the.com/geodesy
The science of measuring Earth's shape, proving the planet is a liar about being round.
means The science of precisely measuring Earth's shape, size, orientation, and gravitational field — because 'round' is actually a lumpy, oblate approximation.
from From Greek 'geodaisia,' fusing 'ge' (earth) with 'daiein' (to divide), literally 'dividing the earth' — a term rooted in land-surveying and the ancient project of parceling out territory, which grew into the mathematical quest to figure out the true shape of the planet being divided.
- actual shape
- an oblate, lumpy 'geoid', not a sphere
- gps dependency
- your phone's location relies on geodesy daily
- ancient roots
- eratosthenes estimated Earth's size in 240 BC
- constant motion
- tectonic plates make 'fixed' coordinates slowly wrong