How Google Maps Works / / No Comments Google Maps Explained is an awesome walkthrough that breaks down how Google Maps figures out the best route when you ask for directions. The star of the show is Geo, a cute little green guide who walks you through the behind-the-scenes magic that makes Google Maps so smart. At the heart of Google Directions is some seriously clever tech – powerful pathfinding algorithms. These are Maps Mania… more → Posted in: Interactive Maps Tagged with: Google, maps, works
Losing BIG, Very SAD! / / No Comments The Economist has mapped President Trump’s approval rating in each state, and the results look bleak for the president and the Republican Party ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Drawing on data from YouGov polling, The Economist finds that Trump holds a positive net approval rating in only 11 states.In its cartogram of Donald Trump’s Approval Rating, the magazine shows that the Maps Mania… more → Posted in: Interactive Maps Tagged with: Losing, very
What States Would You Live In? / / No Comments Last year I created the World Level O map for Tripgeo. This fun travel-tracking tool colors the countries of the world based on whether you have lived there, stayed for a while, visited, passed through or never been. You are then awarded a level based on how well you’ve “covered” the globe.States I’d Live In is a map in the same sort of personal tracking ballpark. However on this map Maps Mania… more → Posted in: Interactive Maps Tagged with: live, States, Would
The Google Maps Platform Awards Winners / / No Comments Google has announced the winners of the very first Google Maps Platform Awards. The awards were launched to mark the 20th anniversary of the release of the Google Maps API and were open to anyone who has used the Google Maps Platform over the past two decades.As one of the judges for the competition, I can attest to the overall quality of the maps submitted. Winners were named in 10 Maps Mania… more → Posted in: Interactive Maps Tagged with: Awards, Google, maps, Platform, Winners
The College Football Imperialism Map / / No Comments The CFB Charts Imperialism Map is a fan-created, season-long project that turns the college football season into a map-based “conquest” game. It started on Reddit and Twitter a few years ago and has become a tradition among college football fans.Here’s how it works (I think):Each FBS team begins the season owning the county in which its school is located (and probably all the nearest counties). Maps Mania… more → Posted in: Interactive Maps Tagged with: College, Football, Imperialism
Isochrone Tokyo / / No Comments Tokyo has one of the most comprehensive public transit systems in the world. Curtis Fenner has built an isochrone map that allows you to see where you can travel in the city by train in a given time.The purpose of the map is to help people make crucial decisions about where to live by visualizing real-world commute times. It effectively achieves this by not only showing the reach of the entire Maps Mania… more → Posted in: Interactive Maps Tagged with: Isochrone, Tokyo
Fall is Warmer Now / / No Comments Meteorological fall started on September 1, but if you live in the contiguous U.S., you may not have noticed the typical crisp, cool air. That’s because the season has been steadily warming for decades. Since 1970, average fall temperatures have risen in every single county in the country.On average, fall temperatures are now a remarkable 2.8°F warmer than they were in the early 1970s. This Maps Mania… more → Posted in: Interactive Maps Tagged with: Fall, Warmer
The New Geologic Map of the United States / / No Comments The United States Geological Survey has released a new geologic map of the United States that lets you click anywhere in the country to see the rocks, sediments, and geologic units under your feet, along with their age and material type.The Cooperative National Geological Map was created by combining around 100 state and regional maps into one seamless, nationwide view of U.S. geology. Maps Mania… more → Posted in: Interactive Maps Tagged with: Geologic, States, United