Jump to content

Maps

Maps

bobthemob

5,111 views

The world map is a lie. 

Well, sort of. If you think of a 2D, rectangular world map, the image that comes to mind is what's called a Mercator projection:

Mercator_projection_Square.thumb.jpeg.b1a65772af25b2873ac37d5d62ae3adb.jpeg

It's... a map, no doubt, but with some very obvious distortions. The most obvious one being Antarctica, which seems like almost another planet, as well as Greenland being absolutely massive and seemingly the same size as Africa, when it is in fact 1/14 the size. 

Representing a 3D sphere (Earth) on a 2D surface is fundamentally impossible, because distortions will always exist. The reason why the Mercator map more or less became the widely accepted 'standard' is because it preserved directionality and the shape of countries, which is very important for sailors when navigating. This was the 1500s, after all. 

There's plenty of discourse on the 'whys' of it all, ranging from simple mathematical challenges to more complex arguments about perpetuating Western/European superiority. That's an academic discussion well beyond me. 

However, it's worth us quickly just considering how our literal world view can be generically shaped if we don't take some time to analyse and evaluate. As we're now firmly into a globalised era and sometimes jet-setting our way across the world, that can offer an interesting means into rethinking our perception of the world map. For example, Australia is actually huge. While it may not look it on a 'traditional' world map, the flight time from Perth to Sydney is more or less the same as that from London to Moscow. 

https://www.thetruesize.com/ is an interesting tool that let's you overlay countries atop other regions to get a realistic sense of size and scale. Using it, you can see that you could fit most of the European landmasses within Australia:

 433709557_Screenshot2024-09-12at3_47_48PM.thumb.png.45895a0550084ad219ad4f1cdc3626a4.png

Brazil - Absolutely massive. Alaska - actually not that big at all. 

So, is there actually an accurate way to represent Earth on a map? Interestingly, one Japanese designer seems to have it (almost) figured out. Hajime Narukawa created something called the AuthaGraph World Map, and actually won the grand prize in Japan's biggest design competition. It's not perfect, but it's close. It also offers an interesting and different perspective of the map of the world. 

AuthaMap4.thumb.webp.10c3914e9cb7bb16e8200c4f85645ad0.webp

Maps. Makes you think. 

~ Desmond




0 Comments


Recommended Comments

There are no comments to display.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Godzilla Minus One: Surprisingly emotional and poignant

    When one thinks of Godzilla movies, one imagines an oversized amphibious dinosaur generating a terrifying heat ray from its mouth and fighting with other oversized monsters. Meh, nothing special, right? Wrong. Here’s why Godzilla Minus One should be an action movie you should definitely catch. In this version, the timeless clash between monster and man is once again set against the tumultuous backdrop of post-war Japan. But, unlike typical action films that dive headfirst into destruction a

    chrissyc

    chrissyc

    Are forums outdated? I try to find out by asking AI

    Is your boss asking you to explore and learn how to use AI to improve the quality and efficiency of your work? Yup, you aren't the only one in that boat.  Whilst exploring new AI tools, I figured: Why not use it to answer some burning questions that I have? This time, it was about whether forums are outdated. Yes, forums like this one that we are on. I remember how before social media became popular, and before apps like Carousell existed, forums were where I chatted with others t

    Musings about the Pomodoro Method

    In a hyper-connected mega-city, where time seems to tick at a relentlessly brisk pace and where distractions are aplenty, pondering the art of productivity and focus is inevitable. In fact, it’s almost become a necessity. No wonder so many listicles have been written to point us in the right directions. Different methods works for different folks, of course, and when I was in my final year of university, I was introduced to a method that I regularly return to still: The Pomodoro Method, a d

    Why oolong tea could be the superior drink of choice at lunch

    Coffee - without sugar! - has long been (and still is) my go-to option to accompany my lunch. Amidst a larger 2025 goal of reducing the number of cups of kopi-o kosong I gulp down a week, however, I’ve recently thought about how my lunch experience can be switched up slightly with yet another sugarless drink: A can, or indeed bottle of oolong tea. Oolong tea is said to offer a perfect balance of flavour and functionality - perfect not just for complementing one's meal but also reinvigo

    donutdontu

    donutdontu

×
×
  • Create New...