In the video “Carl Sagan – Cosmos – Eratosthenes,” Carl Sagan describes how Eratosthenes calculated the size of the Earth using only a few basic instruments and observations. According to reports Eratosthenes had heard, the sun was overhead at noon on the summer solstice in Syene, situated on the Tropic of Cancer. He was conscious that at that precise instant, a vertical post in his birthplace of Alexandria cast a shadow at an angle of 7.2 degrees. Eratosthenes realized that this angle was equal to the angle between Syene and Alexandria on a circle with the origin at the middle of the Earth. Eratosthenes’ estimate of the Earth’s circumference, determined without the benefit of modern science or technology, was remarkably exact due to some basic trigonometry (Carlsagandotcom, 2009). Eratosthenes’ calculation was a significant achievement in the history of science and had far-reaching consequences.
Overstating the significance of Eratosthenes’ contributions to our universe knowledge is challenging. His finding disproved the widespread assumption that the Earth was flat and revealed it to be spherical. This realization profoundly affected how science, mapping, and navigation evolved. It contributed to the notion that Earth was merely one globe in a vast cosmos, essential to our current comprehension of astronomy (Carlsagandotcom, 2009). The advancement of science was also significantly influenced by Eratosthenes’ efforts. Astronomers could better comprehend the positions and motions of the stars and planets. The progress of contemporary science and navigation relied heavily on this information.
The Carl Sagan film about Eratosthenes and his technique for calculating the circumference of the Earth has affected my view on science and the pursuit of knowledge. The significance of critical thinking and observation in the scientific process is one of the video’s main lessons. By merely watching the angle of the sun’s beams in two separate places, Eratosthenes could make a significant finding about the form and size of the Earth (Zalasiewicz, 2018). This shows the significance of meticulous observation and innovative thinking in a scientific investigation. Furthermore, the video accentuates the notion that scientific knowledge is a collaborative effort that builds on the work of those who have gone before us. Eratosthenes made his finding partly because he had access to earlier scientists’ work, such as Pythagoras and Aristotle. It emphasizes the significance of recognizing and expanding on earlier generations’ efforts to advance our knowledge of the world.
Our geology classes have discussed many significant findings that have shaped our knowledge of the Earth’s past, structure, and processes. These discoveries were made possible by the efforts of earlier generations of geologists, who set the groundwork for our present understanding of the Earth. A new analysis by experts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison used data from ancient tree rings to reconstruct the climate of the previous 2,000 years (Harris, 2022). The researchers used the tree ring data to build a detailed picture of prior climate conditions, which they then used to evaluate and improve climate change models. Previous generations of researchers gathered the data used in this study by carefully measuring and analyzing the development trends of trees in various parts of the globe. The researchers were able to make new findings about the Earth’s past climate and add to our knowledge of how the weather has evolved by building on earlier work.
References
Carlsagandotcom. (2009) Carl Sagan – Cosmos – Eratosthenes. [Video file]. YouTube. Web.
Harris, S. A. (2022). Causes and mechanisms of global warming/climate change. The Nature, Causes, Effects, and Mitigation of Climate Change on the Environment, 27(2), 65-96. Web.
Zalasiewicz, J. (2018). 5. Earth surface geology. Geology: A Very Short Introduction, 22(5), 55-73. Web.