?  It gets annoying to constantly explain special relativity to people.

Sorry to clog the thread, but can something also be added about the superluminal velocity objection to UA?  It gets annoying to constantly explain special relativity to people.

Nah, this is just for that video. If there's popular demand for it I'll add it to the FAQ, though.

Thork is always angry.

True.  And it's kind of fun making him angry anyway.  Stickied.

I suggest that some of these should go to FAQ. Newbies tend to ask the same questions over and over.

I think the next move would for the FAQ to be edited to reflect this idea.

Who the hell stickied this?

I want answers.

I did.  I am planning to do a lot more stickying in the future as well. 

This is precisely why you aren't allowed to sticky things. No, someone has dropped a b*ll*ck and now we are all having to deal with the consequences.

Locking this thread would be a good idea.

Locking this thread would be a good idea.

And unsticking it.

1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1? Also wasnt the video 10 reasons? (there are 9 answers)

1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1? Also wasnt the video 10 reasons? (there are 9 answers)

This is from a special branch of zetetic maths called 'zetetic counting'.

1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1? Also wasnt the video 10 reasons? (there are 9 answers)

I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about... 

"9. Eclipses

Eclipses are caused by the sun going behind the moon, or vice versa. It's that simple. Once again, Henry is assuming everything is exactly the same."

A lunar eclipse is when the shadow of the Earth falls on the moon.  The moon and the sun are far apart.  Full moons are always farthest from the sun, so there's no way the moon is going behind the sun.

Also, if the moon went behind the sun it would be during a new moon, at daytime (if we were to see it) and we wouldn't even notice it.

Debunked? LOL

All you did was stick your fingers in your ears and yell LALALALALALALALALA!

Twerp.

And where are your mathematics that debunk the 10 reasons we know the Earth is round?

Where are your articles in peer-reviewed journals?

Where are your observations, your photos, your astronauts that have been on the International Space Station?

Where are your GPS systems that work based on the fact we know the Earth is round.

Where are your satellite television network and internet satellites that work based on Flat Earth principles?

Where is your evidence that that the Earth is different and not round like the other planets for no reason at all?

Where is your proof of conspiracies regarding the picture of the Earth? We have hundreds of satellites orbiting Earth at various distances, the only way we can take pictures of some of the celestial objects that astronomers study is by putting satellites in space.

So all the pictures of the other planets being round are true, but the one of the Earth is not?

Excuse me, where is everyone's (by everyone, I mean everyone who believes the nonsense on this board) PhD or engineering degree that actually is responsible for building rockets, satellites, GPS systems, etc?

Seriously, this board is so full of ignorance that I rank you guys lower than Creationists, and I thought that was as low as one could be.

ColtonCM, make a thread for each of your questions in the Q&A forum.  If there is something you want to debate, make a thread in the Debate forum. 

We get this video a lot, so I thought I'd make an easily found thread debunking it. If a mod could sticky this that would be awesome.

1. Other planets are round

According to Flat Earth Theory, the Earth and other planets are not really the same type of celestial body. To put it another way, which I'm sure everyone everywhere will take offense to, the Earth is different.

2. Time Zones

This is the first of a trend in this video, in which Henry (the host of MinutePhysics, for those not subscribed) assumes that the Flat Earth is exactly the same as the Round Earth in every way except for shape. The sun works in a manner similar to a spotlight in Flat Earth Theory, which is why time zones exist. When the Sun isn't pointing overhead, it's nighttime.

3. The Coriolis Effect

Once again, Henry is making assumptions. There are a few differing opinions about this, as Flat Earth Theory is not a unified theory. Some people doubt the existence of Coriolis as anything more than a theorized force, as the evidence for it is largely contrived. Others have various explanations for it, such as the Shadow of the Aetheric Wind theorized by myself.

4. Triangles

This is little more than conjecture. It is literally impossible to perform this experiment on the scale required.

5. The Sun

Henry is assuming again. The Sun's apparent movement is caused by the Sun actually moving. As for Eratosthenes's famous experiment to measure the diameter of the Earth, that assumes a Round Earth. If we assume a Flat Earth, the same experiment gives us the distance to the Sun.

6. Stars Change

Another assumption. This time, he's assuming that FE geography is just a Mercator map. It's not. The Earth is a disk centered around the North Pole, which would provide the same effect.

7. Magellan

Again, the Earth isn't in the shape of a Mercator map. That would be silly. Magellan and many others simply made a circle around the disk of the Earth.

8. The Horizon

This is just a perspective effect. First of all, apparently large waves will obscure apparently small objects. Therefore, looking out long distances over water you will of course be unable to see land on the other side. In addition, refraction has an effect. Some flat Earthers theorize an electromagnetic acceleration which appears to bend light upward.

