Physicists may mock the notion of a flat Earth, but the idea is gaining traction, particularly among people susceptible to other conspiracy theories. There’s now an annual flat-Earth conference in the US – the most recent of which was attended by more than 600 people – while YouTube is full of videos purporting to provide evidence that the Earth is flat. However, in the last few years there has been an alarming rise in the number of people who, like B.o.B, believe in flat-Earth theories. Indeed, there’s currently no evidence that B.o.B raised much money or got anywhere near his goal. The rapper’s quest may seem like a joke or publicity stunt. His aim was to raise $200,000 (later upped to $1m) on the GoFundMe website, with the aim of sending one or more craft into space to help him “find the curve” – the term that “flat-Earthers” use to describe the edge of our supposed disc-shaped planet. The rapper, a vocal proponent of “flat-Earth theory”, wanted to seek evidence that our planet is a disc, not a globe. In 2017 the US rapper B.o.B (real name Bobby Ray Simmons Jr) started a crowd-funding campaign to launch a satellite. Rachel Brazil explores why such views are increasingly taking hold and how the physics community should best respond (Courtesy: Claus Lunau/Science Photo Library) Physicists will find it shocking, but there are plenty of people around the world who genuinely believe the Earth is flat. Webinars Tune into online presentations that allow expert speakers to explain novel tools and applications.Video Watch our specially filmed videos to get a different slant on the latest science.Podcasts Our regular conversations with inspiring figures from the scientific community.Audio and video Explore the sights and sounds of the scientific world.Women in physics Celebrating women in physics and their contributions to the field.Supercool physics Experiments that probe the exotic behaviour of matter at ultralow temperatures depend on the latest cryogenics technology.The science and business of space Explore the latest trends and opportunities associated with designing, building, launching and exploiting space-based technologies.Revolutions in computing Find out how scientists are exploiting digital technologies to understand online behaviour and drive research progress.Nanotechnology in action The challenges and opportunities of turning advances in nanotechnology into commercial products.#BlackInPhysics Celebrating Black physicists and revealing a more complete picture of what a physicist looks like.Artificial intelligence Explore the ways in which today’s world relies on AI, and ponder how this technology might shape the world of tomorrow.Collections Explore special collections that bring together our best content on trending topics.Innovation showcases A round-up of the latest innovation from our corporate partners.Projects and facilities Follow the latest progress at the world’s top scientific experiments.Policy and funding Understand how emerging policy changes could affect your work and career.Education and outreach Learn about novel approaches to educating and inspiring the scientists of the future.Business and innovation Find out how recent scientific breakthroughs are driving business innovation and commercial growth.Impact Explore the value of scientific research for industry, the economy and society.Personalities Find out who’s doing what in industry and academia.Interviews Discover the views of leading figures in the scientific community.Opinion and reviews Find out whether you agree with our expert commentators.Careers Consider your career options with valuable advice and insightful case studies.People Meet the people behind the science.Events Plan the meetings and conferences you want to attend with our comprehensive events calendar.Blog Enjoy a more personal take on the key events in and around science.Analysis Discover the stories behind the headlines.Features Take a deeper look at the emerging trends and key issues within the global scientific community.News Stay informed about the latest developments that affect scientists in all parts of the world.Research updates Keep track of the most exciting research breakthroughs and technology innovations.Latest Explore all the latest news and information on Physics World.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |