2006-12-14 14:23:30 · 11 answers · asked by Asilos Magdalena 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Like after it was initially discovered, how long did it take before it was accepted by the general population? Ten years, a hundred years?
2006-12-14 14:29:12 · update #1
Your question needs refining! What do you mean by "The world?" Are you referring to the earth? to our solar system? to our Galaxy? Or to the "Cosmos?" If you are talking about the Cosmos, we still don't know its configuration. There are several theories out there but none has been proven. So, I'll ask you, how do you know that it is not round?
2006-12-14 14:44:56 · answer #1 · answered by Nikolas S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
At the time of Columbus the educated population generally accepted that the earth was round. The debate was about the size of the earth. Columbus' estimate was that the earth was far smaller that its actual dimension, and therefore he estimated that the distance to Asia by sailing west was not as great as it turned out to be.
The idea that Columbus somehow proved that the earth was round or that most people at his time believed that the earth was flat is simply an elementary school story. It is completely unsupported by actual history.
By the way, the Greeks had determined the diameter of the earth to an accuracy of about 1%. Not bad !!
2006-12-14 23:09:40 · answer #2 · answered by amused_from_afar 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you mean how long did it take to find out the Earth isn't a perfect sphere, then it's about 2200 years.
Plato listed the arguments for a spherical Earth in about 400BC, the "true" shape of the Earth was worked out in about 1800 after a survey carried out by DeLambre and Mechain.
2006-12-15 09:49:00 · answer #3 · answered by Iridflare 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I assume you mean wasn't flat.
Anyway, it was pretty generally accepted by educated people from the time of the ancient Greeks, who are generally credited with first proposing the round shape. However for uneducated people, even today some do not accept it.
2006-12-14 22:48:00 · answer #4 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In India it was never thought that the earth was flat. Since Vedic days which dates back to 10.000 years or more the Indian scientists knew about the Cosmic bodies what the present Western scientists are seeing in telescopes.
2006-12-17 10:02:31 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
People always knew that the Earth was round, it was just never written down that way. How else would you explain the boats disappearing in the distance?
2006-12-14 23:22:50 · answer #6 · answered by Jerse 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with Zodiac that your question perhaps is applicable only to the Western crowd and not the Indians and also the Chinese. They never had these misconceptions.
2006-12-17 10:06:39 · answer #7 · answered by WISDOM 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Aristarchus closely estimated the earth's circumfrence over 2300 years ago...... google Aristarcus and see how he geniously he figured it out..................then compare his intellect to those in history who refused to see the true nature things, i.e. the dogmatic minds of the institutions like the Church.......
2006-12-15 06:23:33 · answer #8 · answered by James O only logical answer D 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with what Zodiac and Wisdom state before me.
2006-12-20 00:06:52 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
are you saying that the world isn't round??
2006-12-14 22:27:23 · answer #10 · answered by outbaksean 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