He Believes That The Earth Is Flat And He Gains More Followers By The Minute

There is an ever-growing community of people who reject scientific wisdom and insist that the world is flat. Nathan Thompson, 31, a network marketer based in Orange County, California, set up the Official Flat Earth and Globe Discussion group on Facebook in June 2016. The group now boasts more than 42,000 members and even Nathan has been taken aback by its rapid growth. He was introduced to the notion of a flat Earth by a friend and says he initially dismissed it as a “ridiculous idea”. He now spends his time travelling across the USA to meet other Flat Earthers and spread his message to potential new converts.

These ‘Flat Earthers’ believe that our planet is encircled by a giant, heavily-policed ice wall and that gravity is just an unproven theory. They also claim that NASA is a fraudulent organisation and that all the photographs and video footage we have from space are computer-generated imagery (CGI). And while their views may sound far-fetched, the movement has attracted a number of celebrity adherents in recent months, including rapper B.o.B., former reality TV star Tila Tequila and basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal. The Flat Earth community is also united in the belief that the continent of Antarctica is actually an ice wall that stretches around the perimeter of our world.

Videographer / director: Joel Forrest
Producer: Tom Midlane, Ruby Coote
Editor: Joshua Douglas