The Truth About Maps

[Sgt_Gath]

I already knew about a lot of these. I was surprised, however, to see that Ireland was so small, and that Africa was so much larger than ALL of North American put together.

 

[Muhammed]

LOL

Jeebus f'n cripes, didn't they have a freaking globe at your elementary school?

Ever hear of the terms longitude and latitude?

 

[norwegen]

So when I look at my round head in a flat mirror, my nose really isn't that big?

 

[g5000]

Alaska is also a lot smaller than it looks on the Mercator.

There was a really funny West Wing episode about the Mercator map.

 

[g5000]

 

[g5000]

Gall Peters projection - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

Inappropriate use of the Mercator projection in world maps and the size disparities figuring prominently in Peters's arguments against the Mercator projection had been remarked upon for centuries and quite commonly in the 20th century. As early as 1943, Stewart notes this phenomenon and compares the quest for the perfect projection to "squaring the circle or making pi come out even" because the mathematics that governs map projections just does not permit development of a map projection that is objectively significantly better than the hundreds already devised. Even Peters's politicized interpretation of the common use of Mercator was nothing new, with Kelloway's 1946 text mentioning a similar controversy.

Peters, however, launched his campaign in a different world from that of Edwards. He announced his map at a time when themes of social justice resonated strongly in academia and politics. Suggesting cartographic imperialism, Peters found ready audiences. The campaign was bolstered by the claim that the Peters projection was the only "area-correct" map. Other claims included "absolute angle conformality," "no extreme distortions of form," and "totally distance-factual."

All of those claims were erroneous.

 

[Sgt_Gath]

Gall Peters projection - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

Inappropriate use of the Mercator projection in world maps and the size disparities figuring prominently in Peters's arguments against the Mercator projection had been remarked upon for centuries and quite commonly in the 20th century. As early as 1943, Stewart notes this phenomenon and compares the quest for the perfect projection to "squaring the circle or making pi come out even" because the mathematics that governs map projections just does not permit development of a map projection that is objectively significantly better than the hundreds already devised. Even Peters's politicized interpretation of the common use of Mercator was nothing new, with Kelloway's 1946 text mentioning a similar controversy.

Peters, however, launched his campaign in a different world from that of Edwards. He announced his map at a time when themes of social justice resonated strongly in academia and politics. Suggesting cartographic imperialism, Peters found ready audiences. The campaign was bolstered by the claim that the Peters projection was the only "area-correct" map. Other claims included "absolute angle conformality," "no extreme distortions of form," and "totally distance-factual."

All of those claims were erroneous.

Yea. I've heard of that map as well.

To be fair, however, I've heard that it's really not any better than the more conventional model.

It just skews things in the opposite direction.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

I don't think I've ever met a man who hasn't overestimated his peter projection.

 

[Mr. H.]

Why don't you just look at a satellite picture.