9. Eclipses

Eclipses are caused by the sun going behind the moon, or vice versa. It's that simple. Once again, Henry is assuming everything is exactly the same.

10. Photographic Evidence

Most photographic evidence actually demonstrates what we would expect to see on a disk shaped, flat Earth: a circle with little to no apparent curvature. Add in camera distortion, and that's our explanation for low Earth photos. As for photos like the famous Blue Marble, that the space agencies of the World are involved in a conspiracy is depressingly obvious if you look at the evidence.

____

I'd appreciate it if you didn't respond to this thread, or if a mod locked it. It's not up for discussion. This is just to let newcomers know that they can't 'destroy FES with a single video' as so many hope to. It's not that easy. Sorry.

Seriously, this isn't a debate thread. If you want to debate it, feel free to make a new thread. I'm not responding to questions or concerns in this one.

Lets see how many things we can debunk on your side.

Why do you think the Earth is flat?

http://www.theflatearthsociety.org/tiki/tiki-index.php?page=Experimental%20Evidence
http://www.theflatearthsociety.org/tiki/tiki-index.php?page=Occams+Razor
http://www.theflatearthsociety.org/tiki/tiki-index.php?page=The%20Conspiracy
OK, I am a Round-Earther, but I want to help other REs by showing them what evidences to refute.

First point:  "It is proven that the ship does not sink behind a hill of water, but that it is actually perspective which hides it." 

Rebuttal:  There is no "hill" of water.  Water—being a fluid—finds its own level.  And that level follows, nominally, the curvature of the earth's surface beneath it.  To put it scientifically, the surface of the oceans and seas, either individually or collectively, will be situated at exactly the same distance from the earth's centre of gravity.  This, in itself, plus the "sinking ship" illusion, proves the earth's sphericity.  Flat earthers repeatedly misuse the term "perspective" to justify their observations whilst not understanding the technical ramifications of the word.

Second point:  "Occam's Razor proves the earth is flat".

Rebuttal:  Occam's Razor says that among competing hypotheses, the one with the fewest assumptions should be selected as the correct one, but—and this is where the flat earth reliance on Occam falls down—other, more complicated solutions may ultimately prove correct.  Occam's Razor does not "prove" any two postulates one way or the other.  In other words it doesn't provide any proof—in itself—that the earth is flat or spherical.  Only science can prove that either way.

Third point:  "The Conspiracy, by virtue of its purported existence, proves that the spherical earth model is incorrect due to willful misinformation.

Rebuttal:  No worldwide conspiracy to delude the public's perception of the geometry of the earth has ever been exposed.  Any "conspiracy" exists only in the collective imaginations of flat earth proponents, and is utilised simply to replace valid scientific theories that refute their flat earth hypothesis.  No flat earther has yet been able to explain why a flat earth scenario would favour any particular individual and/or organisation, or, conversely, what advantages the spherical earth model grants any individual and/or organisation.

I'd like to add to the second point.  It seems that occam's razer favors round earth.

While "earth is stationary and flat" seems simpler than "earth is oblate spheroid hurling through space" on the surface, the amount of unexplained and unobserved assumptions for flat earth add to to something extremely complex.  Universal acceleration, aether, bending light... all these things make FE very challenging to justify even within its own frame.

The round earth sounds complex on the surface, but the deeper you dig the simpler it becomes.

Hi,
I'm a newcomer to this site so excuse me if I seem to be pushy or asking questions that have already been answered. I just do not understand the theory. Scientific disagreements aside.
For me logical thinking can solve this problem in a matter of minutes. Maybe I'm missing something but why would these higher powers, government or other, spend all this time planning an elaborate hoax to convince the people that the Earth is flat?
This makes no sense to me. I'm sure you would agree that a lot of people would have to be involved in this... But for what? What's the upside? You might answer money and power but those things can be acquired in much simpler ways. Another question I wanted to ask is, is this society of the belief that the government has caused events such as 911 and other disasters?  Also does anybody running this have an actual degree in advanced mathematics or physics from any respectable college or university? Thanks so much for your time I appreciate you answering my questions however stupid they may seem to you.
Regards

Maybe I'm missing something but why would these higher powers, government or other, spend all this time planning an elaborate hoax to convince the people that the Earth is flat?

This is an often-asked question that's never been satisfactorily answered by any of the flat earthers.  Put another way;  why would the NWO and the corporatists and the government make more money, or exert more power on a round earth rather than a flat one?

Another question I wanted to ask is, is this society of the belief that the government has caused events such as 911 and other disasters?

