Caveat: I still don't always find previous mentions of something that interests me when I search (even when I use nordmann's sensible suggestion to search the site via google or some other search engine rather than using Res Hist's own search mechanism, so apologies if this has been commented on before.
I won't link the channel because anyone can search for it if they want but I came across a channel called "Today I Found Out" where one of the videos looked into the origins of the idea of a flat earth. Someone named Samuel Rowbotham in the 19th century had something to do with starting up belief in a flat earth in the UK (or re-starting it?). Rowbotham left school at 9 (mind you this was before the 1870 Education Act) and had something of the snake oil salesman about him it appears. He had a natural quick wit and enjoyed confounding some of his more educated opponents) albeit he did so with pseudo-science and an ability to think on his feet.
In the 1980s I wasn't REALLY the age where I avidly followed the pop charts but I remember a musician called Thomas Dolby having a couple of hit records. He always seemed an intelligent chap but he believes in a flat earth (that did surprise me).
No doubt the scientists who visit this website (and maybe some of the non-scientists) know about "atmospheric refraction". I didn't know that until I read about it last night when I had insomnia. Atmospheric refraction can cause objects which SHOULD be beyond the horizon to remain visible. I'll link the Wikipedia entry [url=en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedford_Level_experiment]en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedford_Level_experiment[/url] Tin foil hatters uttering threats doesn't appear to be new either. There were in fact a few Bedford Level experiments and on one occasion a person with a surveyor's training was able to make allowances for atmospheric refraction and the experiment was deemed to prove that the earth was indeed round. There was money involved (a bet had been placed - well the a flat earther [not Rowbotham] had issued a challenge]. It may not have been on the day of the experiment itself but the flat earther made threats (or at least one threat) against the person who outwitted him.
Home 
