The Shape Of the Earth As We Know It

What is Earth to us?

The Earth is our home, and it consists of abundant natural resources that make it a perfect fit for human existence. As such, a lot of people care less if it is round or flat. The theory of what shape it exists has been amplified over time by various theorists and researchers. There has always been a burning desire to measure the size and distance of objects in our solar system. Have you ever wondered what the shape of the home to 7.7 billion people looks like? You might never know.

Is the Earth round or spherical?

However, this debate has been long challenged by Greek astronomy. Plato (427347 BC) was convinced that the Earth was spherical but could not prove this. However, Plato’s great student and scholar Aristotle, whose convincing pieces of evidence as to the roundness of the Earth, showed the shape of the Earth’s shadow that was visible during a Lunar Eclipse. Another Greek mathematician and geographer tried to prove that it was spherical were Eratosthenes (276194 BC). His method involved looking at the shadows cast by the sun on its surface. Greek philosophers established that it was round as far back as the third century BC, but it wasn’t until the 15th century that it became commonly accepted.

Ferdinand Magellan and his crew traveled around the world from 1519-1521, and their proof of a spherical earth was a testimony to the scientific world. The English mathematician and physicist Isaac Newton first proposed that the Earth was round but not perfectly round. He saw it as an oblate sphere swashed at its pole and swollen at the equator. This view of Earth’s horizon taken by an Expedition 7 crewmember onboard the International Space Station on June 13, 2003, shows the Earth as spherical. Scientists continue to insist that if all other planets and celestial objects are spheres, why will it be different? During a lunar eclipse, the Earth’s shadow on the moon is always curved.

Or is the Earth flat?

Theorists who believe that the Earth is flat, otherwise known as Flat-Earthers, honestly believe that it is a flat disc ringed by an ice wall. But in the 21st century, why is the theory that the Earth is flat gradually gaining momentum? This is due to the increasing distrust in those we once considered to be the gatekeepers of knowledge and a reason to question knowledge handed down to us as against the views of experts and the mainstream media and scientists.
But with the advent of social media and improvement in technology, the awareness of how an image can be doctored and altered has also fueled a resurgence in the belief of a flat earth, especially as appearances can be deceiving.

What should we believe?

But can 2000 years of belief be wrong? Does it matter whether it is flat or round? Everyone wants to reaffirm their beliefs; hence this overstretched debate of whether it is flat or round. The world outside is a subject to uncertainty. The most important lesson is always to keep our home safe and sustainable. The Earth is what we all have in common.