Best of the Blogs – 7 March 2017

By on 7 March, 2017

Each week, Spatial Source finds the best that the internet has to offer.

If living on Mars seems the realm of sci-fi fantasy to you, one NASA scientist has an idea that could make it possible in a matter of years. The lofty idea of involves establishing an artificial magnetic field around Mars to allow the planet to restore its atmosphere and, eventually, even bring back its oceans. [Gizmodo Australia]

 

Before he became the first U.S. president, George Washington was actually a surveyor who measured and mapped the lands of colonial America. Washington officially became a surveyor at the age of 17, and was involved in creating many maps throughout his life, including as a general, when his love for maps became especially valuable. [Atlas Obscura]

 

Did you draw maps when you were a kid? How did your drawings stack up against the adorable maps that cartographers of today made when they were kids? Was it like Jeff Allen’s, “Imaginary City” (above). This article shows how eight mapmakers got their start, growing from youthful enthusiasts into successful professionals. [All Over the Map]

 

Those who picked up a Nintendo Switch in the past week and are exploring the new world of the Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild, prepare yourself to be shocked at the size of the world you have entered. Nintendo recently revealed that the game’s map is many times bigger than previous efforts, and this crowdsourced map shows many of its details (may contain spoilers). The map, it turns out, is actually based on the developer’s hometown of Kyoto.

 

WATCH THIS… WebMapSolutions founder Matt Sheehan loves TED talks. But when it comes to TED talks of a geospatial nature, he usually finds himself left “a little cold.” Sheehan explains how inspiring and moving TED talks can be, but pinpoints just what’s missing when it comes to geospatial. [Geoawesomeness]

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