The following article is written by an Artificial Intelligence model called ChatGPT. The query used to generate this text was: ‘In 200 or less words, debunk the “earth is flat” myth for The Sunday Times of Malta. Write it in the style of Jacob Borg.’  (Spoiler: it is decently good).

“As a journalist for The Sunday Times of Malta, I feel it’s my duty to dispel the myth that the earth is flat. This idea has been discredited by overwhelming evidence and proof. The earth is not flat, but a near-spherical shape, with a slight bulge at the equator and a slight flattening at the poles, as confirmed by satellite imagery and astronomical observations.

Gravity, which pulls objects towards its centre, can only be explained by a spherical earth

Gravity, which pulls objects towards its centre, can only be explained by a spherical earth. The strength of gravity decreases the farther away an object is from the centre. Experiments such as the Foucault pendulum and the Bedford Level have scientifically proven the earth’s spherical shape for centuries.

The curved horizon and changing positions of stars as seen from different locations on earth are also consistent with a spherical earth. The flat earth theory is a conspiracy with no scientific backing and has been debunked time and time again. So, let’s put this myth to rest and embrace the scientifically proven shape of our planet.”