- Location
- Visiting BWBs.
@J. A. Belanger presents the second in his series looking at the myths people think pre-moderns believed, and what things might have been like had they actually believed them. This time, he's looking at the Flat Earth.
-
Hi Guest!
The costs of running this forum are covered by Sea Lion Press. If you'd like to help support the company and the forum, visit patreon.com/sealionpress
The Earth Is Round?
- Thread starter David Flin
- Start date
- Location
- Baselland
The first AH story I ever read was a short story in an SF collection that used the Earth being flat as a punchline
The story was Sail On! Sail On! by Philip José Farmer (published 1952). It takes place on Columbus’ first voyage. Some technology is more advanced, thanks to research carried out by the Baconian Order, so the ship is equipped with a radio operated by Brother Sparks. They believe that the world is round and are encouraged to sail further when they spot seagulls flying over the ship. Though it is a bit disquieting that the birds have no legs. In the end they sail too far and are swept over the edge, with Brother Sparks desperately transmitting a warning back to Spain.
Nicely done.
- Location
- Over the rainbow
This seems apposite here:
I wonder to what extent the idea that "medieval people thought the Earth was flat" has lingered into modern pop culture because of Tolkien's own hesitations about the shape of Middle Earth, as though, to make his worldbuilding look more "medieval", he had to set it on a flat disc. Something that would be famously and memetically spoofed by Pratchett.