Yet another reason to tut at the Mercator map projection

[infobeautiful@vis.social]

Yet another reason to tut at the Mercator map projection
https://brilliantmaps.com/mercator-vs-true-size/

[lokjo@mapstodon.space]

@infobeautiful

Can we see a map where it's flipped? I mean where the south is made bigger just as now the north is. Just to have a comparison of what we have been looking at all the time.

[x_tof@verkehrswende.social]

@lokjo @infobeautiful it's not an issue about north vs south.
The difference in size comes from the distance to the equator.

[toddhorowitz@fediscience.org]

@infobeautiful I think all projections distort size and shape, so I'm not sure "true country size" is meaningful here.

[tsukkitsune@is.nota.live]

@toddhorowitz @infobeautiful

Sure, projecting a quasi-spheroid onto a plane will always cause distortions, but you can choose what to distort. Mercator keeps compass bearings and distorts shapes. The Albers Equal-Area projection, among others, keeps sizes but distorts shapes much more. Anyway, you can always calculate the surface area of land. In fact many countries in the world have been quite thoroughly surveyed.

[lokjo@mapstodon.space]

@x_tof @infobeautiful

Ah yes, I thought the equator was the height of northern africa but it's in middle africa.

[stevefaeembra@mapstodon.space]

@lokjo @x_tof @infobeautiful also, the southern hemisphere looks a lot more impressive in Mercator if you don't hide the Antarctic!

[blotosmetek@circumstances.run]

@infobeautiful there's one thing Mercator is good for: timezones. For all other purposes, there are better projections.

[davey_cakes@mastodon.ie]

@infobeautiful ah sure Greenland is TINY.

Denmark should just hand it over and quit this dog in the manger stuff.

/s

[mons1serrata@mastodon.social]

@infobeautiful

Author of this map:
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/people/neil-kaye

[utopify_org@veganism.social]

@infobeautiful

The USA isn't that big, let's invade it!

[ambientdread@toot.io]

@lokjo @x_tof @infobeautiful

No wonder human perception is so flawed with such input. I too had a misconception of where the equator fell on Africa. I'm glad the link does put Antarctica in perspective on a subsequent map. GIGO

[robo105@mastodon.social]

@infobeautiful always interesting to see how different maps tell different stories

[notavi10@critter.cafe]

@infobeautiful equal earth should be official

[zeroday@podcasts.social]

@infobeautiful
Just learned something.

On the typical Map, that I had in school, the size of nealry every country was wrong.

Thx for this.

Now I have a new rabit-hole...

[yoshi@toot.community]

@infobeautiful MAGAmoron must use Mercator Projection when boasting to underage girls about his dick.

[catflyhigh@troet.cafe]

@toddhorowitz @infobeautiful

Greenland's land area is approximately six times the size of Germany. Greenland has roughly the same size as Saudi Arabia. The USA is rougly 5 times bigger than Saudi Arabia.)
(I have heard this this week and just verified it with wikipedia, I found this comparison helpful)

[osteopenia_powers@newsie.social]

@stevefaeembra @lokjo @x_tof @infobeautiful
This one substitutes the Prime Meridian for the equator. (Hilarity ensues)

https://ena.our-dogs.info/facts-pin.html#google_vignette

[lokjo@mapstodon.space]

@Osteopenia_Powers @stevefaeembra @x_tof @infobeautiful

Not sure if this is the link you wanted to post.

[funtycunk@mastodonapp.uk]

@infobeautiful there's an excellent episode of Map Men about this (all their videos are excellent)
https://youtu.be/jtBV3GgQLg8