Debunking Flat Earth Misconceptions
The Strait of Gibraltar separates the Iberian Peninsula and Africa. The two are separated only by 13 km (8.7 miles) at the narrowest point. We can easily see Africa from Spain as it is not that far away and that there are many highlands on both sides.
Flat-Earthers present the visibility of Africa from Spain as “evidence” Earth is flat. In reality, Africa is not that far from Spain. It is not far enough for the curvature of Earth to obstruct our view of Africa from Spain and vice versa.
We can see an object farther over Earth’s curvature if we and the object are higher. Mountain peaks are the highest points on Earth. As a result, from a mountain peak, it is possible to observe another peak very far away, even over hundreds of kilometers. The website Beyond Horizons discusses these records of observation.
Flat-Earthers use some of the world records of the farthest peak to peak observation as “proof” of flat Earth. In reality, these observations are possible because the peaks are very high, and atmospheric refraction helps the observation. These observations agree with the expectation if Earth is a sphere.
Continue reading “Beyond Horizons: World Records of Farthest Pictures Taken on Earth”