The concept of a flat Earth has been present throughout history, with various organizations and individuals promoting this idea in different parts of the world.

In recent years, the flat Earth movement has gained significant attention, particularly on social media platforms, with many individuals and groups sharing their beliefs and arguments online.

One of the notable organizations promoting the flat Earth idea is the Flat Earth Society, which has gained a significant following worldwide.

The society argues that the Earth is flat, citing various reasons such as the lack of visible curvature and the existence of the horizon, which they claim is always at eye level.

Another organization that has gained attention in recent years is the Satanic Temple, which has installed a statue of Baphomet next to a nativity scene in the Illinois State Capitol.

While the Satanic Temple does not explicitly promote the flat Earth idea, some of its members have expressed support for the concept, citing the need for critical thinking and skepticism towards established scientific theories.

In terms of public figures or celebrities who support the flat Earth idea, there are a few notable examples, including the Egyptian actor Mohamed Sobhi, who has expressed his belief in the concept on social media.

However, it is essential to note that the vast majority of celebrities and public figures do not support the flat Earth idea, and many have spoken out against it, citing the overwhelming scientific evidence that supports the fact that the Earth is an oblate spheroid.

The arguments used by flat-earthers to prove their point of view are varied, but most rely on misinterpretations of scientific data and a lack of understanding of basic physics and astronomy.

For example, many flat-earthers argue that the lack of visible curvature of the Earth is evidence that it is flat, despite the fact that the curvature of the Earth is only visible from high altitudes or with the aid of specialized equipment.

Others argue that the existence of the horizon, which is always at eye level, is evidence that the Earth is flat, despite the fact that this phenomenon can be easily explained by the Earth's curvature and the atmosphere's refraction of light.

The reasons for the resurgence of the flat Earth idea in the modern world are complex and multifaceted, but some possible explanations include the rise of social media, which has allowed misinformation and conspiracy theories to spread quickly and easily.

Additionally, the flat Earth movement has been linked to a broader distrust of scientific authority and a growing skepticism towards established institutions, which has been fueled by factors such as the politicization of science and the spread of misinformation online.

In terms of the characteristics of people who are most likely to subscribe to flat Earth beliefs, research has shown that they tend to be younger, more conservative, and less educated than the general population.

For example, a study by the University of New Hampshire found that millennials and Trump supporters were more likely to believe in conspiracy theories, including the flat Earth idea.

The study also found that people who are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories tend to be less skeptical and more open to new ideas, which can make them more susceptible to misinformation and manipulation.

Overall, the flat Earth movement is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that reflects a broader distrust of scientific authority and a growing skepticism towards established institutions.

While the idea of a flat Earth is not supported by scientific evidence, it is essential to understand the reasons behind its resurgence and the characteristics of people who are most likely to subscribe to this belief.

By examining the arguments and tactics used by flat-earthers, as well as the social and cultural factors that contribute to the spread of misinformation, we can gain a deeper understanding of this phenomenon and develop strategies to counter it.

It is also essential to promote critical thinking and media literacy, particularly among young people, to help them navigate the complex and often misleading information landscape of the internet.

Ultimately, the flat Earth movement is a reminder of the importance of science education and critical thinking in the modern world, and the need for ongoing efforts to promote scientific literacy and skepticism towards unsubstantiated claims.

The concept of a flat Earth has been present throughout history, with various organizations and individuals promoting this idea in different parts of the world.

In recent years, the flat Earth movement has gained significant attention, particularly on social media platforms, with many individuals and groups sharing their beliefs and arguments online.

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  Satanic Church installs statue of Baphomet next to Nativity in Illinois State Capitol. Naturally, the Catholic Bishop is outraged, because main tenets of the CoS are to never harm children and sex is only okay when consensual   (yahoo.com)
    More: Ironic, Christmas, United States Capitol, Satanic Temple, year's display, third year, Sunday, Springfield, Illinois, satanic holiday
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1236 clicks; posted to Main » on 21 Dec 2021 at 1:19 PM (1 hour ago)   |   Favorite   |   Watch    |   share:

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should have no place in this Capitol

He is so close to getting it, so close.

I love how Jesus be comin' into people right and left, but the Devil needs consent to enter.

I love the Satanic Temple

labman: I love the Satanic Temple

The Playboy Foundation used to fight for our first amendment rights. Now, it seems the Satanic Temple has taken over the fight. More power to 'em!

Hey, Christians: If a government facility allows holiday symbols of one religion, they should be required to allow any others that want to do likewise. Shut up and deal with it. Or resign yourselves to not doing a display on government property.

/Presbyterian

Cafe Threads: labman: I love the Satanic Temple

The Playboy Foundation used to fight for our first amendment rights. Now, it seems the Satanic Temple has taken over the fight. More power to 'em!

The Freedom From Religion Foundation does some good work, too. Looking for a last minute Christmas Gift for your God bothering friends and relatives? Sponsor a membership for them!

https://ffrf.org/

Squid_for_Brains: I love how Jesus be comin' into people right and left, but the Devil needs consent to enter.

And even when Jesus does bother to ask for permission, well...

Satanic Temple and Church of Satan are different orgs.

Satanic Temple are atheists pushing for separation of church and state.

Church of Satan are Randians...

Did Yahoo disable comments on their site? That used to be the only reason to ever click on a yahoo news article. To lol at the rubes...

#OnlyFair

Satan is pretty farking cool.

From all the stories I have read about them they seem like really chill folks.

Not to mention the time they schooled Megyn Kelly about the law. I loved that video but can't find it.

HURR DURR DURR

/finger up nose

swaniefrmreddeer: should have no place in this Capitol

He is so close to getting it, so close.

Yep. Unfortunately he's likely just saying it because he's opposed to TST's message and/or thinks that his faith has exclusivity rights on winter festivals despite the fact that such festivals existed centuries before a random carpenter's child bride had to figure out a way to explain why she was pregnant despite never having consummated the marriage.

I envisioned this as I was reading:

Then this:

Bertuccio: Satanic Temple and Church of Satan are different orgs.

Satanic Temple are atheists pushing for separation of church and state.

Church of Satan are Randians...

It's like the flat Earth people.
There are flat Earth people who know Earth isn't flat, but are making a point. Or a joke. Or even just like attention.
Then there are flat Earth people who think the Earth is flat.

Hail the goat ya'll

jaivirtualcard: From all the stories I have read about them they seem like really chill folks.

Not to mention the time they schooled Megyn Kelly about the law. I loved that video but can't find it.

