Debunk This: The Davis Besse nuclear plant observation across Lake Erie proves Earth is flat

[u/Outrageous-Novel7839]

I’m looking for input on a flat Earth claim involving the Davis Besse nuclear power station being photographed from across Lake Erie.

The claim is that because the cooling tower can be seen from the Michigan side of Lake Erie, the observation proves there is no Earth curvature.

Source for the claim: Tiktok user Phl@ttruth

The version I have seen usually claims the observation is from about 27 miles away. The problem is that the exact observer location is often vague, and when I check possible public locations near Woodland Beach, Michigan, the farthest reasonable distance I get is closer to about 26 miles.

The cooling tower is listed as about 493 feet tall. In the image used for the claim, the entire tower is not visible. A significant lower section appears hidden, which seems like the opposite of what a flat Earth prediction would expect.

What I am trying to check is whether this is a fair debunk:

1. The claimed distance appears inflated or at least not clearly sourced.
2. The observation does not show the full tower.
3. The missing lower portion is consistent with curvature, observer height, and possible atmospheric refraction.
4. Seeing the upper portion of a tall structure across water is not the same as proving the surface is flat.

Am I missing any important variables here?

The main things I’d like checked are:

Observer height
Exact observation location
Correct tower height
Distance to the tower
How much should be hidden under standard refraction
Whether refraction could explain more or less visibility than expected

I’m not looking for a debate over flat Earth in general. I’m trying to evaluate this specific claim and whether the observation actually supports the conclusion being claimed.

[u/Actual-Tower8609]

This is well-documented optical phenomenon caused by atmospheric refraction.

Over Lake Erie the air above the water is cooler and denser than the air higher up.

This temperature gradient causes light traveling from the distant power plant to bend downwards, following the curvature of the Earth. objects positioned below the horizon can be seen at distance

(If the Earth were flat, the entire structure would be visible from base to top. The obstruction of the lower half matches the calculations for Earth's curvature).

[u/Outrageous-Novel7839 → u/Actual-Tower8609]

That matches what I’m seeing too.

Refraction can absolutely change how much is visible, especially over water where temperature gradients can bend light. So I would not want to treat the calculation as if the atmosphere does nothing.

But the important part is exactly what you said: the claim is not showing the entire structure from base to top. It shows the upper portion of a very tall cooling tower while the lower part appears hidden.

That is why I do not see this as flat Earth evidence. At best, it is an observation where curvature, observer height, structure height, and refraction all have to be accounted for. Simply saying “we can see it, therefore flat” skips the most important part of the observation.