USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment.įollow us on Facebook! Like our page to get updates throughout the day on our latest debunks Laser tests in uncontrolled conditions unreliable due to refraction Furthermore, scientists said that experiments utilizing laser beams in controlled conditions, and on a larger scale than the diagram in the post, actually prove the Earth is curved. That’s because environmental factors can cause a laser beam to bend, or refract – especially over water. Scientists say that the post’s logic is flawed and that laser tests in uncontrolled conditions are not a reliable way to prove the Earth's shape. 27 Instagram post ( direct link, archive link).

Water at rest does not deviate from level,” claims a Nov. It also includes a diagram showing how the distance between a straight laser beam and the water below should increase as the beam travels further away from its source as a result of the curve of the Earth. The post shows a green laser beam projected over a body of water. But some social media users claim to have devised an experiment showing the earth is flat. Scientists have ample evidence to prove the Earth is a sphere. Watch Video: First images of Earth from NASA's Orion spacecraft The claim: Laser tests show bodies of water are level, which proves the Earth is flat

Flat earth debunked