Megyn Kelly Talks To Smart-Ass, One-Eyed Satanist "Lucien" Greaves

Ah, Springfield, Illinois, the town I was born and grew up in. I left for good when I was 18, that was about 18 years too late.

I've travelled all over the US since then, and rarely seen a town so beknighted. You'd think the state capitol would have a certain amount of sophistication and cosmopolitanism. Unfortunately, you'd be wrong.

Jake Havechek: Satan is pretty farking cool.

Well yeah - the one who wanted Adam and Steve to have knowledge?  Ovby the BAD guy according to the church.

vilesithknight: Did Yahoo disable comments on their site? That used to be the only reason to ever click on a yahoo news article. To lol at the rubes...

Only on some articles.  Non-controversial articles have comments, nope on controversial ones.

The Satanic Temple is also fighting anti-abortion laws in TX and elsewhere by invoking the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Satanists believe in complete bodily autonomy.

Now we need a display from the Sex Temple.

I bet he thinks being a bishop is pretty special too.

Guy can only move diagonally. Loser.

Damn that Sol Invictus. He's the reason shabbos got moved from Friday to Sunday.

/don't roll on shabbos

Presbyterian pastor here, chiming in, and I'm fine with Baphomet being there if the nativity scene is there.
But honestly, none of it should be there. Put that shiat in your meeting places, not on government property.

SOL INVICTUS!

Got nothing of than a good laugh from what the Bishop spluttered, and I'm Irish Catholic.

PirateKing: I bet he thinks being a bishop is pretty special too.

Guy can only move diagonally. Loser.

RaptorLC: swaniefrmreddeer: should have no place in this Capitol

He is so close to getting it, so close.

Yep. Unfortunately he's likely just saying it because he's opposed to TST's message and/or thinks that his faith has exclusivity rights on winter festivals despite the fact that such festivals existed centuries before a random carpenter's child bride had to figure out a way to explain why she was pregnant despite never having consummated the marriage.

pregnant at 12

/her body is reddy...

Cute. They should really consider selling Baby Baphomet ornaments. I think they'd make bank.

Squid_for_Brains: I love how Jesus be comin' into people right and left, but the Devil needs consent to enter.

i mean duh. If of course we assume the point of the devil is to in fact be evil.
So what's more evil sounding?

that you physical over power someone to force on them what they do not want.
or
that you manipulate them into believing they want that and actually asking for it themselves, thus giving consent, when they will ultimately regret this later, becasue they were just manipulated into believing they did want this by someone with more intellectual horse power to exploit them with then they had to defend themselves from such exploitation.

And so under those conditions, used such power, not for the uplift and protection of the weak, but to better exploit them.

I'd say that for sure sound like the path of greater evil, at least to me anyway.
And so makes more sense to be the teachings of the supernatural figure intended to represent evil.

RaptorLC: swaniefrmreddeer: should have no place in this Capitol

He is so close to getting it, so close.

Yep. Unfortunately he's likely just saying it because he's opposed to TST's message and/or thinks that his faith has exclusivity rights on winter festivals despite the fact that such festivals existed centuries before a random carpenter's child bride had to figure out a way to explain why she was pregnant despite never having consummated the marriage.

Jake Havechek: [Fark user image 425x239]

The Satanist should run, he's staring at the face of true evil....

Bertuccio: Satanic Temple and Church of Satan are different orgs.

Satanic Temple are atheists pushing for separation of church and state.

Church of Satan are Randians...

And both are more honorable and noble than republicans.

There's one video from O'Reilly interviewing this lady from either Church of Satan or the Satanic Temple, I can't remember which, but O'Reilly gets visibly scared even though they're not in the same studio.

Bertuccio: Satanic Temple and Church of Satan are different orgs.

Satanic Temple are atheists pushing for separation of church and state.

Church of Satan are Randians...

They do agree on the bits about consent and not hurting children.

guestguy: [Fark user image image 213x237]

Jake Havechek: Satan is pretty farking cool.

Cake - Satan Is My Motor

A Cave Geek: Bertuccio: Satanic Temple and Church of Satan are different orgs.

Satanic Temple are atheists pushing for separation of church and state.

Church of Satan are Randians...

And both are more honorable and noble than republicans.

Randians are never noble.

Mötley Crüe - God Bless The Children Of The Beast

Squid_for_Brains: I love how Jesus be comin' into people right and left, but the Devil needs consent to enter.

That's why we prefer Satan. He always asks: Can I cum inside?

My idol is more important that your idol!

Ivo Shandor: Bertuccio: Satanic Temple and Church of Satan are different orgs.

Satanic Temple are atheists pushing for separation of church and state.

Church of Satan are Randians...

They do agree on the bits about consent and not hurting children.

tansa: Looking for a last minute Christmas Gift for your God bothering friends and relatives? Sponsor a membership for them!

https://ffrf.org/

Forget Capitol City.
Do something about this monstrosity in Effingham.
Just don't burn it, they might like it there.

"As Satanic Temple members installed the display Monday, the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property Poverty recited the rosary next to the Nativity scene."

Oh he has a problem with that?

Well I have a problem with real evil, ffs.
Aljazeera: priest jailed for 12 years for sex abuse of minors in East Timor

So how about STFU until there are no more priest abusing kids.

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One of the notable organizations promoting the flat Earth idea is the Flat Earth Society, which has gained a significant following worldwide.

Title:

