On the flip side of the Contracting Earth Theory is the
Expanding Earth Theory, which is exactly what it sounds like. It was believed by some that the Earth is ever-expanding, just like the universe it occupies, and fortunately since people started to realize that plate tectonics are a thing that happen they've more or less rejected either of these two asinine theories.
Of course, we hesitate to really scoff too much at the people who have theorized that the Expanding Earth Theory wasn't actually stupid and nonsensical, largely because one of the most noteworthy minds who put the theory to work was Charles Darwin himself, but thankfully he quickly realized that would make no sense and went back to doing what he did best: irritating the hell out of Creationists.
