The notion of a Flat Earth as a conspiracy is an old theory.

The people who believe in this

theory believe that our planet is disc shaped, flat like a pizza. In the center of the earth there
is the arctic and at the edge of the circle there is Antarctica. For the flat-Earthers as well as
believing the Earth to be flat, they also think that the earth is covered by a giant dome onto
which the moon, the sun, and the stars are projected. Flat Earthers believe that all medias are
conspiring to hide the real truth about a flat earth.

Since antiquity the belief of a flat earth was widely held and indeed at one time it was
considered that any other idea about the shape of the earth was a heresy ( from the church for
example), however since mathematicians succeeded to prove that the Earth was round, such
as Pythagoras who was the first, the notion of a flat earth has continued to be believed in
society. Notably by religions for which a round earth would pose a problem concerning their
beliefs and culture, even nowadays where it’s commonly accepted that the earth is round.
Since the end of the XIX century, Samuel Rowbotham was one of principal influencers within
the flat earth believers. He wrote a book called Zetetic Astronomy in 1865 which outlined the
flat Earth theories and is even today a vital reference for conspiracy theorists. In 1956 a
society was created by Samuel Shenton which gathered all the Flat Earthers. This society was
called the international flat earth research society.

The flat earth conspiracy spread throughout history through books, art and some scientists
who made fake calculations. However, with the social media revolution some new videos
and articles have appeared and are once again being spread by people sensitive to
conspiracy. Recently, the flat earth theory has been spread by politicians and celebrities.

People believe in this theory because it allows them to make sense of the environment, our
space and planet. Effectively for them the mystery of our planet continues today as they
think that pictures of our round planet are fake. I believe that Flat Earthers are people who
refuse to believe in common knowledge about space and earth. They prefer their own
answers. They think there is a secret around the truth. The reality is hidden by the
authorities.

People believe in this theory because the idea of the earth and space is too big to
contemplate. So, it’s a way for them to give an explanation for possible overwhelming events.
And for them, believing in a flat earth is a way to feel safe and to create boundaries in order
to have a sense of control in their lives. It’s a way to create
your own reality and to have the impression of being locked up in an unpredictable world.
Finally, belief in this theory is a way of making sense of a chaotic world with tons of
stimulation and random events. These people need to clarify the world, to explain it with
their own words and to understand why they are here?

According to a yougov survey of more than 8000 American adults it was suggested that as
many as one in six Americans are not entirely certain the world is round. This theory is most
widely believed in the United States.