![]() ![]() The flight, canceled due to weather and mechanical failures, was intended to carry him 1,800 feet in the air over Amboy, California his principal sponsor was a YouTube channel Research Flat Earth (channel ID UCXa5atseqfc03pzESmb1nKg). On 2 December 2017, retired limousine driver and amateur stunt man “Mad” Mike Hughes publicly declared his intent to launch himself in a homemade, steam-powered rocket using a converted mobile home as a ramp. The phenomenon cannot be properly understood without recognizing the distinct contribution of all of these elements. I argue that this phenomenon represents fusion of multiple influences unique to YouTube, including conspiracy theory, climate change denial, science documentaries, clickbait, viral videos, trolling, Russian propaganda, and young-Earth religious fundamentalism. The videos at the source of this stir are highly ambiguous. Flat Earth discourse sometimes crosses into other public discourse, but YouTube remains singularly important in promoting Flat Earth belief and encouraging development of its supporting arguments. Thousands of such videos have been produced, gathering multiple millions of views. ![]() An active contemporary discourse on YouTube revolves around the idea that the Earth is flat instead of round, and how Flat Earth cosmology is related to contemporary political, religious and cultural issues. ![]()
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