Content: How did Muslim scholars refute the flat Earth theory a thousand years ago?
The flat earth is currently one of the most famous scientific myths widespread in the Arab world, and has private groups on social media met by supporters from all over, and in recent days has been controversial because of statements by the Egyptian artist Mohamed Sobhy.
There are two histories to this theory, not one; the first is ancient and the second is modern.
A number of Greek philosophers believed that the earth was flat, and the ancient Scandinavian and German peoples also believed that the earth was flat and surrounded by oceans, and the common belief in ancient China was that the earth was square and flat while the sky was spherical.
But it ’ s really surprising to know that early astronomers assumed its sphericity, and they were from almost every culture: Pythagoras, who lived about 2,500 years ago, proposed the sphericity of the Earth based on his observations of the moon during the eclipse.
Pythagorean's observations are still evidence of a refutation of the flat Earth theory: Pythagorean observed that the shadow that the Earth casts on the Moon during the eclipse is always round.
Regardless of the moon-facing part of the planet, eclipses occur everywhere in the world.
The idea of a lunar eclipse is simple: put a big lamp in the middle of your room and turn off the rest of the lights, stand at a distance of one meter from it, now turn around while you reach your hands in front of you with a tennis ball, when you give your back to the lamp and pass the tennis ball in the shadow extended in front of you because of your body, this is the eclipse.
To Eratosthenes
Eratosthenes, born 276 BC, was the first to measure the circumference of the Earth using a simple method involving the angle of the Sun at different locations.
Eratosthenes was astonished to read that the columns in the ancient Egyptian temples of Aswan on the afternoon of June 21 of each year did not leave a shadow under them, and the mystery of the wonder was that the columns in Alexandria left a shadow under them on the afternoon of the same day.
Eratosthenes came to the conclusion that the earth must be convex and not flat, otherwise the columns in Alexandria would appear shadowless, and then after reflection Eratosthenes came to the clever idea that we could measure the length of the shadow in Aswan which is zero, and its length in Alexandria, and then measure the distance between Alexandria and Aswan, and infer the circumference of the earth.
The story goes that he sent a man to measure the distance, so that with some simple geometry he could measure the circumference of the Earth, which he concluded was about 39,348 kilometers.
Eratosthenes' account was transferred to the Arabs from among the sciences they translated.
According to Carlo Nelino in his book "Astronomy: A History of the Arabs in the Middle Ages", the Caliph al-Ma'mun al-Abbasi (who ruled from 813 to 833 AD) asked two teams of astronomers to test these calculations and come up with the most accurate measurement of the Earth's circumference....
The safe astronomer.
The method adopted by the Arabs is to go out into a perfectly flat desert, and then rely on the inclination of the polar star in the sky.
The ancients realized that the position of stars in the sky is affected by your place on Earth, the further you travel south, the lower the polar star in the sky until it disappears completely after the equator, and the more you travel north, the higher the polar star sky until it became above your head in the North Pole, which means that the Earth is round, otherwise the position of stars in the sky changes with your place on it.
The height of the polar star (and all other stars) is measured in degrees, and it is like to put a protractor in front of your eyes, the horizon is at zero, and then look at the protractor from the side to find at what degree the polar star stands, and this is something you can do exactly as the ancients did, and now astronomical software is easily available.
Al-Ma'mun astronomers measured the height of the polar star, then moved north once and south once, until the amount of inclination of the polar star changes by one degree, and then measured the distance north and south, and this measured distance is one degree from the circumference of the Earth's circle, and it can know the rest of the circumference of the Earth, because the Earth is a ball, and like any ball, rotation around it requires 360 degrees.
The first team of Al-Ma ’ mun astronomers went out to the Sinjar desert, a small city in northwestern Iraq today, and the second team to the Palmyra desert in eastern Syria, and carried out the same experiments in both places. In the Sinjar desert, for example, the height of the polar star was about 35 degrees. south of the wedge site until the measurement dropped by a degree.
According to al-Ma ’ mun ’ s astronomers, the scale of one degree was about 56 parsecs and two-thirds parsecs, which Nalino calculated — according to Edward Kennedy of the American University of Beirut in a paper published in the Encyclopedia of the History of Arab Sciences — to be 111.8 kilometers, a value used by later researchers such as al-Biruni and al-Toussi.
Calculating the circumference of the Earth in this experiment, it turned out to be about 410,248 km, which was close to modern measurements (40075 km) in the most accurate way at the time.
Note that the difference between the two measurements is about 1,100 years, and the reason for the difference is not related to the same method but to the ellipse of the Earth, as the distance between the two latitudes increases slightly as we head north.
Abu Rayhan Al-Biruni
The second attempt was by Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, born in September 973 AD, who used the best and easiest formula to calculate the circumference of the Earth in his time.
The Al-Biruni method is based on triangulation, where the sunset is observed from the top of a high mountain overlooking flat ground to the horizon, the astrolabe measures the angle the sun descends relative to the observer on the top of the mountain, where the line connecting the observer on the top of the mountain and the horizon makes the sunset clock touch the planet Earth.
It is known that the tangent of a circle perpendicular to its diameter, and then we have a right-angled triangle at the horizon, and we can measure the radius of the Earth by knowing the height of the mountain, which is mathematically easy.
Currently, the same calculations can be applied by high school students, for example, in all countries of the Arab world, who have a good amount of trigonometry study.
In a study published in the International Journal of Sciences, an Italian team repeated al-Biruni ’ s experiment and concluded that its results for the radius of the Earth are equal to 3,928.77 English miles, which compares favorably, being 2% different, with the average reference radius at the measurement latitude, which is 3,847.80 miles.
Pakistani physicist Mazhar Mahmood Qureshi, in his book An Introduction to Muslim Contributions to Science and Technology, points out that al-Biruni ’ s experience in what is now Nandana Fort in the mountains of northern Pakistan is a typical example of the use of experimental scientific methods.
The most important book of al-Biruni astronomical is "The Law of Masoudi", in which al-Biruni collected all the astronomical problems of his time, and the way of al-Biruni was to present the origins of the matter and the views of the Indian, Greek and Arab astronomers and then weighted between them.
Modern history of flat earth
But at that point, you might ask yourself: if the sphericity of the Earth was obvious to Muslim scholars and their comrades in other parts of the world in ancient times, why did it come back?
In 1849, the English writer Samuel Rowbotham published a pamphlet entitled "Oil Astronomy" (from the Greek letter zeta, not oil), in which he defended the theory of the flat earth, and followed this with another entitled "The Instability of Modern Astronomy and its opposition to the Bible".
In 1883, Rowbotham founded oil societies in England and New York, shipping thousands of copies of his books to talk about flat earth.
Meanwhile, William Carpenter, a printer and native of Greenwich, England, supported Rowbotham and advocated his theory, learning it from John Jasper and preaching to more people than any cleric of his generation in the southern United States. Once.
From here the myth began to branch again in the United States, and then to Europe, and then to the Arab world and the rest of the world, but in this context it was mixed with conspiracy theories concerning secret groups trying to control the world by deluding people that the earth is round.
The proof of the sphericity of the earth is not new, and has a long history in which Muslim scholars have made an influential contribution, but because the “flat earth ” has been transformed from ignorance of the nature of science into a conspiracy theory it has been imported along with other famous theories into our Arab world.
Source: Al Jazeera + Websites

The society argues that the Earth is flat, citing various reasons such as the lack of visible curvature and the existence of the horizon, which they claim is always at eye level.

Another organization that has gained attention in recent years is the Satanic Temple, which has installed a statue of Baphomet next to a nativity scene in the Illinois State Capitol.

While the Satanic Temple does not explicitly promote the flat Earth idea, some of its members have expressed support for the concept, citing the need for critical thinking and skepticism towards established scientific theories.

