Claim: The Earth is Round

Question

I found a lot of evidence that the earth is round. Some people believe it is flat.

https://physicsworld.com/a/fighting-flat-earth-theory/

Answer 1

I learned in my Stars and Galaxies class at UIUC that an evidence to prove that the earth is round is from a lunar eclipse! This article states what i learned, "Earth passes between the moon and sun, so that the sun projects Earth’s shadow onto the Moon in the night sky"

https://crosstalk.cell.com/blog/seven-ways-to-prove-earth-is-round

Comments

Good explanation and link, though it's best to use more reputable sources like academic or media organizations, rather than blog posts (though you can go to the blog's source or check citations when digging deeper). Also, if you search for existing fact-checks you might find something useful like this: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2022/11/17/fact-check-ample-evidence-earth-round-and-rotating/8267678001/. Additionally, don't forget to add a rating (re: see the sidebar) like "not misinformation, true."

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I like how you used actual facts to prove that the Earth is round. For most people this is an obvious thing, but also some people do not believe it and they need proof to show them what is right. This fact you used makes it hard to have any other opinion.

Answer 2

In this article it explains how science can prove that the Earth is indeed a globe shape. Our satellites and high-powered telescopes that we have all over space and the world have shown us that the Earth is round and has curves.

https://www.unlv.edu/news/release/round-earth-clues-how-science-proves-our-home-globe

Comments

Good work providing a solid explanation and locating a sound source. Don't forget to add a rating, such as "true, not misinformation," for the claim. For more information on ratings, see the sidebar of the page.

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I like that you included a university source in order to support your answer. In the future, maybe use more than one source to support the findings of the article, as well as look deeper into the sources that the university used to create their article.

Answer 3

The Earth is neither round or flat, According to this article I found, National Ocean Service, the Earth is actually shaped like an "irregular shaped ellipsoid." This is caused by external force which is the centrifugal force which impacts the shape of the Earth. The overall shape of the Earth turns out to be constantly changing. 

Comments

This is an interesting source and explanation. Great work. Don't forget to add a rating, such as "misinformation" if you believe the claim is inaccurate. However, in this case, an ellipsoid is a round shape, so it might be "not misinformation, true."

Answer 4

Here are 7 ways to prove the earth is round for people who don't believe you!

https://crosstalk.cell.com/blog/seven-ways-to-prove-earth-is-round

Comments

When fact-checking, it's best to provide a detailed explanation to the claim. Such as, "the claim that the earth is round is true based on www.crosstalk.cell.com. The blog states ..." You'll also want to add a rating (found on the sidebar of the page). Additionally, this source was already used above, so it's best to find another, especially since it's not a reputable source. Academic or media outlets are better sources to support a fact-check.

Answer 5

The spherical shape of the Earth is supported by a wide variety of scientific evidence collected over the years:

1.Photos from space: Images taken from satellites and space stations, such as those provided by NASA, clearly show the round shape of the Earth.

2. Space travel: Astronauts who have traveled into space have personally witnessed the sphericity of the Earth. This includes manned missions to the Moon and the International Space Station.

3. Navigation and flight: Air and sea navigation is based on maps and systems that assume the round shape of the Earth. Long-distance flights also follow curved routes, which would be inexplicable in a flat model.

4. Effect of gravity: The way gravity acts on different parts of the Earth also suggests a sphere. The gravitational force is strongest at the poles and weakest at the equator, which is consistent with the spherical shape.

5. Astronomical phenomena: Astronomical observations, such as changes in constellations as you move north or south, are consistent with a spherical Earth.

6. Lunar and solar eclipses: The way the Earth's shadow is cast on the Moon during a lunar eclipse and the way the Moon blocks sunlight during a solar eclipse are indicative of a sphere.

7. Scientific experiments: Historical scientific experiments, such as that of Eratosthenes, who measured shadows at two distant locations to calculate the circumference of the Earth, provide additional evidence.

8. The law of perspective:The way objects disappear into the horizon as we move away suggests a curvature in the Earth's surface.

9. Photographs of the Earth from the Moon: Images taken by lunar missions, such as Apollo 8, which show the Earth as a complete sphere from the Moon.

10. Historical documentation: Historical texts and ancient observations by explorers and navigators that support the idea of a round Earth.

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Comments

This is a very detailed and well done fact check. Even without exact links to sources, this fact check provides a plethora of specific examples that prove the factuality of this claim. Listing these specific examples helps readers to understand the scientific factual information behind the claim. I think this fact check would be even better with specific links to these studies and examples.

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This fact check is very well done. It is specific and gets to the point. This comment gives readers 10 reasons that prove their statement is true. This is a very insightful fact check because of the in-depth analysis on why the Earth is round.

Answer 6

While a widening group of people may hold a belief that the earth is flat, many scientific studies have in fact proved the opposite. This article produced by Arizona State University debunks this rumor, stating many confirmations that the Earth is round. A few examples include that we would be able to see very far far off lands if the Earth was flat, and we cannot; the Sun produces differently shaped shadows when it is shining, which is proof the Earth is round because otherwise all shadows would be identical, etc. The idea that the Earth is flat is entirely a falsehood and a conspiracy theory. I would say the article above is actually true, because it gives light to the conspiracy theory, but also says why it is not true.

https://askanearthspacescientist.asu.edu/top-question/flat-earth

Answer 7

For such a well-known fact, I think it would be fun to mix things up. Instead of scientific evidence, I will provide strict evidence from flat-earthers who proved themselves wrong. In an experiment showcased in the Netflix documentary "Behind the Curve," a flat-earther conducts a roughly $20,000 experiment where he places two walls with identical holes, each 17 feet from sea level, equally as far apart from each other as he is to them. He will then shine a light through the two walls at 17 feet above sea level. He believed if the light shined through both holes while the light was at 17 feet above sea level, the Earth would be proven flat. He also believed if the light was placed higher, roughly 23 feet above sea level, the Earth would be proven round. Things went awry though as when the light shined, no beam was visible. When he asked for the beam to be higher, the light was perfectly visible, proving his theory incorrect.

https://www.jpost.com/science/article-747185

Answer 8

A quick google search brings one to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's(NOAA) website, they state that the earth is "closer to an ellipsoid". I did not know what an ellipsoid was, so I looked at an image and found one linked here on the Wikipedia page. It does in fact appear to be round. 

Sources: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/earth-round.html 

               https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellipsoid