Did our ancestors really think the world was flat?

What this episode covers

When did people first figure out the world wasn’t flat? Well, according to author James Hannam, it was much earlier than you might imagine. In today’s episode, James tells Jon Bauckham more about humanity’s quest to determine the shape of our planet – from ancient thinking and Chinese cosmology to Victorian flat-earthers. (Ad) James Hannam is the author of The Globe: How the Earth Became Round (Reaktion, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-globe%2Fjames-hannam%2F9781789147582 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of HistoryExtra podcast?

This episode is 30 minutes long.

When was this HistoryExtra podcast episode published?

This episode was published on August 10, 2023.

What is this episode about?

When did people first figure out the world wasn’t flat? Well, according to author James Hannam, it was much earlier than you might imagine. In today’s episode, James tells Jon Bauckham more about humanity’s quest to determine the shape of our planet...

Can I download this HistoryExtra podcast episode?

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