#map lab

[maptacular]

Fantastic Cartography Tips From the Guy Who Mapped Game of Thrones

From Wired's Map Lab:

“The first thing I do when I get a commission is see if it makes sense,” he says. Realism is important, and even imaginary worlds need to have geographic logic. This means rivers that diverge as they flow to a coast, mountains that form clusters instead of lines, and deserts surrounded by forests that will challenge a reader’s suspension of disbelief. “If you can give people things that make sense to them, then they’ll buy into the world."

[maptacular]

Bad at Reading Maps? Maybe Your Brain Just Needs Better Maps

From Wired's Map Lab:

"“Map use and performance is pretty intangible, all the interesting activity is happening inside the human brain,” said Lobben, who’s based at the University of Oregon. “You have to study it a variety of ways.” For her, that means a combination of lab-based tests, observing how people navigate in the real world, and employing eye-tracking equipment and brain scans.

So far she’s has found two aspects of map reading that vary considerably from one person to another. "

[maptacular]

How to Design a Viral Map and Still Respect Yourself in the Morning

[futuremapping]

One of the most convincing roles of William Shatner’s career is also one of his least celebrated. It’s not listed on his IMDB page or in his Wikipedia entry, but in 1987, in between starring in T.J. Hooker and directing Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Shatner lent his talents to a surprising but worthy cause: Geography.

Continue Reading “Video Flashback 1987: Shatner Tells You Where You Can Stick Your Maps” » 

Betsey Mason via Wired