Last Friday, as聽Chinese scientists were breaking聽new ground into the , and a聽group in California were聽, some Malaysian minds were toiling on a far more pressing matter. Perpetuating the raging debate that ended when Magellan didn’t fall off a聽ledge as聽he circumnavigated the Earth hundreds of years ago, Sinar Harian — a widely circulated newspaper — asked their readers via Twitter exactly what shape they thought our planet was: round, or flat.
We’re not sure whether we’re even surprised anymore that 9 percent of those who took the time to take a poll聽whose question was answered in Standard 1 science believe that the Earth is flat, but it was slightly shocking to have a publication whose purpose is to separate fact from fiction jumping into the聽“debate.” Or is it?
Believe it or not, this isn’t Sinar Harian’s first dive聽into flat earth chatter,聽with an article debating the Earth’s shape having made their front page two years ago. Inside, you’d have found four pages dedicated to the sphere naysayers out there explaining聽why they reckon it’s all just a hoax to make us think beyond a two-dimensional plane.
Bumi Bukan Bulat? – Bahagian Pertama
Kredit: Sinar Harian— 篓坍 (@FXTVT)
Curious as to what pearls of wisdom they’d like for you to consider? Well — haven’t you wondered ? No? Neither have we, but this is something they’d like for you to open your hearts and minds to.
While we may have been left shaking our heads, the rest of the internet was able to provide comic relief to the question posited by our modern-day Newton’s over at Sinar Harian. Here were some of the best:
We know we shouldn’t even bother entertaining this “debate,” but for the record — the Earth is round. Spacecraft, aircraft, and distant objects can confirm this. Not for nothing, but by observing eclipses, even the ancient Greeks were able to surmise that the only way a round shadow could be consistently cast was if the Earth was round.
If you’re too broke to take a space ship, or the Concorde, and not quite ready for the advanced geometry of the Parthenon, then here’s some pretty basic maths to break it down for you. Sigh.
