30 Maps to Rethink the World

[conuly]

https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/maps-distort-how-we-see-the-world

I'm posting this link separate from a link list in order to say something in defense of the Mercator projection. Oh, don't get me wrong, every complaint listed in that link is totally valid. However, that doesn't mean the Mercator projection is crap.

The Mercator projection isn't so great in the classroom, but it is really good for doing the one thing that most people throughout history have ever really needed a map to do, which is set a course from here to there.

Mercator specifically designed a projection to preserve angles, and boy howdy, he succeeded. And if you're using a map for navigation, well, that's what you want.

The problem isn't the Mercator projection, which is great at its intended purpose. The problem is people using it for all sorts of other purposes it wasn't really intended for, such as as the one and only map on a wall in a classroom.

Comments

[sabotabby]

I show the one of all the European countries fitting in Africa in my class but it’s lost on the kids because they don’t know how big Europe is either.

[conuly]

I wonder if you could find one showing your province fitting into Africa multiple times. I feel like they may have a gut idea of how big that is.

[sabotabby]

LOL no one in Ontario has an accurate idea of how big it is. Not even me.

Yes ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

I posted about this too. There are thousands of maps, all good for different things.

[silveradept]

I did not know that was the purpose of the Mercator projection. Knowing that makes it immediately clear to me why it's become the dominant projection of the planet in two dimensions, so thank you for that.

[adafrog]

The problem isn't the Mercator projection, which is great at its intended purpose. The problem is people using it for all sorts of other purposes it wasn't really intended for, such as as the one and only map on a wall in a classroom.
I agree.