Mercator or Equal Earth maps? It doesn't matter – schoolchildren should see them all
Write to us: Share your feedback on the news of the week Different maps for different folks I write in reference to Adla Massoud’s article UN votes to adopt new map showing Africa's true size despite US opposition (September 4): as someone who makes maps for a living, I will say that the standard Mercator projection should not be used as the baseline map of the world in schools. This is because…
In response to Adla Massoud's article about the UN adopting a new map that accurately shows Africa's true size, despite US opposition, two map enthusiasts argue for the importance of showcasing various projections in schools. Caley Marissa insists that the Mercator projection, commonly used as the baseline, should not be the default map in classrooms.
She emphasizes the value of teaching students about the difficulties of translating a round Earth onto a flat surface and the distortions each projection introduces. Sebastien Sinclair Dalin agrees that no map can perfectly represent the Earth's size and shape, but argues that it's essential for students to understand the trade-offs.
He suggests displaying the Equal Earth map projection, along with others like the Robinson, Goode's homolosine, and Equidistant Conic projections, to provide a comprehensive view of map-making. Lastly, Aisha Rahman highlights the UAE and Germany's collaboration on AI and energy investment, showing that progress can still be made in other areas despite geopolitical tensions.
Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
