[Max_Almond]

If the Earth is flat, Google Maps must be significantly incorrect. But we can check that very easily, and can even zoom in and see our own houses and trees in our street.

In southern hemisphere countries any discrepancies would be even more apparent.

So where is it wrong? Why has no one ever noticed a problem with the distances?

Surely the only answer is that it isn't inaccurate; that it fairly represents a spherical earth; and that the world isn't flat.

[jacksonhorton]

Perhaps Google's algorithms curve the pictures taken from space to shape them like a sphere.

[stack]

Perhaps Google's algorithms curve the pictures taken from space to shape them like a sphere.

Begs the question as to why they would do that?

[Bad Puppy]

Perhaps Google's algorithms curve the pictures taken from space to shape them like a sphere.

That would seem a bit odd since the general FE belief about space travel is that it's a lie, so no photos from space could exist with a FE.

Besides, any curving of a flat surface would show distortion, which does not appear to happen.  If it zoomed out to a flat plane, it would be distorted as is evident by every non-spherical projection of the globe.

[jimster]

You can get a US geodetic survey topo map telling you your latitude/longitude as determined by surveyors (ref geodetic marker), look up the wiki page for your city, use gps, get a sextant and use celestial navigation, airline nav aids, and compare the results. If they don't match, just show people and be famous. Do this in a second place. Check the google maps (and other, several map sites) for distance between them drive it in a car, or check airline schedules for matching time/speed/distance. Use flat plane formula to calculate distance and spherical geometry. Do this all over the world, especially in the southern hemisphere. Show how these don't match, or how RE math gives wrong answer.

If anything doesn't match RE, I will be your agent. Fame and $.

[Kangaroony]

Google maps does not appear to be wrong in my opinion.

Google shows the road distance from Melbourne, Victoria, to Perth, Western Australia as 3,624 km
driving on the shortest route, National Highway A1.  I've made that trip nine times—four outbound,
and five homeward, and I can confirm that distance within an accuracy of around +10km or -10km.
This is easy, because we have "Welcome To Perth" or "Welcome To Melbourne" highway markers to
use as measuring points.  It was also consistent with two different vehicles, both with vehicle-maker
tyre specs.

I'm sure any distortion of the Google maps would point up a discrepancy above a mere 20km over
that sort of distance.

[jimster]

And many have made the drive across the US at about 3000 miles. Yet every map in the TFES faq shows Australia as significantly wider then US. GPS, airplane and ship navigation, geodetic survey, Eratosthenes, etc, all consistent with RE.

One FE claimed that NASA has secret odometer mods built into your car. Another said that the distances are all correct over land, but on waterm no one can know because zetetic, and you can't crawl across the ocean with a ruler, so you can never know the distance. He explained time/speed distance calculations matching RE by "anomalous winds aloft" Apparently these winds only occur over oceans and are stronger proportionate to their distance from the north pole.

I wonder why every reply here is RE. To have a discussion of these things any more, an RE has to describe the FExplanation. I think they have learned that "no answer" can't be rebutted or ridiculed.

[drand48]

Begs the question as to why they would do that?

Just for fun and because I figured an astute person like you would appreciate it.

People recently have been using "begs the question" the same way you did, so it's not "wrong."  But it's not what that has meant until relatively recently.

"Begs the question" refers to a logical fallacy where the argument's premisses assume the conclusion.  (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begging_the_question .)

A less ambiguous way of saying what you said might be "Raises the question."  I think we can blame whomever named that fallacy for the confusion.

This ends today's lecture.  (Tugs on bow tie.)

[stack]

Begs the question as to why they would do that?

Just for fun and because I figured an astute person like you would appreciate it.

People recently have been using "begs the question" the same way you did, so it's not "wrong."  But it's not what that has meant until relatively recently.

"Begs the question" refers to a logical fallacy where the argument's premisses assume the conclusion.  (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begging_the_question .)

A less ambiguous way of saying what you said might be "Raises the question."  I think we can blame whomever named that fallacy for the confusion.

This ends today's lecture.  (Tugs on bow tie.)

Yes and no. I am modern. Therefore, according to your wiki citation, its usage fits with modern times. "In modern vernacular usage, however, begging the question is often used to mean "raising the question" or "suggesting the question"

Albeit, the phrase can cause confusion and consternation for those hung up on its supposed origin (Aristotle) and the direct and accurate translation of "petitio principii", "assume the conclusion".

All that aside, yeah, probably a turn-of-phrase that is best avoided. Thanks for bringing it up. I had no idea it is kind of a no-no and what it actually means in more learned circles.