In all likelihood—for many of them—yes.  Numerous flat earthers are conspiracy theorist in one way or another, and 9/11, the Apollo missions etc certainly fall within that distorted world view.

Also does anybody running this have an actual degree in advanced mathematics or physics from any respectable college or university?

This is an unknown, and will probably remain so due to many flat earthers lacking the courage of their convictions if they're questioned about their credibility when answering questions involving the established, empirical sciences.

(And please ignore a member named sceptimatic, who claims to possess thirteen academic qualifications—but who repeatedly refuses to name even one of them.  He's an acknowledged, long-time, but thick-skinned inveterate liar, so don't waste your time by being sucked into any of his puerile dialogues.)

—Welcome, from another round earther.   

We get this video a lot, so I thought I'd make an easily found thread debunking it. If a mod could sticky this that would be awesome.

1. Other planets are round

According to Flat Earth Theory, the Earth and other planets are not really the same type of celestial body. To put it another way, which I'm sure everyone everywhere will take offense to, the Earth is different.

2. Time Zones

This is the first of a trend in this video, in which Henry (the host of MinutePhysics, for those not subscribed) assumes that the Flat Earth is exactly the same as the Round Earth in every way except for shape. The sun works in a manner similar to a spotlight in Flat Earth Theory, which is why time zones exist. When the Sun isn't pointing overhead, it's nighttime.

3. The Coriolis Effect

Once again, Henry is making assumptions. There are a few differing opinions about this, as Flat Earth Theory is not a unified theory. Some people doubt the existence of Coriolis as anything more than a theorized force, as the evidence for it is largely contrived. Others have various explanations for it, such as the Shadow of the Aetheric Wind theorized by myself.

4. Triangles

This is little more than conjecture. It is literally impossible to perform this experiment on the scale required.

5. The Sun

Henry is assuming again. The Sun's apparent movement is caused by the Sun actually moving. As for Eratosthenes's famous experiment to measure the diameter of the Earth, that assumes a Round Earth. If we assume a Flat Earth, the same experiment gives us the distance to the Sun.

6. Stars Change

Another assumption. This time, he's assuming that FE geography is just a Mercator map. It's not. The Earth is a disk centered around the North Pole, which would provide the same effect.

7. Magellan

Again, the Earth isn't in the shape of a Mercator map. That would be silly. Magellan and many others simply made a circle around the disk of the Earth.

8. The Horizon

This is just a perspective effect. First of all, apparently large waves will obscure apparently small objects. Therefore, looking out long distances over water you will of course be unable to see land on the other side. In addition, refraction has an effect. Some flat Earthers theorize an electromagnetic acceleration which appears to bend light upward.

9. Eclipses

Eclipses are caused by the sun going behind the moon, or vice versa. It's that simple. Once again, Henry is assuming everything is exactly the same.

10. Photographic Evidence

Most photographic evidence actually demonstrates what we would expect to see on a disk shaped, flat Earth: a circle with little to no apparent curvature. Add in camera distortion, and that's our explanation for low Earth photos. As for photos like the famous Blue Marble, that the space agencies of the World are involved in a conspiracy is depressingly obvious if you look at the evidence.

____

I'd appreciate it if you didn't respond to this thread, or if a mod locked it. It's not up for discussion. This is just to let newcomers know that they can't 'destroy FES with a single video' as so many hope to. It's not that easy. Sorry.

Seriously, this isn't a debate thread. If you want to debate it, feel free to make a new thread. I'm not responding to questions or concerns in this one.

*Yawn*
What is this noise?

Wait... is number 4 literally saying that trigonometry stops working once the distances get too big?

Everyone here has to know thats completely and utter bullcrap right? I mean I get why you would want to get rid of trig, because it is a super easy, super simple, super cheap (maybe even free) way of proving the Earth is round all by yourself, but if thats the reason then just ignore trig and all calls to use it like jroa or legion.

Saying after so many units of measure suddenly a whole branch of math stops functioning is asinine.

I'm a newcomer to this site so excuse me if I seem to be pushy or asking questions that have already been answered. I just do not understand the theory. Scientific disagreements aside.

You'll have noticed, considering a week has passed, that the most obvious and well-versed people to answer your questions—the flat earthers—have become embarrassingly noticeable by their absence.

Why, you may ask.  The answer is simple once you've been on these forums long enough to notice it (or 20 minutes, whichever comes first LOL).  They're unable to answer direct questions with direct answers.

You may get some meaningless rhetoric from jroa, or some loony tunes stuff from sceptimatic, or some self-promotion from Heiwa, or even several pages of tedious copypasta from sandokhan and katsung47, but...

Credible, logical, real-world, empirically-based answers?  Not a snowball's chance in hell I'm afraid.

Sorry.