Is this site real?

Do you actually believe the earth is flat or is this a gag?  If it is, it's going a little far because I thought the humor would stop short of creating a forum.

Of course we believe in this. Now, it would be silly for me to say we all do. Lots of us are flat earthers, some epistemologists, some skeptics, some trolls.  Luckily most our trolls jumped off the lifeboat recently.

I've ridden in airplanes high enough to see the curve of the earth. My university has sent up a high altitude ballon with a camera rolling footage. It (obviously) got higher than the plane, but the mass was spherical. I fail to understand what benefit there is in believing what you do. I find people like you fascinating. Despite countless experiments and full on observation. The ISS can see the earth is round. You still continue?  Why?

I've ridden in airplanes high enough to see the curve of the earth. My university has sent up a high altitude ballon with a camera rolling footage. It (obviously) got higher than the plane, but the mass was spherical. I fail to understand what benefit there is in believing what you do. I find people like you fascinating. Despite countless experiments and full on observation. The ISS can see the earth is round. You still continue?  Why?

I'm curious.
When they send up these helium balloons that allegedly go up to X aamount of miles. Where do they store the parachute?
I mean, I've seen many a balloon set off on video but I can't figure out where the parachute is stored and how it is deployed. It's just a question.

While I don't know the details on that, the video was transmitted live. It starts with showing my professor looking at it and sending it off with no cut in feed. I am not sure how they collected it afterwards. Perhaps it eventually deflated enough to safely float back down, but I wasn't involved in that.

While I don't know the details on that, the video was transmitted live. It starts with showing my professor looking at it and sending it off with no cut in feed. I am not sure how they collected it afterwards. Perhaps it eventually deflated enough to safely float back down, but I wasn't involved in that.

Can you see anything wrong with this video?

#" class="bbc_link" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Balloon with camera goes to space. amazing

Yes, most of the balloons sent to high altitude use wide angle lenses.  This is not to purposely make the horizon appear to be curved, but it is done so that the most amount of surface area can be seen in the video.  However, this does also have the effect of making horizon appear to curve. 

Do you actually believe the earth is flat or is this a gag?

I think for most of them it's a role playing thing where you essentially join the club, then have to pretend you believe in a flat earth all the time, and constantly argue for it.

A few are genuine conspiracy theorists who have some strange ideas, but mainly they pretend.

Take a look at the start of that video and observe him putting the stuff together and about to let go. Can anyone see, anywhere, where there would be a place for a parachuite?

Yes, most of the balloons sent to high altitude use wide angle lenses.  This is not to purposely make the horizon appear to be curved, but it is done so that the most amount of surface area can be seen in the video.  However, this does also have the effect of making horizon appear to curve.

Wide angle lenses do not distort straight lines.

Quote from: jroa on February 15, 2014, 07:40:06 AM

Yes, most of the balloons sent to high altitude use wide angle lenses.  This is not to purposely make the horizon appear to be curved, but it is done so that the most amount of surface area can be seen in the video.  However, this does also have the effect of making horizon appear to curve.

Wide angle lenses do not distort straight lines.

Really?  That's not what wikipedia says.

some degree of barrel distortion is not uncommon here.

What about the international space station and the people that see the earth from it?  What about pilots that flight high enough to see the curve of the earth?  What about satellites that orbit?  If the earth truly was flat and had a boundary, why hasn't it been explored to its limit (the icy area)? What about seasons?

Quote from: Only-logic on February 15, 2014, 06:01:17 AM

Do you actually believe the earth is flat or is this a gag?

I think for most of them it's a role playing thing where you essentially join the club, then have to pretend you believe in a flat earth all the time, and constantly argue for it.

A few are genuine conspiracy theorists who have some strange ideas, but mainly they pretend.

Wouldn't a more practical use of logic skills be to debate less idiotic ideas?  While choosing he harder to defend stance can offer a challenge, wouldn't those skills be better sharpened on a more practical topic such as: "is there a god?", "are we alone?", or another more interesting philosophical topic?

Quote from: Only-logic on February 15, 2014, 06:01:17 AM

Do you actually believe the earth is flat or is this a gag?

I think for most of them it's a role playing thing where you essentially join the club, then have to pretend you believe in a flat earth all the time, and constantly argue for it.

A few are genuine conspiracy theorists who have some strange ideas, but mainly they pretend.

They give us cookies for joining the club. You should join us. The earth if flat, mofo.

What about the international space station and the people that see the earth from it?  What about pilots that flight high enough to see the curve of the earth?  What about satellites that orbit?  If the earth truly was flat and had a boundary, why hasn't it been explored to its limit (the icy area)? What about seasons?

There are several ongoing threads discussing these very topics.  Check out Flat Earth General and Flat Earth Q&A as well as this debate forum.