Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/278788 
Year of Publication: 
2023
Series/Report no.: 
Working Paper No. 431
Version Description: 
This version: September 2023
Publisher: 
University of Zurich, Department of Economics, Zurich
Abstract: 
This paper estimates the curvature of the Earth, defined as one over its radius, without relying on physical measurements. The orthodox model states that the Earth is (nearly) spherical with a curvature of π/20'000 km. By contrast, the heterodox flat-Earth model stipulates a curvature of zero. Abstracting from the well-worn arguments for and against both models, rebuttals and counter-rebuttals ad infinitum, we propose a novel statistical methodology based on verifiable flight times along regularly scheduled commercial airline routes; this methodology allows for both estimating and making inference for Earth's curvature. In particular, a formal hypothesis test resolutely rejects the flat-Earth model, whereas it does not reject the orthodox spherical-Earth model.
Subjects: 
Flat earth
flight times
nonlinear least squares
trigonometry
JEL: 
C12
C13
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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