The Flat Earth Dome: Between 80km Claims and Absurdity

The Flat Earth Dome: Between 80km Claims and Absurdity

How high is the dome that, according to some conspiracy theories, prevents us from leaving Earth? This question, posted on a forum, sparked a debate mixing theories ranging from 80 kilometers to 437 meters. One user demanded concrete figures: "Give me numbers, in kilometers." The most common answer was "about 80 km." Others opted for sarcasm: "It’s exactly 437 meters high. That’s why they had to blow up the Twin Towers."

The discussion evolved into an argument about the nature of the atmosphere and gravity. One participant claimed that "the vacuum of space doesn’t absorb Earth’s atmosphere" because "gravity holds it down." In response, another argued that "you can’t separate air from a vacuum with opinions, only with a container." This topic keeps resurfacing: periodically, someone asks about the dome’s height, and replies oscillate between technical data and mockery.

What Lies Behind the Dome Question?

The idea of a solid dome surrounding Earth is held by some participants. In the analyzed material, one claims that "water surrounds us" and that "as above, so below," a reference to Hermetic cosmology. Another denies this: "That expression applies to the astral plane, not to domes." The discussion blends physics, esotericism, and science fiction.

Strikingly, despite the lack of evidence, the question about the dome’s height persists. "If this subforum says there’s a dome preventing us from going outside, I’m curious what altitude those who defend this theory believe it sits at," writes the original poster. The most frequent answer is "about 80 km." Others raise the stakes: "Pick a number between 20 and 100... any will do."

Gravity and Vacuum: The Physics Argument Against the Dome

The core of the debate isn’t just height, but the very possibility of a dome. One participant explains that "for an air molecule to escape Earth’s gravity, it must reach escape velocity, about 11 km/s." They add that "statistically, some do escape, but we’re talking about roughly 90 tons of atmosphere per year." The conclusion is that "there’s plenty of atmosphere left."

Conversely, another argues that "no amount of gravity separates air from a vacuum" and that "you can only separate air from a vacuum with a container." The discussion gets tangled in analogies involving suction cups and vacuum bells. "If pressure pushes the suction cup against the marble, that compensates for the missing pressure due to the cup," one argues. The reply trinc quickly: "Fluids experience a force pushing them from higher to lower pressure points. It’s not that the vacuum absorbs anything."

The Experiment That Never Peine

At one point, an experiment is proposed to settle the issue: introducing gas at exosphere pressure into a vacuum bell jar. "I’ve already done it; you just haven’t noticed," one participant replies. The other counters: "Can you show us?" The discussion ends in a stalemate, with neither side providing conclusive proof.

The conversation shifts to the thermosphere, where temperatures "reach 1500°C in full sun and drop to -76°C at night." According to one intervener, this "has no pressure changes." Another corrects them: "It has fluctuations between minuscule amounts of pressure and negligible values." The exchange becomes circular.

From Sarcasm to Poetry: The Thread’s Legacy

Not everything in this discussion is physics. One participant closes with a verse: "The exosphere has a special tonalidad / The exosphere has a different air / It still smells like orange blossom / And doesn’t expand current." Irony runs throughout the thread, with mentions of graffiti that should adorn the dome or the impossibility of cleaning it.

In the end, the original question remains without a unanimous answer. Some defend the 80 km figure, others retreat into sarcasm, and some simply deny the premise. If the dome exists, it remains up there, waiting for someone to agree on its height. Or perhaps the dome is the discussion itself, trapping us in an endless loop.