Flat earth- what’s your opinion??

[GaaaaarlicBread]

Just catching up on This Mornings interview with a flat earther-can’t get my head around his debate but at the same time he makes some points that sound very realistic and he seems knowledgable . But I do believe our earth is round and not flat but very open to other people’s views , so just wondered what you think Mumsnetters?? Sorry if there’s been a thread like this before....
YANBU=our earth is round
YABU= it is flat

Well there is the plethora of videos on youtube (that have also recently assimilated one of the people I know) and then there is science. Thousands of years of science. Go to a library and look up old books. Most of the youtube videos contradict stuff I learnt in primary/elementary school. And they have no answers to valid questions, including one about inertia.

1. If the Earth IS flat, then why don't the flat earthers prove it by making a doco about going to the edge? No excuse is valid.
2. Yes, the Aussie Dick Smith DID fly around the world - going via the north and south poles. Something the flat earthers say is not possible. It has been done. In the 1980s. www.nationalgeographic.com.au/people/richard-dick-smith-ac.aspx
3. According to flat earthers.... iwastesomuchtime.com/solar_system_ac_17426

The 4% of people here who think the world is flat.... wow.

And those that say it's opinion?

Clearly you think science is heresy.
Do you think the moon is also made of cheese?

The moon is made of Wensleydale surely everyone knows that?

It cracks DS (12) up that he once saw an interview with a ‘flatearther’ who claimed they had supporters ‘all around the globe’

I honestly thought this would be one of those polls with 100% YANBU.

So every planet and moon in our solar system is round but the Earth is flat?

Sure. Makes perfect sense.

why hasn't all the sea run out

The mineral content of the water is so high that it is attracted to the magnetic core that is secretly stored in The Luggage and therefore doesn't run out.

@RedToothBrush you’re kidding right?? Please tell me you’re kidding!

The 4% of people here who think the world is flat.... wow.

The best thing about this thread is the number of people who have not read the thread.

I voted YABU too just because it's all making me laugh so much.

As said upthread, I'm disappointed in the MN sense of the ridiculous on this thread. I really would have hoped for a totally straight-faced 50-50 split and this thread going straight into Classics as a result

MoonlightMistletoe I find Flat Earth arguments fascinating and I've seen the video of the 'rocket hitting the dome'

Firstly if it had then it would have been destroyed. Flat Earthers have been watching too many Road Runner cartoons where poor old Wile.E. Coyote hits a wall on a rocket and stops with a Doooooinnggggg! :)

What actually happens in that video is that as planned the rocket runs out of fuel. It keeps going of course but stops accelerating.
Then again as planned the "Yo-Yo despin" mechanism is deployed (with a bang) to stop it spinning quickly so that you can see clearly.

The Yo-Yo despin is quite an elegant method. Like an ice skater spreads their arms wide to slow a spin this deploys 2 weights on cables which straighten out.

As said upthread, I'm disappointed in the MN sense of the ridiculous on this thread. I really would have hoped for a totally straight-faced 50-50 split and this thread going straight into Classics as a result

A missed opportunity for a daily mail headline if ever I saw one.

'50% of Mums think earth is flat'

Surely if you've been on long distance flights in daylight you can see the curvature of the earth. You don't have to have been to space, although they show it more conclusively.

I'm assuming people who believe in FE also believe in God. Mostly they do. They like to quote the creation story from the bible and they say the 'firmament' is the dome.

The bible doesn't really say it is flat, but it says round a lot which could mean a disk if you wanted it to badly enough. Oh and it has that silly bit where god stops the sun moving to give Joshua time to finish what he is doing. :)

@RedToothBrush I’ve read the whole thread! You linked to a discussion on the fakery of the moon landing, that was my “you’re kidding” comment.

They like to quote the creation story from the bible

Well unless they are reading it in the original language (and I know they are not) how can they trust the translation ?

I wish I believed.

The map of the flat earth is beautiful in design.

@LastTrainEast That makes perfect sense regarding the rocket running out of fuel. From what I gather the dome isn't made of glass or anything "solid" i think if I remember correctly it's a magnetic force which also makes sense which would also explain the rocket not crashing/exploding, what are your thoughts on that?

That's the thing about the bible , you can interpret it in many ways.

@DGRossetti, because they are reading it in the original American English, duh.

I'm sorry, surely the number one piece of evidence that proves the earth is round is that if it was a global agreement to dupe us all into believing it was round, then Donald Trump would have pulled the USA out of said agreement and declared they are all wrong, the USA is right and the earth is in fact flat and he knows everything about a flat earth , probably knows more than anyone else, even scientists about a flat earth

I wonder if flat earthers get together with other flat earthers, marry and have children, etc. I can't imagine them fitting in with anyone else.

Quite sweet really - and harmless enough (as long as it isn't your mum or dad who espouses that philosophy, imagine the embarrassment).

If I feel hard up for an old bloke in the future, I might consider joining up to see what's on offer (not a serious remark).

9/11 was a conspiracy, even the US government say it was a conspiracy. The only speculation is on the nature of the conspiracy, whether we believe the US government's version or not

Yeah, it wasn't though.

The royal family are all shape changing lizards.

@DGRossetti

"The bottom line is a way I heard science and woo differentiated. Science invites and encourages scrutiny and scientists are more than happy to debunk bad science. Whereas woo merchants run a mile from scrutiny, usually muttering "so you're one of them ...." as they flee."

This is EXACTLY the problem I have with "pro-vaccine" arguments. They are hurling insults at "anti-vaxxers" as if they (the pro-vaccine side) don't have a logical argument to make. Everyone should be able to have a calm discussion about facts. If you have to use fear and insults to prove your point, you probably don't have a logical point to be made. And if all else fails, tell them they are being selfish. Next we'll hear that not vaccinating harms grandmothers and kittens.

@opticaldelusion

9/11 was a conspiracy, even the US government say it was a conspiracy. The only speculation is on the nature of the conspiracy, whether we believe the US government's version or not

Yeah, it wasn't though.

Of course it was a conspiracy, of one party or another. That's how they pulled it off.

Conspiracy: a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful.

I don't think the US was involved just watching Bush hear the news as he reads picture books about goats shows he was totally caught off guard but 9/11 was definitely a conspiracy.