In terms of public figures or celebrities who support the flat Earth idea, there are a few notable examples, including the Egyptian actor Mohamed Sobhi, who has expressed his belief in the concept on social media.

However, it is essential to note that the vast majority of celebrities and public figures do not support the flat Earth idea, and many have spoken out against it, citing the overwhelming scientific evidence that supports the fact that the Earth is an oblate spheroid.

Title:

Content: The Jason Foundation Releases New Trainings for Suicide Prevention

Published: Jan. 2, 2023 at 1:10 PM CST|Updated: 1 hour ago

HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jason Foundation, Inc. (JFI), a nationally recognized leader in suicide awareness and prevention, announced recent additions to their Online Professional Development Library to enhance their virtual offerings.

The Jason Foundation averages more than 140,000 educator trainings on the platform each year.  The Library contains multiple two-hour trainings that extensively delve into aspects of youth suicide and one-hour modules that discuss how different topics relate to youth suicide.   The training modules are suitable for school personnel, youth workers, first responders, parents, and any adults who interact with young people.

JFI has added three new training modules to the Professional Development Series and are now available.  Suicide is the third leading cause of death for ages 10 – 24 in our country. The new modules allow users to join noted suicide prevention experts Dr. Scott Poland and Rich Lieberman for a closer look at suicide, how it affects our communities, and how to become more involved in prevention.

  • Suicide Prevention in Schools: Contemporary Issues - This module features Clark Flatt, Founder and President of The Jason Foundation, along with Dr. Scott Poland and Richard Lieberman. COVID's impact on youth risk factors, trends in youth suicide, safe messaging, and contemporary issues in suicide prevention are discussed.
  • Developing a Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Protocol for Elementary Schools - This training module aims to provide a blueprint for suicide prevention in elementary schools, specifically for students in K-6.   Safe messaging, depression incidence among elementary-aged children and protocol suggestions are discussed.
  • Tools of Suicide Prevention for School Professionals - This module highlights the responsibility of all school personnel to address suicidal ideation and behavior among students. Several tools are introduced to school professionals for suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.
About the Organization

The Jason Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting the "silent epidemic" of youth and young adult suicide through educational programs for young people, educators, parents, and other community groups. Since their inception, The Jason Foundation has never charged a school, family, or community for use of their programs or materials. For more information or to find the closest JFI Affiliate Office, visit JFI's website. www.jasonfoundation.com

View original content to download multimedia:

SOURCE The Jason Foundation, Inc.

The above press release was provided courtesy of PRNewswire. The views, opinions and statements in the press release are not endorsed by Gray Media Group nor do they necessarily state or reflect those of Gray Media Group, Inc.

The arguments used by flat-earthers to prove their point of view are varied, but most rely on misinterpretations of scientific data and a lack of understanding of basic physics and astronomy.

Title:

Content: Scientists, leave the jokes – they give rise to prejudices
09.01.2022, 18: 34, Miscellaneous
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Do you think the supporters of a flat earth in the shape of a bagel drew this idea from the Old Testament?
As if not so!
It was presented to them by Dr. Rosenpenis in 2008.
On the Flat Earth Theory forum, he jokingly offered a rationale for his theory, writing:
"I used advanced scaled astrophysical professional academic software to create a model of the geoponchik, the most delicious celestial body of our planet Earth, covered with sugar icing."
In short, the doctor “joked ”, and those present were happy to believe that our world has the shape of a massive donut with a giant hole in the middle.
It is not known how the "hypothesis" grew legs, but it widely diverged among supporters of the flat Earth.
To know, the poor people experienced a lack of scientificness in their own worldview.
At the same forum, but already in 2012, another flat-earth proponent named Varaug added to the idea of more science-like.
He seriously argued that our planet is a ring or, to use scientific terminology, a torus.
Say, we can not see the hole in the middle due to the fact that the light bends, following the curve of the torus and making the hole “invisible ”:
“I have a theory that the Earth actually has the shape of a torus (bagel).
But the light is warping, so we can't see it. "
Explaining why no one has ever fallen into this hole, the “theorist ” asks other forum participants to imagine the Earth in the form of a“ donut with jam ”, in the direction of which gravity acts.
According to him, day and night still exist because the Earth in the form of a donut makes a revolution every 24 hours, and the hole is at an angle of 90 degrees to the Sun.
A flat Earth proponent suggests that the torus shape was formed as a result of the gravitational attraction of rocks, dust and pieces of cosmic matter to an orbit without a central focus.
This actually created a ring-shaped planet orbiting the void.
Scientists have disproved this theory, explaining that the Sun could not rise and set as it does if the Earth had a gaping hole in the middle, and we could not see day and night as now.
Oxford professor Dr. Anders Sandberg points out that on a donut shaped Earth, the clouds would be three times higher and pushed by stronger winds.
Well, people living near the hole would see “double seasons ” when summer is replaced by winter and vice versa.
Source of information and images: dailystar.co.uk
Unreliable source: RIA Fognews
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For example, many flat-earthers argue that the lack of visible curvature of the Earth is evidence that it is flat, despite the fact that the curvature of the Earth is only visible from high altitudes or with the aid of specialized equipment.

Others argue that the existence of the horizon, which is always at eye level, is evidence that the Earth is flat, despite the fact that this phenomenon can be easily explained by the Earth's curvature and the atmosphere's refraction of light.

The reasons for the resurgence of the flat Earth idea in the modern world are complex and multifaceted, but some possible explanations include the rise of social media, which has allowed misinformation and conspiracy theories to spread quickly and easily.

Title:

Content: The crest of the anticyclone will bring to Volgograd a sharp cooling on the night of May 2
Society 30.04.2022 08: 01
04 / 30 / 2022 08: 01 AM
In Volgograd, in the first days of the May holidays, a significant cooling is expected.
As reported by IA “Height 102 ” with reference to the Volgograd Central State Migration Service, from 1 to 2 may will be the coldest night.
In the coming days, the weather in Volgograd will determine the crest of the anticyclone.
In this anticyclone there is a flow of cold Arctic air masses, — said IA “Vysota 102 ” head of the Department of hydrometeorological support of the Volgograd hydrometeorological center Natalia Alatyrtseva.
According to the weather forecaster, in the afternoon of April 30 in the city on the Volga is expected from + 17 to + 19 degrees.
On May 1 and 2, the temperature will continue to decrease in the regional capital.
At night it is expected already + 4... + 6 degrees.
In the daytime, the temperature will not rise above + 15.
Rain is not expected, — said the specialist of the Volgograd hydrometeorological center.
Today in the region at night the thermometer bars will show 0o.
The coldest night is expected on May 2.
The temperature in some areas of the Volgograd region will drop to -3o.
Any news?
Write and call the editorial office: + 7 (937) 55-66-102
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04 / 30 / 2022 08: 52 AM
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Additionally, the flat Earth movement has been linked to a broader distrust of scientific authority and a growing skepticism towards established institutions, which has been fueled by factors such as the politicization of science and the spread of misinformation online.

