Shit research can sometimes be debunked just by running the numbers given by the shit researchers. Flat earth theorists don’t often offer up actual research (and the one group I’ve seen try got negative results and concluded they messed up, not that they were wrong).
A theory ought to be able to answer questions like “Why don’t train engineers take the curvature of the Earth into account?”
The problem is when someone comes along and thinks an unanswered question (or even just someone not knowing the answer off the top of their head) proves a theory is completely false (or worse, proves their favorite theory correct). (And to even believe the Earth is flat is to be a conspiracy theorist so in this particular case no prove will ever suffice anyway.)
A theory ought to be able to answer questions like “Why don’t train engineers take the curvature of the Earth into account?”
The problem is when someone comes along and thinks an unanswered question (or even just someone not knowing the answer off the top of their head) proves a theory is completely false (or worse, proves their favorite theory correct). (And to even believe the Earth is flat is to be a conspiracy theorist so in this particular case no prove will ever suffice anyway.)