Topic: The Historical Roots of Earth's Radius and Light Speed Measurements.
The accepted values of Earth's radius and the speed of light have been well-established by Western academia for many years. According to this academic tradition, Earth's radius is approximately 6,371 kilometers (or 6,371,000 meters), and the speed of light is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second. However, recent findings suggest that these values have been known for thousands of years, with ancient civilizations such as the Phoenicians making measurements that were remarkably accurate for their time.
Phoenician Knowledge of Earth's Radius and Light Speed
Around 5,000 years ago, the Phoenicians were a maritime civilization that lived in the eastern Mediterranean region. They were renowned for their seafaring skills, and their knowledge of astronomy and mathematics was advanced for their time. In fact, it is believed that the Phoenicians made accurate measurements of Earth's radius and the speed of light using the principles of trigonometry.
One of the earliest references to the speed of light can be found in a poem by the Greek philosopher Empedocles, who lived in the 5th century BCE. However, the Phoenicians may have been the first to actually measure the speed of light using a technique known as the sine method. This method involves measuring the angle between two objects, such as the Sun and the horizon, at two different locations that are a known distance apart. By using trigonometry, the distance between the two locations can be calculated, and the speed of light can be determined.
The Phoenicians used the sine method to calculate the speed of light by measuring the time it took for a signal to travel between two locations, along with the distance between those locations. They also used the same method to estimate the radius of the Earth. By measuring the angle between the horizon and the top of a mountain, and then using the distance between the two locations and the value of pi, they were able to make a surprisingly accurate estimate of Earth's radius.
Western Academia and the Acceptance of These Measurements
Despite the fact that the Phoenicians made these measurements thousands of years ago, Western academia did not accept their values until much later. It wasn't until the 18th century that the value of Earth's radius was accurately measured by Western scientists, and it wasn't until the 19th century that the speed of light was measured with any degree of accuracy. Even then, it was only through the work of scientists such as James Clerk Maxwell and Albert Michelson that the exact value of the speed of light was finally determined.
Conclusion
The knowledge of Earth's radius and the speed of light is not a recent discovery of Western academia. The Phoenicians, with their knowledge of trigonometry and astronomy, were able to make surprisingly accurate measurements of these values over 5,000 years ago. Despite this, it took many centuries for Western academia to fully recognize and accept the accuracy of these measurements. Nevertheless, the Phoenicians' contributions to our understanding of the world around us are a testament to the enduring power of scientific inquiry and the human quest for knowledge.