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From the Internet to the metaverse, you need a Web 3.0 middleware like Mask.
ChainNews (Source: ChainNews)
The “metaverse ” doesn ’ t happen overnight. It requires a series of Web 3.0 middleware scaffolding to transport Internet natives to this new world. This is Mask Network ’ s mission to“ act as a catalyst to accelerate the arrival of the metaverse. ”
Interview: Suji Yan, Founder of Mask Network
Interview and Author: LeftOfCenter
On April 1 this year, Mask Network founder Suji posted a joke about Facebook ’ s $20 billion acquisition of Mask Network for Fool ’ s Day tweet, but this tweet somehow shows Mask Network ’ s ambition to seamlessly introduce the Web 3.0 experience across mainstream social media platforms, allowing Internet natives to unknowingly use Web 3.0 and enter the new Metaverse world.
Metaverse (metaverse) has become a hot spot in the recent capital chase, putting aside various long and voluminous narratives, Suji, the founder of Mask Network, has a simple insight into the nature of Metaverse, which is a new virtual space that is more real than the Internet, which gives Saibo residents authenticity, whether it is touch, or political and economic rights.
Residents who "live" here will have the concept of their own property rights, whether it is data, identity, social relations or the asset itself, on the other hand, there will be a new form of organization to replace the traditional corporate system, such as the DAO, which is bottom-up, flexible and loose, and the members of the organization have the right to vote.
Suji 's Fool' s Day Tweets
In the "meta-universe" world, human beings are no longer bound by the physical body, regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, color or sexual orientation are no longer important, and human beings will enter a new intellectual civilization.
In Suji ’ s view, the human species will gradually transition from carbon-based to silicon-based (Virtual Being), and eventually enter the “metaverse ”.
However, this goal will not be achieved overnight. In fact, this migration requires the assistance of a variety of web 3.0 middleware, Mask Network, one of the largest web 3.0 middleware, will strive to build a simple and easy to use decentralized portal to continuously deliver incremental users to this “meta-universe ”.
Mask Network ’ s main strategy is also very simple, providing an easy-to-use Web 3.0 user experience for ordinary Internet users.
"Let people who do not understand the blockchain can quickly enter the new world of Web 3.0", this demand for ordinary people is simple, but it is the biggest use demand in the crypto world at present, so it is very valuable, and it is a source of traffic that many DeFi applications rely on.
Early through the establishment of partnerships with a series of mainstream DeFi applications, Mask Network has successfully completed the cold start, with no need to allow the transition, Mask Network will evolve into a self-growing ecosystem, a decentralized version of the Apple App Store.
For a blockchain project, the character and beliefs of its leader will have a crucial impact on the development of the project, the openness of the community and even the future direction of development, as well as for Mask Network, whose founder Suji Yan ’ s early years abroad and some people, events and social practices encountered at the time have become the key clues to founding Mask Network.
Humanity will eventually enter the metaverse.
Mask Network was founded in 2017, the original name is Maskbook, from time to time is not a new project, but in fact, until the recent year Mask Network began to work, released a series of tools, including with MakerDAO cooperation can directly send red packets on Twitter plugins, based on Twitter first token (ITO) model, based on Twitter to send encrypted messages, etc. Social events such as the affirmative action movement Black Lives Matter and the anti-996 movement have been featured on social media.
Whether it is from the name (Mask Network, formerly known as Maskbook) or the logo design, you can see the ambition of this project.
Whether it ’ s for black equality or against 996, you ’ ll find that this team is particularly concerned with advancing social inclusion and social justice issues, which are, in fact, inseparable from the life experience of the founder of Mask Network.
Suji, the founder of Mask Network, was born in 1996, which means that he was only 21 years old when he founded Mask Network, but Suji has shown a maturity that is not commensurate with his age.
With a liberal arts degree in high school and an interest in political economy in the subject of history, he became accustomed to thinking about deep problems in the structure of human society.
He believes that some of the current social problems actually have deeper roots, humanity will eventually transform from carbon-based to silicon-based, into a new cyberspace, the key point of this new world superior to the old Internet is to empower individuals economically and politically, and only then it is possible to build a more fair and open human society.
While studying liberal arts in high school, Suji studied CS in the United States. Although he dropped out of school soon, “school can ’ t teach me anything, it ’ s too boring. ” During his studies in the United States, Suji began to engage in real social practice, including working as a sophomore at TuSimple, an AI driverless car unicorn company, and becoming the company ’ s top 10 employee. For independent journalists working for Curiosity Daily and Finance, this period has the opportunity to interview many Internet pioneers, such as the early employees of Netscape and the theoretical pioneer of the World Wide Web Ted Nelson; worked as a reporter during the Japanese exchange, reporting on the problems facing the reconstruction of the Fukushima nuclear power station; and met the developers of the core of Bitcoin. The heart, wanting to transform society and be willing to support social movements, is so cool! ” Then, he indirectly learned about Bitcoin ’ s rival Ethereum, and the latter ’ s more open spirit has become the driving force for his in-depth research.
In fact, the people or things that come into contact with these schools are the real gains of those years of study abroad, whether it is the belief and belief that the new Internet "meta-universe" is about to come, the formation of "problem consciousness", or the behavior of "see the irrationality to solve, no one to do it, I will do it", all planted the seeds for the strategy of entrepreneurship and Mask Network.
Mask Network is a catalyst for accelerating the arrival of the metaverse
Suji believes that "the last 30 years, the World Wide Web fell into other problems, did not realize the original vision of the Internet, humanity needs a new Internet."
This inevitable new Internet is the “metaverse, ” and Mask is the catalyst for accelerating the arrival of the“ metaverse. ”
The decentralization, freedom, and openness that the Internet was founded to promote, or the original intention of the World Wide Web – to give people equal access to information – are the most valuable things that have gone from us.
With the penetration of the mobile Internet into the lives of ordinary people, people through a variety of apps to complete all things, whether it is communication, consumption or social, but these apps are a personal "information island", the user is limited to the carefully constructed "wall garden".
In the state of "separation" of the App, equality and freedom have long been far from the Internet.
In addition, users' personal information is abused by the platform, large network companies monopolize data, fake news is rampant and propaganda, so that today's Internet has become more "centralized".
In Suji's view, the development of the Internet to the present stage, has turned away from the original intention more and more.
The old Internet was like medieval serfdom, where slave owners maximized their profits by renting the means of production — land for the serfs to cultivate.
Since the serf itself did not own the land, neither could he leave with the means of production, nor had the right to negotiate, he could only passively endure exploitation and was firmly bound to the land.
