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  • Showing only topics with the tag "geography". Back to normal view
    1. Proving the Earth is round at home

      I am looking for practical ways to prove the Earth is round using materials accessible to the average person. I have zero interest in disproving Flat Earth folks. I am inspired by Dan Olson's...

      I am looking for practical ways to prove the Earth is round using materials accessible to the average person. I have zero interest in disproving Flat Earth folks.

      I am inspired by Dan Olson's (Folding Ideas) excellent video where he is able to do this measuring the curvature of a lake near his home that has a very specific geography that lends itself to this sort of experiment. I've seen all sorts of ways to prove this measuring shadows and poles, using gyroscopes, etc. and wanted to know if there are any practical guides for proving once and for all that the Earth is round for yourself relying on nothing more than experimentation.


      What I'm not looking for:

      • Math relying on flight times/charts
      • Video/picture evidence
      • Deductive proofs built on agreed upon premises
      • Expensive tests
      • Extremely time consuming projects
      • Underwhelming results (relying on a probabilistic argument for a round Earth from the evidence.)

      What I am looking for:

      • Practical experiments
      • Things I could potentially do without spending much money
      • Tests that aren't largely comprised of accepting someone else's research
      • Potentially math-heavy evidence
      • Results that are strong and conclusive

      I've thought of finding some easy to test version of Eratosthenes' proof using two poles. I've also thought about using a balloon and sending something to space like what is done in this Tom Scott video. Nothing seems well documented in such a way as for me to be able to follow it at home.

      TL;DR: I think it would be a meaningful experience to have the power to prove the Earth is round by myself, for myself. I can only compare this desire to the desire a child with a telescope has when wishing to observe Saturn or Mars themselves for the first time. It's not to prove anything or to settle doubts, but for the personal value of independently observing this astronomical fact oneself.

      17 votes
    2. What misconceptions would you like to clear up about your country/the country you live in?

      Preceded by this post for all countries, this post for poor countries and this post for (overtly) authoritarian countries. I'm Brazilian so I get to correct pretty silly stuff: Brazil is a big...

      Preceded by this post for all countries, this post for poor countries and this post for (overtly) authoritarian countries.

      I'm Brazilian so I get to correct pretty silly stuff:

      Brazil is a big place and the climate isn't homogeneous.

      People like soccer here and many love it (some are reactionary and fight over games, as always) but it's not as all consuming as some people seem to think.

      No, we aren't all extroverts, party animals, social butterflies, whatever, although I do feel the "Overton window" here on social things is more extraverted than in the US/West (and Japan and South Korea) in general.

      We don't all listen to samba. While people here most often listen to pagode, sertanejo and Funk (moderately controversial music genre, though not really for substantive reasons) which are generally (keyword, obviously many songs in these genres are serious) lighthearted/for entertainment, we listen to serious or relaxed music too, mainly in rap, because we are normal.

      I honestly can't really think of any misconceptions that aren't half-beaten to death about here.

      28 votes