They think the earth is flat, and they’re coming to the Triangle

The Triangle hosts plenty of conferences that draw visitors from near and far, and here’s another one: Hundreds of people will come to Cary in November to talk about their shared belief that the earth is flat.

The Flat Earth International Conference will be Nov. 9-10 at the Embassy Suites off of Harrison Avenue. The event’s 525 tickets sold out in May, according to organizer Robbie Davidson. But he’s working with the venue to accommodate 50 to 60 more people.

Davidson said he’s expecting between 200 and 300 more people to arrive in the Triangle without tickets to attend after-parties and hang out with like-minded folks who don’t believe the planet is round.

This is the first year Davidson’s company, Kryptoz Media, has held the conference. He said he chose the Triangle because it’s home to flat-earth scientist Brian Mullin, who features prominently in two documentaries he’s made, the latest of which will premiere during the conference.

Alternative theories about the planet’s shape vary within the flat-earth community. But most globe skeptics contend the earth is a disc surrounded by an ice wall, otherwise known as Antarctica, and that the sun and moon are lighted orbs that move around a dome that encloses the disc.

Concepts such as gravity and the existence of space are also viewed with skepticism.

“People tend to come from three vantage points,” Davidson said. “You have those who simply want to question the scientific method’s application, but it also comes from a conspiratorial mindset – people who are suspicious. There are also people who see this as a spiritual issue, who question the globe from a religious standpoint. All these types of people will be represented in the kinds of sessions that will be held that weekend.”

Programming will include sessions titled “NASA and Other Space Lies,” “Flat Earth 101” and “Flat Earth and the Bible,” as well as a premiere of Davidson’s second feature-length documentary, “Scientism Exposed 2.”

The conference will wrap up with the “Flatty Awards,” given to outstanding members of the flat-earth community.

Tickets cost between $109 for early birds and $249 for VIPs. Passes to watch the conference’s programming via an online stream are still available for $17.

This story was originally published July 19, 2017 at 10:21 AM with the headline "They think the earth is flat, and they’re coming to the Triangle."