Suji likens today's Internet users to digital serfs, just as medieval serfs did not have production data "land", today's Internet users because they do not grasp the production data in the digital world - the ownership of the data, so they can only passively lie down and brush their mobile phones to passively "enjoy" pacifier fun.
Internet users' data is owned by each company, regardless of identity or data are tied to the Taiwan side, because they do not have an account, so they face the risk of being reviewed and canceled at any time; each application corresponds to an account and corresponding data, each data is not connected, isolated from each other into a data island, and the platform relies on algorithms to track and analyze the data of these users to maximize revenue.
Similarly, a person who has never had political rights may not understand the importance of voting rights, and a person who has never had ownership of data may not realize the importance of data.
The benefits of data may not be so obvious, but the disadvantages of losing control of data have already permeated every aspect of daily life, and it is just a question of consciousness or not.
Whether it is the takeaway brother trapped by the system, the beating workers who desperately completed the KPI, the social animals who were driven crazy by the project deadline, or the programmers of 996, under all these appearances that we hate, the deep reason is that people are being alienated by the "old Internet" technology, which is now a tool to control us.
It can be said that in the past 30 years, the World Wide Web has become more and more distant from the original intention of the open spirit when it was created, and has become a new shackle for digital citizens.
Suji was even more convinced when he interviewed Ted Nelson, the theoretical pioneer of the World Wide Web, when he was a reporter. Suji also clearly remembered the scene when Ted Nelson was in his 80s, and although he was older, his passion for the Internet was still not quenched, and he still believed that “There will be a new internet. ”
There will be a new revolution towards the new internet. ”
This sentence is like a beam of light, let Suji firmly believe, "the new generation of Internet network is coming, it is Ethereum."
Ted Nelson was one of the theoretical pioneers of the World Wide Web and the spiritual mentor of Tim Berners-Lee. In 1965, the Xanadu project was proposed to publish and publish information from around the world in a hypertext format, thus inventing the concept of hypertext and hypermedia.
In his vision of the future of the Internet, every quote on the Internet can be returned to its source after clicking, and the reader does not read it once, and the original author can get a small reward.
Xanadu by Ted Nelson
“Human society will enter a new virtual world. Whether it is the metaverse or the Web 3.0, human beings must be changing from carbon-based to silicon-based. This new world needs a fair governance system, otherwise you will be much more introverted. ”
Suji has a fundamental understanding of the metaverse, a hotspot of the recent capital chase. The metaverse is a virtual world that is more real than the Internet, embodied in touch and political and economic power. Mask Network will act as a catalyst for the metaverse to accelerate the arrival of this new world. ”
Suji is bullish on Ethereum, which is more open and free than Bitcoin, and can do more on it.
However, it will still be the end of 17 early 18, Ethereum is very difficult to use, just like the early Internet, the poor experience led to very few users.
After gradually studying blockchain and Ethereum, Suji observed a phenomenon. At that time (the end of 2017), many people were excited about the new technology of blockchain, and there were various new public chains, new sidechains, new concepts, and new protocols.
It is very similar to the early internet.
When working as an independent reporter in Suji, I interviewed early employees of Netscape and learned the story of Netscape, the Internet ’ s first browser.
When the World Wide Web was invented and not immediately commercialized, the Internet at that time was as difficult to use as Ethereum today, requiring dialing and tapping code to be on the forum.
In this case, Microsoft has monopolized the entire consumer market through the development of operating system software, that is, ordinary people who do not understand the code want to get online, they must buy Microsoft's operating system.
It wasn ’ t until the appearance of the internet that this changed.
At that time, a young man named Mark Andreson discovered that people were busy inventing new protocols, new layers, new concepts, but no one was developing products for ordinary users.
So he made a tool, the goal of this tool is very simple, that is, the average person on Windows can double click on the Internet, this tool is the browser, when Mark Andreson developed is the first browser Netscape browser.
Since then, ordinary users only need to download a browser to enter the world of the Internet, no longer need to pay Microsoft to buy the operating system. Mark Andreson later became the founder of the a16z fund, although Netscape was later acquired, but the browser as a Internet tool has been retained, a generation of browsers came out, become an indispensable tool for Internet surfing.
This made Suji realize that Web 3.0 needed its own Netscape browser.
Mask Network ’ s main strategy: Seamlessly introduce Internet users into Web 3.0
Even the largest decentralized application, Metamask, has a few million monthly activities (up to 5 million recently).
The reason is that the use of blockchain and encryption applications is too high, so that ordinary users are discouraged.
On the other hand, both personal data and social relationships have resulted in users being unable to leave the original Web 2.0 platform.
Suji noted that, on the one hand, Internet users have an urgent need for Web 3.0, but the contradiction is that they can not leave the Internet, so that Internet natives can use the function of Web 3.0 without leaving the familiar environment, without dealing with complex wallet passwords, is the most urgent problem of the current blockchain industry to solve, which is also a problem that Mask Network urgently needs to solve - to provide Web3.0 portal for ordinary users on Web 2.0.
Positioned as the gatekeeper of the new Internet, a bridge linking Web 2.0 to Web 3.0, Mask Network has released a series of "Decentralized Applets", hoping to seamlessly introduce Internet natives to the new Web 3.0.
Since ownership is tied to the identity system, the first step of Mask Network is to launch the DID decentralized identity system.
Because only a decentralized identity system has the concept of ownership, including data ownership.
With a decentralized identity, you can log in to all platforms with one identity, and the data is open between them.
Decentralized identity also means that the centralized platform can not arbitrarily dispose of and audit your account and data, have the ownership of their own data, you can transfer the data to other platforms, each platform has no right to ask.
When you have an identity that is not controlled by the platform, you can even enjoy the economic benefits that this identity brings.
One example is Twitter founder Jack Dorsey ’ s sale of his first tweet, “Just set up my tweet ” in 2006, via an auction of NFT casting tool Valuables, for a total of 1,630 ETH (worth more than $2.9 million).
It is worth mentioning that Valuables was born from the joint bounty program of Mask Network and Cent, and is part of the Mask Network ecosystem.
It is an NFT casting extension application that integrates Twitter platform. It supports Twitter users to sell and trade their own tweets directly on Twitter in the form of NFT. It also allows buyers to initiate a bid on a tweet in the form of NFT to fund the publisher, and supports the direct display of the bid history of the tweet on Twitter, including the current bid.
