The Earth is flat...

[Steel2686]

Ken -

We could use your input here. You were around when Columbus first set out to disprove the theory that the world is flat. How did he convince everyone?

















D&R really fast...

[MarkFL]

Columbus was about 1,600 years too late...Greek mathematician Eratosthenes, noted for devising a system of latitude and longitude, was the first person known to have calculated the circumference of the Earth. He noticed that the further north you were, the longer shadows were at noon.

Using some basic geometry, he was able to estimate the Earth's circumference, and was very close, don't remember the numbers.

btw, this is the same mathematician who gave use the famous sieve for finding prime numbers.

doesn't matter though, Ken was around then too.

[Dave M]

yes, it's a common misconception that people thought the world was flat during Columbus' time and that he set out to prove them worng. It was well accepted by then that the world was round, and that's why Spain sent him on his voyage; to find a Westerly route to India/Asia. They were counting on the world being round for his mission to suceed... he just happened to run into an unaccounted for continent.

[Roger in Kensington]

You want another scary site... check out www.peakoil.com Check out their message boards. There are some characters on there. Roker In Kensington should get a kick out of that site.

Who's "Roker in Kensington"? Sounds like a bit of a fruitcake, don'cha think?

[Dave M]

Who's "Roker in Kensington"? Sounds like a bit of a fruitcake, don'cha think?

ah, I knew what I meant!

[Nightrage]

Using some basic geometry, he was able to estimate the Earth's circumference, and was very close, don't remember the numbers.

He was off by less than 1%

[MarkFL]

He was off by less than 1%

not bad considering he was effectively measuring a meridian, rather than the equator, which bulges in response to the Earth's rotation.