Cartography & Map Bias

Today we looked at and discussed the variety of 2-D world maps that we have seen. We analyzed the differences between the Mercator projection (pictured), the Robinson, Gall-Peters and more! After debating which map we felt was the most accurate, we watched a short video clip (see here!) to find out if we were correct. While we thought the Goode’s Homolosine projection was the most accurate map, since it looked like had the correct proportions and mimicked the 3-D shape of the globe, we realized that no 2-D map can truly be accurate. We discovered what challenging jobs cartographers have and the different methods they might use to re-create our globe on a flat surface. We tried to conduct our own experiment by attempting to remove the peel of an orange in one piece and then flattening it but this proved to be extremely difficult! Tomorrow, we will continue to discuss what biases we inherit when we only view maps that show a specific perspective.

 

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