Flat Earth, a conspiracy theory that has grown in popularity over the past decade, is an archaic, pre-Socratic model of the Earth that proposes a flat-shape geometry for our planet. According to this model, the Earth is a disc of varying thickness surrounded by a huge wall of ice at its periphery. The ice, said to be around 150 feet tall, is there to prevent people from walking or climbing off the edge. Modern adepts of such model, despite having the benefits of readily available information at their fingertips, decry any proof provided by science that is contrary to their beliefs, citing that established science is part of a globally organized conspiracy to fabricate and disseminate evidence for a round Earth.
Flat-earthers, often belonging to an older demographic with plenty of time in their hands and an unbound curiosity backed by years of savings, will occasionally try to ascertain for themselves the veracity of any odd idea trending at the time. In a recent online article, the flat-earth odyssey of a middle-aged Italian couple is recounted as a cautionary tale for those who are firmly rooted in the idea of a flat planet beneath our feet.
