Tag Archives: cartography

A history of the world’s languages as a gnarly willow tree

The world’s mother tongues have blended and intermingled since humans first stood upright and emerged out of the primeval forests. Here’s a really awesome family tree beautifully illustrated by Minna Sundberg. Minna is an immensely talented illustrator who has been creating a wonderful tales set in northern Europe for her online web comic Stand Still,Continue reading “A history of the world’s languages as a gnarly willow tree”

Map Porn Part 2: The Most Beautiful Geological Maps on Earth

Where Art Meets Science Scientific visualisations often can look just like objects of visual art. The previous installation of this series, there were topographical surveys visualised on both our moon and Jupiter’s moon. This time, we are focusing on our own Pale Blue Dot. These maps are not only utilitarian and functional, they are worksContinue reading “Map Porn Part 2: The Most Beautiful Geological Maps on Earth”

Paperholm: A delicate ever-expanding paper universe

Paperholm is a tale of the dedication and tenacity of one very talented determined Scotsman named Charles Young. It all began in 2014 with 200 gsm watercolour paper and PVA glue. Young set himself the challenge of building a tiny paper model of a building every day for a year. Then 365 paper models laterContinue reading “Paperholm: A delicate ever-expanding paper universe”

Map Porn Part 1: Inter-Planetary Topography

Have you ever pondered about the topography of the moon’s surface? Well I have. My brain works in weird and wacky ways. So naturally before we expose what the moon’s surface actually looks like, you need to see what the moon would look if you were on acid. courtesy of The Mighty Boosh. Previously, weContinue reading “Map Porn Part 1: Inter-Planetary Topography”

Grandscale Beauty: The Overview Effect: Cyanobacterial Bloom in the Baltic Sea

Map makers, Google Earth developers, astronauts and those who gaze at the earth and universe for a living are already convinced of the tremendous beauty of large places seen from space. For most of us mere mortals we won’t ever get the chance to see the earth from space.  The ‘Overview Effect’ was a term coinedContinue reading “Grandscale Beauty: The Overview Effect: Cyanobacterial Bloom in the Baltic Sea”

Train and tram-spotting in Melbourne back in the olden days

Here are two handsome maps of Melbourne’s public transport from the previous century. In equal parts loved and loathed by locals, public transport in Melbourne is slow, expensive and unreliable and yet anyone who has ever lived in Melbourne (and who has moved away for long enough to not deal with it on a dailyContinue reading “Train and tram-spotting in Melbourne back in the olden days”