Story Archives of 'Maps'

Here's What's Awesome: Zombies Invade Google Maps, Fireplace in a Can

By Brady Carlson on Sunday, November 22, 2009.

Lately a lot of folks have taken to Facebook, Twitter and the like and written about the things for which they're thankful this year. Seeing as how much of Here's What's Awesome is about tracking these trends, I feel obliged to join in. So: I'm thankful for all the awesome links out there, just waiting to show up in this column. (Nothing self-serving about this moment of gratitude, eh?)

Zombies!

Why We Get Lost

By Virginia Prescott on Monday, July 13, 2009.

Human beings can map the bottom of the ocean floor, and yet we still find ourselves lost inside hospitals, parking lots, and winding country roads. Modern humans are clever enough to program a GPS, but rank feebly among species for finding their way around.

Experimental psychologist Colin Ellard explores these contradictions in his new book You Are Here: Why We Can Find Our Way to The Moon but Get Lost in the Mall. Colin Ellard joined us on his office at the University of Waterloo in Canada.

Boston Globe: An argument for reconnecting with the space around us

New York Times: Where Am I?

(Photo by Photocapy via Flickr/Creative Commons)

listen: Windows Media | MP3

Here's What's Awesome: TV in Space, Goofy Repairs

By Brady Carlson on Sunday, July 5, 2009.

Little-known fact: Thomas Jefferson's first draft of the Declaration of Independence accuses the King of the following:

He has endeavored to forbid us from disseminating the discovery of awesome stories, except through governors of his choosing, who seem unable to find anything awesome that does not relate to the technological advancement of tricorn hats...

Here's What's Awesome: Wind Power Helmets, Crowdsourced Intelligence

By Brady Carlson on Sunday, June 14, 2009.

Motorcycle jumper

Hi. My name is Brady Carlson. My family has been sharing awesome links ever since my great-grandfather, Silas McAwesome, opened up a small stand called "Hey, did you guys hear about this?" in Toledo, Ohio in 1909. Now, a century later, I'm proud to keep this family tradition alive on the Internet, through this column, Here's What's Awesome. I like to think great-granddad would be proud. (I also like to think this great-granddad actually existed.)

Here's What's Awesome: Robot Penguins, Sitcom Maps

By Brady Carlson on Sunday, April 26, 2009.

The awesome is back!

Alert Danny Devito, and prep his secret lair
For years robot penguins were seen as just another perplexing gadget that Batman had to face. Now, thanks to a team of engineers in Germany, they're alive - and swim rather well:

Easter Island Mapping Project

By Virginia Prescott on Tuesday, April 14, 2009.


Easter Island, known locally as Rapa Nui, is one of the most remote inhabited islands on Earth. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean are the famous stone giants, known as Moai. They’ve puzzled scientists for generations, and they draw tens of thousands of visitors every year. But tourism is straining the island’s infrastructure and its local resources. To help them out, the company Autodesk – known for its design software – is working with Rapa Nui officials to help plan their development. Pete Kelsey is a key accounts technical manager at Autodesk, and he joins us to explain the Easter Island Mapping Project.

Watch a video explaining the Easter Island Mapping Project:

(Photo by AndrewGill73 via Flickr / Creative Commons)

listen: Windows Media | MP3

Here's What's Awesome: Musical Pilgrimages, Frustration-Free Packages

By Brady Carlson on Friday, November 21, 2008.

Strawberry Field in Liverpool

Despite the downturn in other areas of the market, awesome link futures remain high, as investors try to shed themselves of declining non-awesome links. Meanwhile, rubber hardened and string remained confident. Here are today's top gainers on the Here's What's Awesome link index:

No one I think is in my tree (click for driving directions to the tree)

In Praise of Hand-Drawn Maps

By Andrew Walsh on Sunday, September 28, 2008.


Last March, journalist Jessica Clark of In These Times Magazine joined us on Word of Mouth to talk about the ways people are taking cartography to a new level using internet-based map-making technologies (Click here to listen to that interview.)

The New Cartographers

By Virginia Prescott on Tuesday, March 18, 2008.

A new generation of cartographers is using all the techno-power of the digital age to bring maps to life. With a click or two, our computers can transport us to far corners of the world with three-dimensional views. New mapping technology is changing the news business, the real estate industry, and the way some people think about privacy. Word of Mouth host Virginia Prescott talks about this with Jessica Clark, editor-at-large for In These Times magazine. She also directs the Future of Public Media project at the Center for Social Media.

Read Jessica Clark’s article “The New Cartographers” from In These Times

Visit the “Future of Public Media Project,” at the Center for Social Media

Visit the Visual Complexity website

Explore Google Street View

More Links:
Worldmapper
Surveillance Societies of the World
Google Map Mania