If the world was flat, what would it's edges look like?

1. 66

   ThompsonPenposted 11 years ago

   If the world was flat, what would it's edges look like?
   
   Would it be a blizzardy mess as the edge of the world approached, would it be tropical? Would it inhabited, or would it just be ocean? What's your vision of the Earth's flatness?

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2. 60

   Josakposted 11 years ago

   http://theflatearthsociety.org/cms/
   You can get detailed answers there... the general consensus seems to be that they believe there are just glaciers all around the edge... it really does take all sorts I guess

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3. 0

   Ghost32posted 11 years ago

   That's a truly enjoyable question.  Even aside from the Flat Earth Society, I'm betting you could find a virtually infinite variety of visions for that.
   
   Except...if the world really was flat, why would it necessarily have to have edges at all?  Don't see why it couldn't just run on endlessly....

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4. 79

   Mitch Alanposted 11 years ago

   If it were flat and thin like a tile I would suppose that there would have to be some sort of landmass around the edges to keep the oceans from pouring off the edge. This would effectively make the earth a giant "kiddie" pool.

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5. 65

   PoeticVineposted 11 years ago

   The first thing I thought of was Terry Pratchett's Discworld, in which the Rim is a great fall of water that shimmers with all the colors of the spectrum.  Pratchett's spectrum has eight colors -- the eighth is octarine, which only wizards can see.
   If you've not yet read him, I highly recommend you give him a shot.  His books are brilliant.
   
   Oh -- and the Discworld is carried on the backs of four elephants named Berilia, Tubul, Great T'Phon, and Jerakeen, which stand on the shell of the great A'Tuin, a giant turtle who swims slowly towards the center of space.  ^_^
   
   I personally like Pratchett's version of the Rim, although I believe our edge would be somewhat different.  I think it would be a great oceanic circumference, as it is in Pratchett's interpretation, but were the Earth to be flat, I believe that the waterfall itself would alter in appearance with the rotation of the Earth. Moonlight would influence the waterfall and fill it with lunar light, perhaps creating something to a lunar corona. It might even shimmer with reflected stars.  On the other hand, sunlight would create a plethora of rainbows and golden streamers.  It would be entirely amazing.
   
   I have trouble determining what the temperature would be like overall, because I can't imagine an orbit of Moon and Sun being at all similar with a flat Earth.  I imagine that the days and nights would be pretty equally divided, since the days and nights at the Equator are almost precisely 12 hours apiece.  I think it would be some evenly divisible number.... but it seems to me that our days and nights would be rather shorter given a flat Earth.  Maybe I'm totally wrong, but it just seems that way to me.  I can't help but think that a flat Earth would be warmer at the edges and cooler towards the center.... perhaps even tropical to ice, with allowance for elevation above edge-level for specific locations.
   
   Thank you for this question!

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6. 71

   Radical Rogposted 11 years ago

   Like PoeticVine, I thought of Pratchett and have to admit thinking some of his writing makes more sense than what some evolutionists say. I'd like to see the Great Atuin and the four elephants. As for the edge of the world, with health and safety officials everywhere, there would have to be a fence.

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7. 82

   bethperryposted 10 years ago

   I think one end would look like a cushion and the other end would look a lot like velcro spikes. This way the gods could roll it up on their days off for convenience. 
   Ok, honestly I've never thought about it. But cool question!

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8. 77

   JohnGreasyGamerposted 10 years ago

   The edges would probably have Lego bricks around them so no human, animal or vehicle could pass them. They really hurt when you step on them, so it's the perfect deterrent for people trying to fall off. But before that there'd a large desert with multiple sign posts saying "Edge of the world ahead" and "Abandon hope all ye who enter".

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