In a surprising twist caught on camera, a prominent Flat Earther has publicly admitted he was wrong about a core belief of the conspiracy theory after traveling to Antarctica.
Jeran Campanella, a well-known Flat Earther and critic of NASA, recently documented his experience on the YouTube channel The Final Experiment.
Social media and the Internet have helped resurge Flat Earth theories. Credit: anilyanik / Getty
Campanella, who also runs his own channel called Jeranism, revealed that he was flown to Antarctica — at the expense of a “glober” (a term Flat Earthers use for people who believe the Earth is spherical) — to observe the apparent absence of a 24-hour sun in Antarctica for himself.
The $35,000 trip was sponsored by round-Earth advocate Will Duffy, who invited Campanella to witness the midnight sun, a natural phenomenon that occurs during Antarctica’s summer. On a flat Earth, this would be impossible, as the sun could not remain visible for 24 hours straight.
Of course, when the clock hit midnight and the sun was still shining, it was time to admit defeat.
“Alright guys, sometimes you are wrong in life,” Campanella said in the video.
“I thought that there was no 24-hour sun, in fact I was pretty sure of it,” he admitted, praising Duffy for standing by his claim. “He said, ‘You want to go, I’ll take you,’ and brought me here. And it’s a fact — the sun does circle you in the south.”
Campanella, who has appeared in multiple Flat Earth documentaries, urged his audience to draw their own conclusions from his revelation.
“Don’t listen to my beliefs or my opinion — it shouldn’t matter to you. But at least you should be able to accept that the sun does exactly what these guys said, as far as circles the southern continent,” he said.
While his newfound acknowledgment may anger the Flat Earth community, Campanella stood firm in his honesty. “If you’re a shill for being honest, so be it,” he said.
What Is a “Shill”?
In Flat Earther jargon, a “shill” is someone accused of secretly promoting the idea of a round Earth to undermine the “truth” of a flat Earth. According to one forum post on The Flat Earth Society website:
“You are posing as an REer [round Earther] to undermine the ‘truth’ of a FE [flat Earth] and trying to entice others to the RE side. This would make you a shill.”
Online Reactions
However, in the comments section of the video, Campanella was praised by viewers for bravely admitting he was wrong after the evidence was provided to him.
“Jeran admitting his channel wont be the most popular FE channel for long, says a lot. Respect to him,” one person commented.
The trip was enough to disprove Janel’s beliefs. Credit: MARK GARLICK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty
A second added: “Huge respect to Jeran, you are an honest man and not a shill.”
Another wrote: “Respect to Jaran. Most FE didn’t have the balls to put their theories to the test.”
The Broader Context of Flat Earth Theories
Flat Earth theories have persisted for centuries, with a modern resurgence fueled by the internet and social media. Believers often argue that the Earth is a flat disk, covered by a dome-like firmament, surrounded by a “wall of ice”, and accuse governments and space agencies of perpetuating a conspiracy to hide the “truth”.
Despite overwhelming scientific evidence — from satellite imagery to the physics of gravity— Flat Earthers cling to their beliefs, often dismissing evidence as fabricated.
The movement has gained traction through online forums, YouTube channels, and even conventions.
While Campanella’s admission may not dismantle the Flat Earth movement, it marks a rare moment of accountability within a community often accused of rejecting evidence.
For most of us, the takeaway is simple: as science has confirmed time and again, the Earth is indeed round — and even some Flat Earthers are starting to accept it.
Featured image credit: MARK GARLICK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty
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Hacker with 30 years experience reveals the main issue that we all should be ‘worried about’ in the future
By stefan armitage
A seasoned hacker with over 30 years of experience navigating the dark web has issued a stark warning society needs to be “worried about”.
A former “black hat” hacker has spoken out. Credit: Witthaya Prasongsin / Getty
Once a “black hat” hacker involved in illicit activities, the expert has since turned “white hat,” using his skills to protect vulnerable systems and track down criminals.
But even with his efforts, he warns that the future of cybercrime could hold devastating consequences for global infrastructure and financial stability.
The dark web, often described as the shadowy underbelly of the internet, serves as a hub for criminal operations ranging from illicit trade to cyberterrorism. The hacker – remaining anonymous and speaking in a YouTube video with VICE – has described how some individuals on the dark web are purely “destructive,” driven by a desire to “watch the world burn.”
As a white-hat hacker, he now works to identify vulnerabilities in security systems and track down cybercriminals targeting hospitals, businesses, and other critical institutions.
When asked what concerns him most about the future, the hacker dismissed Hollywood-style fears of nuclear arsenals being hijacked. Instead, he pointed to more realistic — and potentially crippling — threats.
“I don’t think we have to worry too much about our nuclear arsenal being taken over movie-style and used against us,” he said. “But I do think we have to worry about major impacts to financial markets or potential impacts to things like electricity production facilities.”
These types of cyberattacks could cause widespread economic chaos or disrupt essential services, with potentially devastating consequences for millions of people.
One of the most alarming trends in cybercrime is the rise of ransomware — malicious software that locks users out of their own systems and demands payment for the return of access.
“Modern ransomware is usually a piece of malware that gets on your system, encrypts all of your data, and then holds that hostage,” the hacker explained. Victims are often required to pay in untraceable cryptocurrency to unlock their files.
The stakes have risen dramatically in recent years. “Back when it started, ransomware was charging hundreds of dollars, maybe thousands of dollars for individual targets,” the hacker said. “Now, the payouts easily reach tens of millions.
“The most recent attack I saw offered $70 million for the campaign key that would unlock every computer encrypted during that attack.”
The hacker opened up about what society needs to be worried about. Credit: Westend61 / Getty
The hacker also recounted ethical challenges he’s faced in his work, particularly in scenarios where essential institutions, like hospitals, are targeted.
He recalled: “I’ve watched hospitals get encrypted and people are left with a choice: do I pay to decrypt the data or do I risk lives?”
These situations underscore the devastating human cost of cyberattacks, where lives—not just data—can hang in the balance.
A Serious Wake-Up Call
The hacker’s revelations are a sobering reminder of the risks posed by cybercrime. As malicious actors become more sophisticated, the potential for widespread disruption grows. He emphasized the need for vigilance in safeguarding critical infrastructure and financial systems.
While some may view cybersecurity as a distant concern to be worried about in the future, his insights are a stark warning: the stakes are real, occurring right now, and the consequences could be catastrophic.
