Since the time of the ancient Greeks, more than 2,000 years ago, people have known that the Earth is a sphere.
Despite this, some people are still convinced that we live on a giant floating disk in space known as ‘Flat Earth’.
Now one of the internet’s most famous ‘Flat Earthers’ has finally discovered the truth.
Jeran Campanella, who runs the popular Flat Earth site ‘Jeransim’, has traveled to Antarctica as part of a trip called ‘The Final Experiment’.
Mr Campanella witnessed firsthand that the sun does not set during the Southern Hemisphere summer – debunking one of the famous conspiracy theories.
Stationed in Antarctica, he says to the camera: ‘Sometimes life is wrong and I thought there was no 24-hour sun. Actually, I was pretty sure.
‘And it’s a fact: the sun revolves around you in the south. So what does that mean? You’ll have to find that out for yourselves.’
Campanella thanked the organizer of the trip, which cost $35,000 (£27,500) – although he did not mention that the Earth is spherical.
On the globe, Antarctica is an island continent in the southernmost part of the world. But on a flat Earth, Antarctica is a wall of ice that surrounds all other continents and encompasses all the world’s oceans.
Jeran Campanella, who runs the popular Flat Earth YouTube channel ‘Jeransim’, has traveled to Antarctica as part of a trip called ‘The Final Experiment’
Mr. Campanella was featured in the 2018 documentary “Behind the Curve,” when he inadvertently debunked his own theory with a light experiment.
In the new clip, he also acknowledges that people may see him as a “shill” – an imposter participating in the supposed cover-up that the Earth is round.
“I realize I’m going to be called a shill for just saying that, and you know what, if you’re a shill for being honest, then so be it,” he said.
‘I really believed there was no 24-hour sun – I now really believe there is.’
As any knowledgeable person will know, Antarctica is an island continent in the southernmost part of our planet.
Because of the Earth’s tilt, the sun doesn’t set during the Southern Hemisphere (or Northern Hemisphere) summer – it just moves in a circle in the sky.
It means that the sun remains visible all day, even at midnight – a phenomenon called ‘the midnight sun’.
But according to Flat Earthers, or ‘Flerfs’, Antarctica is a wall of ice that surrounds all other continents and encompasses all the world’s oceans.
The trip, labeled ‘The Final Experiment’, was organized by Colorado pastor Will Duffy (pictured)
During summer in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres, the sun remains visible all day, including at midnight – a phenomenon called ‘the midnight sun’. Pictured: Multiple exposure of the midnight sun on Lake Ozhogino in Yakutia, Russia
That’s why the sun rises and sets every day, regardless of whether it’s summer or not, the theorists claim.
And to account for day and night, most theorists believe that the sun moves in circles around the North Pole, with the sunlight acting like a spotlight over the Earth.
About three years ago, Colorado pastor Will Duffy was made aware that people still believe the Earth is flat when a friend of his posted about it on Facebook.
Since Flat Earthers said for years that Antarctica will show the world the truth about the shape of the Earth, Mr. Duffy decided that the simplest solution would be to simply go to Antarctica.
“After we go to Antarctica, no one will have to waste time debating the shape of the Earth,” he said.
“I created The Final Experiment to end this debate once and for all,” he said.
On December 14, Mr Duffy flew to Antarctica with four Flat Earthers (including Mr Campanella) and four people who already know the Earth is round (‘globe earthers’).
Mr Duffy said he filmed the sun for 25 hours straight, using SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet network for a live stream.
Stunning images of the frozen landscape show the shining midnight sun with ice-capped mountains in the background.
“That’s midnight sun, so the sun has never set the entire time we’ve been here,” the pastor said to the camera.
“I put on sunscreen at midnight so I wouldn’t get sunburned at midnight doing this livestream.”
He turns to Mr Campanella, who humbly admits he was wrong, but another famous Flat Earther on the trip, Austin Witsit, has more difficulty letting go of the theory.
Witsit said there is “obviously” a 24-hour sun, but denied that this proves the Earth is a sphere.
“I don’t think it falsifies the flat (flat) Earth, I don’t think it proves a sphere – I think it’s a single data point,” he said.
Likewise, some YouTuber conspiracy theorists are unconvinced, with many claiming the group was in front of a green screen.
In the live chat, YouTube user Nandy posted: ‘THIS IS A GREEN SCREEN, HOLD SNOW UP AND PUT THREE FINGERS IF IT’S REAL the earth will always be flat,’ while user Fozzy_Foster said: ‘move the camera to the green screen. ‘
Another user, Oz Riv, called Mr Duffy a “shill” and added: “You are a preacher advocating for an earth that is not biblical. And you work with NASA.”
Scientists have known for thousands of years that the Earth is a sphere, for the simple fact that the sun sets at different times and in different locations.
If the Earth were flat, shadows would be the same length regardless of location.
The curvature of the Earth has also long been clearly visible to space travelers and robotic probes.