It’s sad that it needs to be said at all, but the Earth is not flat, and humans have known and been able to prove that for a long, long time. At least 2,000 years, in fact.
Greek mathematician Eratosthenes showed it way back in 240 BC, when he used the high tech method of putting sticks in the ground and measuring the angles of their shadows.
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Nevertheless, a stubborn group insists that the Earth must be flat for some reason, but there’s a campaign now in progress to send one of them up into orbit to see for themselves.
One of the main arguments flat earth proponents make is that photos of the Earth from space taken by NASA are photoshopped.
Because NASA’s experts have time for that, right? Regardless, Marc Gauld, an oil worker who calls himself an “annoyed Scot,” is seeking to dispel that notion — and all other flat Earth theories at the same time — by raising funds via GoFundMe to send a flat earther into orbit.
“I have a couple of friends that are flat earthers and it drives me crazy their total nonsense that they speak,” he told the Scottish Daily Record . “
Indeed, it seems Gauld’s friends have driven him to extremes.
“They call astronauts actors who are paid to lie and that boils my blood because these are guys who barely hold down jobs and do nothing so to talk about astronauts like that I don’t know where they get off,” he continued.
“I decided to give them the chance to put their money where their mouth is for once and the only way I could do it is by sending a high ranking flat earther into space.”
Gauld is hopeful that his GoFundMe will end up being the difference maker to wind down flat Earth conspiracy theories for good.
The campaign is trying to raise £250,000 (about $345,000 USD) to secure a seat on a Virgin Galactic flight for one lucky flat earther. Gauld says that he has written both Virgin Galactic and SpaceX to get their support.
“I am 100% serious about this and your donations will be highly appreciated and will be helping to stop a completely unsupported scientific view getting in the way of real progress,” he wrote on the crowdfunding page.
However, by this point, the campaign has a long way to go to get off the ground.
Let’s face it, that seat costs a lot of money, and so far, the donations haven’t been rolling in quite as hoped. As of this writing, just £160 (about $220 USD) has been raised so far, but Gauld is optimistic nonetheless that flat earthers will want to prove him wrong.
“If flat earthers truly want to prove flat earth then I would expect most donations to come from the flat earther community.”
Gauld isn’t entirely sure when the voyage will be able to take off anyway.
“The first flights are planned for this year but may be held back due to the COVID pandemic but I hope to have a flat earther in space within the next couple years,” Gauld said.
“Once the funds are raised I will hold an application process for high ranking flat earthers to enter if they wish to be the first flat earther in space!”
What do you think? Does Gauld’s plan have a chance of changing minds? Let us know in the comments!