The NFT represents a digital certificate of the tweet, and the certificate is personally signed and verified by the wallet address of the tweet creator and contains the metadata of the original tweet: the publisher, the time of posting and the content of the tweet, all of which are located on the Matic blockchain.
And Mask Network is about to launch a small plug-in integrated Instagram, will allow Instagram platform users to publish their own image content in the form of NFT to sell to fans, because of the identity system and data ownership that is not controlled by the platform party, so the revenue platform is less than a penny.
If you are a KOL with a lot of fans, you can use this plugin to build a fan economy without having to be ripped off by the platform like in the Web 2.0 era.
Mask has also launched a series of Dapplets: In February last year, Mask Network and MakerDAO launched the Red Packet feature, which allows users to send and receive cryptocurrency red envelopes on Twitter without the need for complicated mnemonic words, and its achievements are also significant, becoming the largest source of traffic for Maker other than DeFi, and attracting the attention and participation of Ethereum founder Vitalik; k Network and Gitcoin cooperate to launch a donation function, allowing users to directly donate to projects on Gitcoin without leaving the Twitter platform; Mask Network and decentralized storage project Arweave cooperate to launch a decentralized storage function, allowing users to directly upload and store decentralized files on Twitter or Facebook; and CoinMarketCap, Uniswap cooperation allows users to directly watch the market and even conduct decentralized transactions on Twitter. Wait a minute.
Mask Network invented the ITO (Initial Twitter Offering) model, that is, the first issue of Twitter-based tokens, allowing Internet users to subscribe for tokens directly on Twitter, Mask Network project itself also adopted the ITO model to issue its own governance tokens, the degree of popularity once caused the token issuance downtime, instantaneous traffic exceeded the number of Metamask users.
This means that Internet users do have an urgent need for Web3.0, and the side proves that Mask Network's main strategy of "building a bridge to the Web3 world with the Internet / Web2.0 platform as the portal" is correct, that is, focusing on solving the more urgent needs - connecting the Internet and the Web3.0 world, making it easy for ordinary people to use Web3.0 features.
"It is said that the threshold for ordinary people to enter the crypto world is very high, bad interface, complex keys and auxiliary words, etc., but Mask Network only aims to achieve a simple goal, let users become an NFT user without leaving the Internet native experience, hold tokens, make investments, receive crypto red envelopes, which is a bit like a rural encirclement of the city, and will eventually converge." The universe is the sea. "
“But stepping into the metaverse doesn ’ t happen overnight, it requires laying a series of easy-to-use Web3.0 middleware bridges to bring Internet natives to this new world. ”
This is the mission of Mask Network, to build the entrance to the decentralized world, to nurture one Web 3.0 scaffold after another, and to continuously deliver incremental users to the “metaverse. ”
Openness, collaboration and problem awareness
Mask Network focuses on solving the more pressing needs of users in the current crypto world, that is, providing a solution to connect the Internet and the Web 3.0 world, making it easy for ordinary people to use Web3.0 features.
Solving more pressing needs means doing the important things and never repeating the wheel. All the applications currently released by Mask Network Ecosystem are launched in collaboration with other head projects, Twitter Red Packet launched in partnership with Maker, Twitter Donation launched in partnership with Gitcoin, and a decentralized storage launched in partnership with Arweave.
“Whether it ’ s Dex, DeFi, Wallet or NFT, there ’ s no need for Mask to participate in this kind of competition, ” Suji says.“ Mask ’ s goal is very simple, that is, to let ordinary people use Web 3.0 and enter this new Web 3.0 world. ”
“At present, the number of users in the decentralized Internet industry is still very small. If we can use our infrastructure to make this new world have more users, it is very valuable. All projects, including Ethereum, need Mask Network to bring in incremental users. ”
As with the state of the world during the university years, the results of these collaborations are "chatted" with the current heads of DeFi projects, and this rather open attitude can also lead to practical solutions.
“It ’ s not the same as just sitting in an office research, ” Suji says,“ to find out what isn ’ t reasonable and what problems need to be solved. ”
In order to find more users for Web 3.0, another major strategy of Mask is to find users in the communities closest to the blockchain, such as developing products with the decentralized social network Mastodon. Mastodon is a federally distributed social network, and unlike Twitter, the service is positioned as a small, independent community and community-based (rather than top-down) censorship and service operation Mastodon. There are currently 4 million users, but since there is no VC investment and no business operation, there is no source of income, Mask has donated to it.
On the other hand, Suji is also soberly aware that decentralization is not a panacea, it has its own limitations, and decentralization is not necessarily the most efficient, but it is indeed a meaningful organizational structure, and it should be used where it can play its own advantages.
Where the centralized model does not work, it can be done by decentralization.
For example, traditional companies can not directly complete decentralization, these can be done by Mask ’ s DApplet, such as Mask ’ s transaction program can directly purchase tokens at Uniswap through Twitter, or, for example, Mask ’ s NFT program can allow users to complete NFT purchases directly on Twitter.
There are currently more than 10 Dapplet applets in the Mask Network ecosystem, of which 5 / 6 are demonstration products released by the official joint head DeFi project, and the remaining applets are born from the Bounty activity, and there are dozens of applets in development.
This is just the tip of the iceberg in the Mask ecosystem. With the gradual transition to decentralization, Mask Network will gradually evolve into a protocol without permission. Any developer will develop “DApplets ” that connect the Internet and blockchain. These DApplets can be plugged directly into platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Reddit to help these centralized social platforms become decentralized, or become a technical tool. Decentralized social protocols.
In the foreseeable future, Mask will form a self-growing ecosystem, just like the Apple App Store.
However, unlike Apple ’ s split and centralized review, Mask is decentralized and will use the DAO review.
We can ’ t predict what Mask Network will look like in the future, but what is certain is that Suji and his team will continue to find incremental users for the blockchain, let ordinary Internet users use Web 3.0, and, more and more independent developers from all over the world will join the Mask Network ecosystem to contribute code and develop applications, these small plugins with different functions, followed by Web 2.0. The other is connected to the world of Web 3.0, and with each addition of such a small plug-in, more users will pour into the new world, and these trickles will eventually converge into the sea, and Mask is the source.
Reference Link
https: / / en.wikipedia.org / wiki / Mastodon
https: / / en.wikipedia.org / wiki / Ted _ Nelson
https: / / mp.weixin.qq.com / s / Nj57Go7yZ9Zr6h-9IWKNbQ
https: / / www.wired.com / story / how-github-helping-overworked-chinese-programmers /
https: / / masknetwork.media.com / mask-network-x-cent-buy-the-tweet-you-just-saw-on-twitter-6b3f697057d
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In terms of the characteristics of people who are most likely to subscribe to flat Earth beliefs, research has shown that they tend to be younger, more conservative, and less educated than the general population.

