Re Drawing Correct World maps
Discussion
This was a really interesting read on my news feed today, I consider myself relatively knowledgeable but hadn’t really realised the extent of how “incorrect” the map of the world we know is.
This statement blew my mind a bit
“You could fit the United States, China, India, Japan, Mexico and much of Europe into Africa and still have land to spare”
I’ll update my wall maps
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce30vp55dnlo
This statement blew my mind a bit
“You could fit the United States, China, India, Japan, Mexico and much of Europe into Africa and still have land to spare”
I’ll update my wall maps
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce30vp55dnlo
I read that the USA voted against the change.
Odd that they were so concerned that more than one country had sought a new map and most countries agreed. In what is really nothing more than actually having a map that reflects reality and yet the USA, who arbitrarily chose to change names of bodies of water, get pissy about it.
Pathetic.
Odd that they were so concerned that more than one country had sought a new map and most countries agreed. In what is really nothing more than actually having a map that reflects reality and yet the USA, who arbitrarily chose to change names of bodies of water, get pissy about it.
Pathetic.
Nice slidey graphic here
https://apnews.com/article/un-africa-map-mercator-...
Interesting and I'm all for accuracy, don't think the Mercator is racist though.
https://apnews.com/article/un-africa-map-mercator-...
Interesting and I'm all for accuracy, don't think the Mercator is racist though.
I have absolutely no issue with this, except to wonder: Why now? It's not a recent discovery!
I remember discussion of the inaccuracies of Mercator and problems with other flat projections decades ago. As stated above the only absolutely right answer is a globe but they don't fit in your pocket.
I remember discussion of the inaccuracies of Mercator and problems with other flat projections decades ago. As stated above the only absolutely right answer is a globe but they don't fit in your pocket.
I remember some years ago the BBC weather forecasters decided to change the big map of the UK they stand in front of from a Mercator projection, which artificially makes everything towards the north look bigger, to a different projection, where areas are represented more realistically.
There were howls of protest from Scottish Nationalists saying this was part of an invidious plot by the English to denigrate and insult the Scottish people in their quest for freedom.
There were howls of protest from Scottish Nationalists saying this was part of an invidious plot by the English to denigrate and insult the Scottish people in their quest for freedom.
I heard the feature about it on R4 this morning. Of all the countries and continents looking bigger with the Mercator projection - ie everything across or near the equator, they seemed only interested in Africa, and an African woman was on saying how demeaning, unfair, and lots of other words, it was for Africa. At the end a more rational chap came on and said that's what happens when you try to flatten out a sphere, and a compromise has to be made somewhere to do so. And that's the truth. The Mercator projection is for navigation and gives accurate angles between different places. The side-effect is that countries towards the poles look bigger and vice versa.
I thought it was rather silly and unnecessary that R4 allowed a simple scientific issue to assume almost a 'wacist' angle.
I thought it was rather silly and unnecessary that R4 allowed a simple scientific issue to assume almost a 'wacist' angle.
Roofless Toothless said:
I remember some years ago the BBC weather forecasters decided to change the big map of the UK they stand in front of from a Mercator projection, which artificially makes everything towards the north look bigger, to a different projection, where areas are represented more realistically.
There were howls of protest from Scottish Nationalists saying this was part of an invidious plot by the English to denigrate and insult the Scottish people in their quest for freedom.
I think it was the other way around. The map was presented with the North shown smaller relatively than the South.There were howls of protest from Scottish Nationalists saying this was part of an invidious plot by the English to denigrate and insult the Scottish people in their quest for freedom.
So they changed it following complaints.
(I remember an Armando Iannucci sketch where a live tv show was interrupted by protesters calling for a "Big North!")
dukeboy749r said:
I read that the USA voted against the change.
Odd that they were so concerned that more than one country had sought a new map and most countries agreed. In what is really nothing more than actually having a map that reflects reality and yet the USA, who arbitrarily chose to change names of bodies of water, get pissy about it.
Pathetic.
for your answer.have a look at how much smaller the US is in reality on that map above. Odd that they were so concerned that more than one country had sought a new map and most countries agreed. In what is really nothing more than actually having a map that reflects reality and yet the USA, who arbitrarily chose to change names of bodies of water, get pissy about it.
Pathetic.
Canada and Russia don't come out of it too well either. As for Greenland..
swisstoni said:
Roofless Toothless said:
I remember some years ago the BBC weather forecasters decided to change the big map of the UK they stand in front of from a Mercator projection, which artificially makes everything towards the north look bigger, to a different projection, where areas are represented more realistically.
There were howls of protest from Scottish Nationalists saying this was part of an invidious plot by the English to denigrate and insult the Scottish people in their quest for freedom.
I think it was the other way around. The map was presented with the North shown smaller relatively than the South.There were howls of protest from Scottish Nationalists saying this was part of an invidious plot by the English to denigrate and insult the Scottish people in their quest for freedom.
So they changed it following complaints.
(I remember an Armando Iannucci sketch where a live tv show was interrupted by protesters calling for a "Big North!")
200bhp said:
WH16 said:
The solution is to buy a globe, as no projection is perfect.
Depends on the globe - We have one that shows the UK clearly oversized, despite coming from Australia.Gassing Station | Science! | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff