Hacks 22-34

A map of the world that does not include Utopia is not worth even glancing at, for it leaves out the one country at which Humanity is always landing.

Oscar Wilde

Maps help us to find ourselves in the world. Ever wonder where you'd be if you dug a hole through the center of Earth? Aside from the practical problems of having your component atoms rendered into mush by the heat and pressure, you'd probably end up somewhere unexpected! Once you've dug yourself out of that mess, take a look at what happens when you couple an obsession for maps with a vision and a bit of cash [Hack #23] . If you haven't yet tired of the world of maps, then check out NASA's free World Wind software [Hack #24] to view the planet from top to bottom.

If you want to move further into the world of maps, you can learn what different cartographic projections [Hack #28] do for your view of the world and then use Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion projection [Hack #31] to explore a radical alternative to the "North is Up" school of cartography. There are more hacks to show you how to calculate distances, convert coordinates from one form to another, and even show you how to take a random tourist map and use it as a base map to tell your own stories.

And finally, if Earth isn't what comes to mind when you read "Mapping Your World," or if one world is not enough, you can revel in [Hack #34] !