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Who's most likely to be open to conspiracy theories? UNH research points to millennials and Trump supporters

Who are the groups most likely to believe in conspiracy theories? That’s the question a University of New Hampshire researcher recently set out to solve.

Sociology professor Lawrence Hamilton looked into national survey data gauging public beliefs in several conspiracy theories, including: "NASA astronauts did not really land on the Moon" and "The Earth is flat, not round."

After digging into that data, Hamilton found "acceptance or openness to conspiracy beliefs was significantly higher among certain subgroups, including Millennials and supporters of ex-president Trump."

NHPR’s Rick Ganley talked with Hamilton about his findings — and the role social media plays in spreading conspiracy theories. Below is a transcript of their conversation, lightly edited for clarity.

Read more about Hamilton's research here.

Transcript

Rick Ganley: It's worth noting that some of these conspiracy theories are old. Some are more recent. But all of them seemingly were given a boost by social media. And it's not hard to find false information, obviously, about topics online. Did you find it used to be much harder to hear about or be convinced of something like this?

Lawrence Hamilton: Well, I've never asked these questions before, so I don't have my own data. There are Gallup polls going back to the late 1990s that seem to find much smaller fractions of people thinking that the moon landings were faked, for example. So there's some kind of indirect evidence. I don't know if anybody tracked it very well. The number of people who've heard about these theories [that's] rising are the people who are drawn into them. And I'm sure that YouTube and social media — people describe it as a rabbit hole, where if you start watching one video [alleging the Earth is flat], they'll recommend another one for you. And pretty soon it seems like the whole world is all about flat Earth.

Rick Ganley: Your research looked into the political leanings of people who responded. What did you find there?

Lawrence Hamilton: We did find a political correlation, and that wasn't a foregone conclusion, because I had specifically chosen conspiracy theories that are not known to have a clear political [connection]. I mean, there's been a lot of research going back really to the 1960s on the paranoid style in American politics that has found conspiracy theories are more popular among conservatives across a range of issues. In the 1950s, it was conspiracies by Communist infiltration in the U.S. government. Now, it may be conspiracies directed at politicians — [alleging without evidence that former President Barack] Obama is a Muslim, or [President Joe] Biden stole the 2020 election — and others that are targeted at scientists, like climate change is a hoax, COVID-19 is a hoax or COVID precautions or vaccines are a hoax. And I chose none of those. I chose things like: ‘The moon landings were fake,’ or ‘Earth is flat,’ ‘Vaccines implant microchips.’ So it was interesting to find that even there, there's a conservative preference.

Rick Ganley: A lot of this does come down to faith in science and academics and what so-called experts have to say. Do you see this as evidence of a decline in faith in institutions?

Lawrence Hamilton: Well, I would say there's a decline — and this is something we do have data on — there's a wide decline in trust in scientists, and it's largely partisan. It's not so much happening among people who self-identify as liberal or moderate. But among people who identify as conservative or very conservative, there's definitely a decline in trust in scientists. The COVID pandemic was an interesting case in point, because we were actually tracking this on surveys, and trust in the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] took an enormous nosedive over space about four months, specifically among conservatives. Other groups didn't change. But the conservative trust in the CDC took this huge dive when [former President] Donald Trump's tweeting turned from praising the CDC to attacking it. And with that flip, conservative trust in the CDC flipped as well, and nobody else has changed much.

Rick Ganley: Your research also highlighted a pattern having to do with age. Respondents who classify themselves as millennials, that is those born between 1981 and 1996, were the most likely to agree with some of the conspiracies that you posed. And Gen Zs, I guess, were also more inclined than older respondents. What did you find there?

Lawrence Hamilton: Well, some of that corresponded to previous surveys. There's a section at the end of our report where we say, well, how does this compare with what other people have found? Just as a reality check. And that's been reported by a number of other studies as well. So millennials in particular, and Gen Z to a slightly lesser extent, were much less skeptical about the conspiracies compared with boomers or older generations. And one explanation that's been offered for that, well, two explanations: Regarding the moon landings, of course, older generations lived through those and remember the national pride and excitement and so forth, whereas [for] younger generations, it's something in the history books. So maybe they don't have that sense of having been there when it happened. But the other thing is that you could expect younger generations to be more engaged with social media, which for some people could take them down these rabbit holes again.

Rick Ganley: Does your research have any suggestions on how to stop people from believing in conspiracy theories?

Lawrence Hamilton: That's a real hard one because there's this tendency to get into information silos where all you hear are the voices that reinforce your prejudices. And a thing about conspiracies is that they will give you a reason to reject anything that contradicts them. People have been seeing [the science behind] climate change for a long time, [and] you can't go in with fact sheets. That doesn't persuade anybody. They'll just become convinced that you're part of the hoax, too. There aren't any simple answers. The strongest recommendation is that scientists stay engaged in public communication through every channel they have, and that they try to make their conclusions understandable or accessible to people from a lot of different walks of life who obviously are not reading the peer review journals.

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For example, a study by the University of New Hampshire found that millennials and Trump supporters were more likely to believe in conspiracy theories, including the flat Earth idea.

The study also found that people who are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories tend to be less skeptical and more open to new ideas, which can make them more susceptible to misinformation and manipulation.

Overall, the flat Earth movement is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that reflects a broader distrust of scientific authority and a growing skepticism towards established institutions.

While the idea of a flat Earth is not supported by scientific evidence, it is essential to understand the reasons behind its resurgence and the characteristics of people who are most likely to subscribe to this belief.

By examining the arguments and tactics used by flat-earthers, as well as the social and cultural factors that contribute to the spread of misinformation, we can gain a deeper understanding of this phenomenon and develop strategies to counter it.

It is also essential to promote critical thinking and media literacy, particularly among young people, to help them navigate the complex and often misleading information landscape of the internet.

Ultimately, the flat Earth movement is a reminder of the importance of science education and critical thinking in the modern world, and the need for ongoing efforts to promote scientific literacy and skepticism towards unsubstantiated claims.