Round Earth

When did people first realize that the earth is round?

Greek scholars had decided by 350 B.C. that the earth must be round. But the earlier belief that it was flat persisted in other countries afterwards.  Even as late as the time of Christopher Columbus, at the end of the 15^th Century, a fear of falling off the edge of the earth existed among seamen.

One theory held by early man was that the sky was a kind of shield which came down to meet the earth on all sides, forming a boxed-in universe. It was the Greeks who hit on the idea that it was a circular slab. A Hindu myth suggested that the slab was supported by four pillars which rested on four elephants, which stood on a gigantic turtle, which perhaps, swam in a huge ocean.

The Greek philosopher, Anaximander of Miletus (611-546 B.C.) thought man might be living on the surface of a cylinder, which was curved from north to south. He was the first, as far as is known, to suggest any shape for the earth other than that it was flat.

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(Tagalog)
Paano napatunayan na ang mundo ay bilog?


Noong unang panahon, ang mga tao ay nainiwala na ang mundo ay patag, at kapag narating mo na ang dulo ng mundo, ikaw ay mahuhulog. May isang tao na walang takot na nagpapatunay na ang mundo ay bilog. Siya ay si Ferdinand Magellan, isang manlalakbay na Portugues na sumubok na pumunta nang pakanluran sa isang isla na matatagpuan sa Silangan. Narating niya ang silangan bahagi  ng mundo sa paglalayag nang pakanluran na nagpapatunay na ang mundo nga ay bilog. Hindi nya nakompleto ang paglalakbay nang siya ay napatay ng mga katutubong pinamumunuan ni Lapu-Lapu sa Mactan, isang isla sa Pilipinas.