Expert: Ralph Salier-Hellendag - 12/2/2004

Question
What was the famous believe of pople regarding
earth and who was the scientist which proved it wrong?

Answer
Umair,

For a very long time some people believed two things.  First that the Earth was flat like a plate and secondly that we were the center of the universe and that every thing rotated around us.  The early astronomers like Copericus and Galalleo demonstrated that the sun is the center of our solar system and that we rotated around the sun along with other planets.  As for the Earth being flat, most sailors and people who lived along the waters of oceans and seas knew that the Earth was not flat.  Among others, Christopher Columbus set out to prove that the earth was round by sailing west in hopes of reaching the West Indies which was normally reached by sailing East around Africa.  But he ran into the Americas instead.  

But even before this, the ancient Egyptians, the Babylonians and the Ancient Chinese knew the Earth was round.  The thought that the Earth was flat was only believed by the Catholic Church as part of its dogma  thus limiting this silly belief to Europe during the Dark Ages and into the Renassance.