Flat-Earther spends thousands trying to prove Earth is flat, experiment confirms the opposite

Bob Knodel spent $20,000 and devoted his time to proving that Earth was flat. Instead, his own experiment confirmed that the planet is spherical.

Knodel, a prominent figure on the Globebusters YouTube channel, began his project in 2019. He wanted to challenge the scientific view that Earth’s surface is curved and that the Sun and Moon move around the planet. His chosen test used a laser gyroscope, which he believed would disprove scientists.

The project was documented in the Netflix film “Behind the Curve,” which also featured other well-known flat-Earthers, scientists and astrophysicists. Knodel and his team carried out a laser-ring experiment using a camera positioned to film through holes in two barriers five kilometres apart. They intended to show that a beam would travel in a straight line through the openings. If the camera captured it without interruption, they believed that would prove Earth was flat.

Once the light was switched on, however, the team observed a slight curvature in its path. The camera also recorded a drift of 15 degrees per hour, a result consistent with a spherical Earth. Knodel rejected the finding, saying it was caused by “some kind of problem.”

After “Behind the Curve” was released, the experiment strengthened the scientific case and drew criticism on social media, including from some flat-Earthers. Divisions within the movement deepened, with some supporters defending Knodel and others accusing him of creating excessive expectations. His companions announced his death on YouTube in 2023 and dedicated a memorial to him. The Globebusters channel remains active and continues to publish material supporting flat-Earth ideas and questioning governments and space agencies.

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Some kind of problem.