Why Do Proponents Of Flat Earth Think There’S A Conspiracy?

Michael Marshall, project director of the Good Thinking Society in the UK, discusses the rise of flat earth belief and its connection to conspiracy theories and antiscience activities. This theory claims that Earth is a flat disk surrounded by an impenetrable ring of ice called Antarctica. Thousands of people believe Earth is flat, and that the world’s elite are duping citizens with a “globularist” conspiracy. The global pandemic has launched various conspiracy theories, such as Bill Gates microchips and the cabal that created vaccines for world domination. However, it has also resurrected a belief among flat-earthers.

There is evidence that conspiracy beliefs spike during times of societal crisis, such as after the 9/11 attacks. Flat-earthers believe that there are qualitatively different types of flat Earth, but flat Earth videos have become a popular conspiracy theory on the internet. Flat Earthers claim YouTube was key in helping them spread their message, and Google is taking action to prevent conspiracy videos from being shared. Rachel Brazil explores why such views are increasingly taking hold and how the physics community should best respond. Eclipses can attract some people to the flat Earth conspiracy theory, much to the dismay of experts.