For thousands of years, most of us have taken the roundness of our planet to be a fact of life - much in the same way that we know the Earth orbits the sun, or that pizza is the greatest invention to ever grace mankind. However, not everyone is so keen to accept that our globe is, well, a globe, and instead believe in the flat Earth theory.
One of the most famous flat Earthers is "Mad" Mike Hughes, a man who has already previously attempted to launch himself into the atmosphere in order to determine the shape of the planet. His last mission, which was set to take place in November 2017, never got off the ground - literally - when his rocket failed to launch.
But that didn't put him off one bit (though perhaps it should've), as the 61-year-old Californian crash-landed in the Mojave Desert yesterday after his most recent endeavor to find the truth.
"I don’t believe in science," Hughes said when he first announced his intention to fly his rocket into the air. "I know about aerodynamics and fluid dynamics and how things move through the air, about the certain size of rocket nozzles, and thrust. But that’s not science, that’s just a formula. There’s no difference between science and science fiction."
Unfortunately, it seems his knowledge of aerodynamics and rocket nozzles wasn't quite enough, as Hughes plummeted to the ground after reaching a height of 1,875 feet.
Thankfully, though, he'd had the good sense to equip his DIY craft with two parachutes - but his injuries still required an urgent trip to the hospital.
"Do I believe the Earth is shaped like a Frisbee? I believe it is, do I know for sure? No. That’s why I want to go up in space," he said before launching himself into the sky.
Hughes was convinced that the vessel, which was constructed using scrap metal and is powered by steam, would allow him to travel for approximately one mile into the air - high enough to see the curvature of the planet (or lack thereof) - but he never made it that far.
Still, he claims that he is pleased with what he did achieve.
"Am I glad I did it? Yeah. I guess. I’ll feel it in the morning," he said. "I won’t be able to get out of bed. At least I can go home and have dinner and see my cats tonight."
Regardless of his past failures, Hughes is still absolutely convinced that the world is flat, and believes that anybody who isn't questioning it is "an idiot".
"None of us are getting out of this world alive," he once said in an interview. "I like to do extraordinary things that no one else can do, and no one in the history of mankind has designed, built and launched himself in his own rocket."
Well, he might not have succeeded in proving the world is flat, but he certainly achieved a personal goal by building and flying his own rocket. Still, perhaps "Mad" Mike should stay put on the ground for now - at least until he's made a full recovery.
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