[Kangaroony]

Google maps shows Australia as around 4,040 km east to west, and around 3,185 km north to south.
And which I can confirm by having driven all around the continent.

But... The standard monopole flat earth map commonly used by the modern Flat Earth Society indicates
Australia is around three times as wide E—W as it is N—S. 

So is Google maps wrong in its interpretation of geodetic positioning, or is FET wrong in its rendering?

I also note that signwriter Samuel Shenton's flat Earth map shows Australia as larger in area than the
North American land mass, which is obviously erroneous.  But then Shenton had no scientific qualifications
of any sort, nor was he a cartographer, so his rendering can easily be dismissed.

[Pete Svarrior]

So where is it wrong?

China.

Why has no one ever noticed a problem with the distances?

Your premise is false. It's rather common knowledge.

[jimster]

Are China's borders correct on Google? I am aware that like USSR, they intentionally make their maps inaccurate for fear of foreign invasions.

If so, the error is contained in China and the rest is correct? That doesn't say anything about the shape of the earth.

If not, the borders are wrong, so the maps of the surrounding countries are wrong. Where does that stop?

India knows where the border is, they have an armed standoff there. Russia knows where the border is, they fought the Japanese there before WW2. Taiwan knows where China is, they are quite aware of the exact geography. North Korea and South Korea know where the border is. Viet Nam knows where the border is. Tibet knows where the border used to be.

Where is the error?

[Pete Svarrior]

Where is the error?

China. If you don't know, find out.

[jimster]

Is this what you are talking about?

https://www.serviceobjects.com/blog/why-gps-coordinates-look-wrong-on-maps-of-china/



These errors will not explain FE.

Can you give me more than "China, find out", maybe just a sentence, a little bit specific?

Seriously, if google maps distances are wrong, such that the distance from Sydney to LA is off by a thousand miles as shown on the FE map, I really want to know. I flew LA to Sydney, the airline schedule, google, time/speed/distance all matched RE. If I am wrong, I want to know, but I need a little more direction to search. Please?

[Tom Bishop]

There isn't actually any reliable way to measure the distance between two distant points. Planes and ships are liable to be behind or ahead, and pilots strategically use jet streams to reach distant points. Most of the long distance flights typically pointed out wouldn't be possible without jet streams. The pilots travel between the coordinate points. And the coordinate points are based on the position of Polaris or time zones.

The only reliable distance measurement method is an odometer, and people haven't measured large portions of the earth with it.

[RonJ]

The only reliable distance measurement method is an odometer, and people haven't measured large portions of the earth with it.

Incorrect. The technology is there today to make accurate distance measurements even in the middle of the worlds oceans.

[Tom Bishop]

The only reliable distance measurement method is an odometer, and people haven't measured large portions of the earth with it.

Incorrect. The technology is there today to make accurate distance measurements even in the middle of the worlds oceans.

I think you mean that there is technology to get your coordinate position. Actually physically measuring distances over long distances is a lot harder.

[DuncanDoenitz]

There isn't actually any reliable way to measure the distance between two distant points. Planes and ships are liable to be behind or ahead, and pilots strategically use jet streams to reach distant points. Most of the long distance flights typically pointed out wouldn't be possible without jet streams. The pilots travel between the coordinate points. And the coordinate points are based on the position of Polaris or time zones.

The only reliable distance measurement method is an odometer, and people haven't measured large portions of the earth with it.

Most, if not all, of the long distance flights typically pointed out have return legs that are not aided by jetstreams.  Pilots know the distance.  That s how they know how much fuel they need and when they will arrive.

[Tom Bishop]

There are winds which travel both Eastwards and Westwards in both the North and the South. There is no such thing as not taking advantage of any winds for a control flight. The planes always try to take advantage of the winds when they fly. When traveling from New York to Europe the planes fly North along the track and when they fly from Europe to New York they fly over a thousand miles south to take advantage of the opposite winds.

[DuncanDoenitz]

There are winds which travel both Eastwards and Westwards in both the North and the South. There is no such thing as not taking advantage of any winds for a control flight. The planes always try to take advantage of the winds when they fly. When traveling from New York to Europe the planes fly North along the track and when they fly from Europe to New York they fly over a thousand miles south to take advantage of the opposite winds.

(my bold); Why do you invent these things?  That, sir, is complete fabrication, and obvious to anyone who flies or watches a flight-tracking service. 

Currently; ETH552, UAE9249, PLM999, MPH6161 for example; all travelling Europe-North America, and all mixed in with West-East traffic.