When was it discovered that the earth is round?

Answer 1

Even in ancient times sailors knew that the Earth was round and scientists not only suspected it was a sphere, but even estimated its size.

The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BC) argued in his writings that the Earth was spherical, because of the circular shadow it cast on the Moon, during a lunar eclipse. Another reason was that some stars visible from Egypt are not seen further north.

The Alexandrian philosopher Eratosthenes went one step further and actually estimated how large the Earth was. He was told that on midsummer day (June 21) in the town of Syene in southern Egypt (today Aswan, near a huge dam on the river Nile) the noontime Sun was reflected in a deep well, meaning that it was right overhead, at zenith. Eratosthenes himself lived in Alexandria, near the river's mouth, north of Syene, about 5000 stadia north of Syene (the stadium, the size of a sports arena, was a unit of distance used by the Greeks). In Alexandria the Sun on the corresponding date did not quite reach zenith, and vertical objects still threw a short shadow. Eratosthenes established that the direction of the noon Sun differed from the zenith by an angle that was 1/50 of the circle, that is, 7.2 degrees, and from that he estimated the circumference of the Earth to be 250,000 stadia.

Answer 2

i do no longer bear in mind the call yet i've got self assurance a guy from historic Egypt proved that the earth grow to be around or perhaps have been given an extremely precise estimate of the earth's diameter. It in touch determining the size of particular development's shadows at a particular time on a particular day whilst the solar grow to be right this moment above a particular water properly. via geometry, the shadows desperate the angles, the gap between the properly and the two homes (that have been many many miles removed from one yet another). uncertain precisely whilst this got here approximately. The Mayans have been remarkable astronomers and stepped forward a calendar it extremely is precise interior of ~ 2 seconds a pair thousand years later. of course the Isaiah did no longer have a lot danger of understanding what the Mayans knew.

Answer 3

Ferdinand Magellan was the first to sail around the world dispelling ideas that you would fall off the side. But when we first had a satellite was the first picture of the total earth to see. Sailors new that a ship could be hull down which meant that to look at it you could only see the sails if it were over the curve of the earth at the horizon. There are many tales and observations from explorers.

Answer 4

WHAT? The earth is round?

Answer 5

It was common knowledge to the Greeks and probably other nations at the time.

Answer 6

The Indians new it 5000 years ago

Answer 7

since before Jesus people knew the world was round...its even in the bible so anyone who read the bible knew.. before the bible was even made people knew...

Answer 8

the ancient Greeks knew it hundreds of years before Christ...

Answer 9

Pythagoris figured it out 500BC.