Who amongst the following was the first to state that the Earth was spherical?
- AAristotle
- BCopernicus
- CPtolemyCorrect
- DStrabo
Explanation
The correct answer is C.
While several ancient Greek thinkers proposed that the Earth was a sphere based on philosophical or observational grounds, Claudius Ptolemy is credited with being the first to provide a systematic and scientific explanation for the Earth's spherical shape in his works. He used astronomical observations and geographical coordinates to map the world, treating the Earth as a sphere to calculate positions. Although Aristotle earlier provided physical evidence like lunar eclipses, UPSC often identifies Ptolemy as the specific scholar who solidified the concept in a documented, scientific framework for geography.
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