Flat Earthers, Speak to me

So, I don't have much to do on this 'Hottest day in at least 145 years' Sunday. So why not engage with people I wouldn't normally engage in?

In my science-y circle, It came to my attention that there is this huge Steemit divide between scientific minded people and... Skeptics of science. In particular, flat earthers.

I want to ask some questions to the latter, and if any actually read this, perhaps we can have a civilized set of answers.

But here are some notes and rules:

• I will not answer in these comments, so don't answer a question with a question. I will express my thoughts in a follow up post (if there are enough things to go with)

• I am not trying to patronize or mock, I simply observed a complete bewilderment on both sides on how one side can't see the way of the other side, and want try try and close that gap, but obviously, I am not a believer of flat earth and likely never will be. The point is not to convert me, but to teach me the details.

• Do not express answers in memes or links or youtube videos. Explain answers using your own knowledge. You can put a link afterwords that backs up your claim if you like, and I'll happily check it out. But I want your words.

So without further adieu, for flat-earthers only, here are some questions:

1 - When you say 'I've been researching', have you actually done research, or are you just gathering information from various other sources and shifting it onto a blog post? If you are somebody who has done research, please explain it to me in the comments

2 - Similarly, have you actually tested the roundness of the earth yourself? Have you actually, say, launched a balloon into space with a camera (You can do this for barely $150)? If everybody doing this are using special lenses to trick everybody, why?

Image of a balloon from students at Leicester University

2B - If you don't believe in photographic evidence from the majority of the world, what DO you consider evidence?

3 - What are your best arguments putting the final nail in the coffin? A mic-drop point that scientists cannot adequately reply to? Note, this cannot be something that is unfalsifiable like God or tooth fairies or Santa. Show me something that you can do yourself, that I can do, that researchers could do, something that is reproducible, as in, proof.

4 - (Extra questions to browse) What is your best argument against the typical classic questions against you including but not limited to those below? Feel free to choose one, all or others:

• Why don't we fall off the edge?
• Explain the results of the simple stick experiment on a summer solstice day
• Why are all the other planets round, as can be directly observed with a telescope, ball-shadows, rotation and all?
• How do you explain orbiting around the sun, as can be directly observed with a telescope on other planets, with actual maths and science?
• Saturn's rings?
• Are any of you experts in GPS technology, and if so, how does GPS work if everything that has been calculated based on a sphere is a lie?
• Have you actually been to the ice wall? Have you traversed it and measures it go around the earth?
• How do you explain every single photo and video by every amateur and professional out there? I don't mean, how can you correct them, but how can you explain that so many people are in on some gigantic secret, including students just having fun?
• What is the point of this secret?
• How do seasons work?
• If I fly in a straight line for long enough, what happens? Explain it, and why nobody has ever done it before.
• How does sunset work?

5 - Are any of you educated in the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), and if so, how did you learn to dismiss everything you have learnt as a lie, and what did you replace it with?

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Now, I want to engage anybody reading this on a level equal to me and scientists alike, that means if you want to answer things with 'yes' or simple 5-word, matter-of-fact remarks that show no evidence or proof and just imply it's somehow common sense, don't bother replying, it won't consider it an answer.

It should be obvious at this point that I'm looking for hard, observable scenarios, experiments, experiences and evidence that can be replicated. I have a very long holiday right now so if you're convincing enough, I could potentially go and replicate your claims.

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Please refrain from patronising, insulting, trolling and so on. I've been on the internet as long as you have, I barely raise an eyebrow so if that's your intent, maybe save your typing energy for elsewhere! Let's keep it civil!