An 1838 test that claimed to prove Earth flat overlooked one problem: light bends through air.
When retested in 1870 with posts raised above atmospheric distortion, the results aligned with a curved Earth.
[bedford level experiment, samuel rowbotham, alfred russel wallace, flat earth test, earth curvature, atmospheric refraction, telescope experiment, old bedford river, science history, 19th century science, measurement vs appearance, curved earth evidence, flag experiment, scientific method, elemental science]
