A quick answer to Arthur Carlson question,
>Ranger George seemed to think that the expectations that the Earth was >smaller greatly inhibited the discovery of the actual size. The ancient >Greeks had believed in a rather small value, and who could question their >authority? It was also an important point of theology at that time that the This is partially correct. It was Columbus who thought the Earth was only 2000 miles in diameter due to a poor measurement he made. The Greeks had determined the diameter to better than 10% and maybe 1% depending on which size of "stadia", their unit of measurement, you use. The Portuguese knew the correct size and thats why they said bye bye to Columbus. Not because they believed he would fall off the the edge of the Earth but because if Columbus was going to sail West to China as he intended he would perish in the storms of the huge ocean if he didn't run out of food & water first. I'm afraid Columbus was lucky not smart that he bumped into the Americas. Cheers, Professor John P.G.Shepherd Physics Department University of Wisconsin-River Falls 410 S. 3rd. St. River Falls,WI 54022 Phone (715)-425-3196, eve. (715)-425-6203 Fax (715)-425-0652 44.88 degrees N, 92.71 degrees W.
