--- title: 'Earth Is Round.' Neil deGrasse Tyson Slams Flat Earthers description: In a new video on his StarTalk YouTube channel, Neil deGrasse Tyson took on flat Earth theories canonical: https://time.com/5194310/neil-degrasse-tyson-flat-earth/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-03-10T16:13:12.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T19:36:20.518Z article:section: Science og:title: Neil deGrasse Tyson Slams Flat Earthers og:description: 'The Earth is round.' og:url: https://time.com/5194310/neil-degrasse-tyson-flat-earth/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt72a46398077cb136/69892a66929fadbaa6befe78/neil-degrasse-tyson-falt-earth.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist - Season 66 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Neil deGrasse Tyson Slams Flat Earthers twitter:description: 'The Earth is round.' twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt72a46398077cb136/69892a66929fadbaa6befe78/neil-degrasse-tyson-falt-earth.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Neil deGrasse Tyson: Rise of Flat-Earthers Is Result of Failed Educational System > Sponsored content. 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Future Proof is free at time.com/newsletters. by [Lisa Marie Segarra](https://time.com/author/lisa-marie-segarra/) ## Lisa Marie Segarra Mar 10, 2018 4:13 PM UTC  Neil deGrasse Tyson and Willie Geist on Tuesday Sept. 19, 2017 Neil deGrasse Tyson and Willie Geist on Tuesday Sept. 19, 2017 Photo by Mike Smith—NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images by [Lisa Marie Segarra](https://time.com/author/lisa-marie-segarra/) ## Lisa Marie Segarra Mar 10, 2018 4:13 PM UTC In a new video on his StarTalk YouTube channel, Neil deGrasse Tyson took on [Flat Earthers ](http://time.com/4956840/bob-rapper-flat-earth-gofundme/)— those who believe the Earth is flat — and blamed the conspiracy theory’s rise on “free speech” and a “failed educational system.” “We have video from space of the rotating spherical Earth. The Earth is round,” deGrasse Tyson said in his latest video with comedian Chuck Nice. In the video, deGrasse Tyson used multiple experiments and examples to prove how people came to know the Earth is round, even before space travel made it possible to observe the Earth from a distance. As for why a [movement of people](http://time.com/4194273/bob-rapper-neil-degrasse-tyson-diss-track-earth-flat/) who believe the Earth is flat is rising, [deDrasse Tyson](http://time.com/5046984/neil-degrasse-tyson-goes-on-epic-rant-about-tonights-supermoon-calls-it-an-embarrassment/) offered two possible contributors. “For me, the fact that there’s a rise of flat-Earthers is evidence of two things. One, we live in a country that protects free speech. And, two, we live in a country with a failed educational system,” deGrasse Tyson said. “Our system needs to train you not only what to know but how to think about information and knowledge and evidence. 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