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[nhlducks35]

So I was watching The West Wing on Netflix, when the episode "Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's Going to Jail" comes up. During it, CJ interviews some guys who want the map used in schools changed to the Peters Projection, instead of the Mercator one used today.

(Top one is Mercator, bottom is the Peters Projection)

I never knew the map I had been looking at all this time was wholly inaccurate when it came to the actual sizes of the continents and countries.

 

[Phobophile]

Cartography, unsurprisingly, is very Euro/West-centric.

 

[Kenka]

Brazil is the motherboard.
France the CPU.

 

[Metrotab]

I remember something about the Mercator projection being very useful for sea navigation, and that's how it got popularised.

 

[Raiden]

This just made me wonder how the worldmap would look without water.

 

[Jasconius]

You've never seen a globe?

 

[Christine]

I never knew the map I had been looking at all this time was wholly inaccurate when it came to the actual sizes of the continents and countries.

You never noticed the disparity between a flat map and a globe?

The mercator is no more or less accurate than any other projection per se, it's just that areas aren't comparable at different latitudes. Different projections have different limitations and uses.

 

[freshair]

that is one slow loading image O_O

 

[TUSR]

it always baffled me that the USA was bigger than Canada in american printed text books.

 

[TacticalFox88]

Yup. It's amazing just how many people don't realize just how HUGE Africa is.

 

[thomaser]

Yep, it's striking to see just how big Africa is compared to the "western world". It's almost as big as the whole Eurasian continent!

 

[Deleted member 1235]

I knew this, but always sort of forget and then see it again and think 'fuck yeah, australia is MASSIVE' all over again.

 

[Psychological Intellect]

South america looks like it could fit right into Africa. almost like they broke apart or some shit like that lol.

 

[DrFunk]

it always baffled me that the USA was bigger than Canada in american printed text books.

lol where?

South america looks like it could fit right into Africa. almost like they broke apart or some shit like that lol.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangaea

 

[Divvy]

South america looks like it could fit right into Africa. almost like they broke apart or some shit like that lol.

That's what happened

 

[Timo]

South america looks like it could fit right into Africa. almost like they broke apart or some shit like that lol.

Tectonic plates and shit.

 

[Lion Heart]

Is the Equator different in the Mercator map? Seems like it.

 

[LordCanti]

South america looks like it could fit right into Africa. almost like they broke apart or some shit like that lol.

You know what...I think you're right! I proclaim this discovery "Plate Dildonics".

Spoiler

I realize you were joking

 

[TUSR]

lol where?

Growing up in elementary school and middle school, the maps we had provided were printed by american companies which showed the USA being bigger than Canada. Physically.


Not sure if I can be any clearer.

 

[Psychological Intellect]

4real?

 

[VGChampion]

South america looks like it could fit right into Africa. almost like they broke apart or some shit like that lol.

Guys, guys. I'm pretty sure this is a joke.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

This just made me wonder how the worldmap would look without water.

 

[AndyD]

Best would be this:

To scale and also reflective of the fact we live on a globe.

 

[BrokenEchelon]

The bottom map seems to take the curvature of the Earth into its design, which just makes some shit harder to see.

I don't see a problem with the Mercator map.

 

[TUSR]

holy fuck image

 

[Chili]

Peters Projection flipped is truly the best map.

 

[nhlducks35]

You've never seen a globe?

You never noticed the disparity between a flat map and a globe?

The mercator is no more or less accurate than any other projection per se, it's just that areas aren't comparable at different latitudes. Different projections have different limitations and uses.

I haven't looked at a globe since elementary school, so I can't really remember lol

 

[VALIS]

It's like the earth is looking into a skinny mirror at the fun house.

 

[BrokenEchelon]

My English teacher had a giant 12' version of that map in her room in elementary school. I stared at that shit every day.

 

[Kinitari]

So I was watching The West Wing on Netflix, when the episode "Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's Going to Jail" comes up. During it, CJ interviews some guys who want the map used in schools changed to the Peters Projection, instead of the Mercator one used today.



I never knew the map I had been looking at all this time was wholly inaccurate when it came to the actual sizes of the continents and countries.

Uhh, the Peters Projection seems less accurate for size. I think it considers the curvature of the earth better, but that's it.

 

[DrFunk]

Best would be this:

To scale and also reflective of the fact we live on a globe.

jeeze

 

[Raiden]

Interesting and kinda creepy actually. Like an alienated earth.

 

[Duane Cunningham]

Peters Projection flipped is truly the best map.

That's the craziest world map ever.

 

[faceless007]

Somehow I knew when I read the thread title it would be about that scene from the West Wing. Hilarious scene.

 

[Majine]

 

[Salvor.Hardin]

Can someone explain why the Mercator map has the property of exaggerating areas further from the equator?

 

[Lamel]

It really goes to show how we have certain learned constructs within our brains, and going even slightly against them is heavily noticeable.

 

[Dai101]

WHAT??????????????????

I .............. i'm baffled op.

 

[Conciliator]

God damn Africa is obnoxious.

 

[Guevara]

So I was watching The West Wing on Netflix, when the episode "Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's Going to Jail" comes up. During it, CJ interviews some guys who want the map used in schools changed to the Peters Projection, instead of the Mercator one used today.

I was just watching this scene too. I thought of it based on the thread title.

 

[Metrotab]

Can someone explain why the Mercator map has the property of exaggerating areas further from the equator?

All parallells are drawn equal on the Mercator map. This has the effect of stretching it when you get closer to the poles, where the parallells are shorter.

 

[phisheep]

Uhh, the Peters Projection seems less accurate for size. I think it considers the curvature of the earth better, but that's it.

No. The Peters is accurate for relative areas of things, in the same way Mercator is accurate for constant bearings. Africa really is that big relative to everything else.

 

[Kenka]

Can someone explain why the Mercator map has the property of exaggerating areas further from the equator?

That's why.

Mercator coordinates !

 

[Flo_Evans]

 

[Salvor.Hardin]

All parallells are drawn equal on the Mercator map. This has the effect of stretching it when you get closer to the poles, where the parallells are shorter.

Ahhh. That makes sense. Thanks!

 

[Fenderputty]

I remember being shown both when in school. Don't remember what grade.

Always remember it like this though.

 

[ThatCrazyGuy]

Peters Projection flipped is truly the best map.

yo, yo. My mind, heh.

 

[Psychological Intellect]

That's why.

Mercator coordinates !

fuck man jesus christ.

I already failed my math test last week.

 

[jred2k]

Maps are really only ever good at showing one characteristic well, especially on a scale as vast as the world. Try drawing something on to an orange and taking off the peel all as one piece. Then flatten out the peel and watch how much distortion you create.

 

[Majmun]

Antarctica always looks so huge in those maps.