1A The Map Men On Missing Islands And The Meaning Of Mistakes
Oct 21, 2025
Mark Cooper-Jones, co-creator of the Map Men YouTube series and author of This Way Up, teams up with comedian Jay Foreman to explore the captivating world of maps. They dive into the mystery of phantom islands like Sandy Island and the fascinating history behind map errors. The duo discusses how cartographic mistakes reveal deeper stories about society and perspective, while also touching on the emotional connections we have with maps. Their witty banter makes the topic of navigation both entertaining and thought-provoking.
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The Phantom Sandy Island
- Sandy Island appeared on Google Maps until 2012 but Australian scientists found only open ocean when they visited its supposed location.
- Jay Foreman highlights this as a modern example showing digital maps can preserve old errors for centuries.
Old Map Errors Live On Digitally
- Phantom islands reflect earlier cartographic guesswork, misobservation, or misplacement by explorers.
- Jay Foreman shows Sandy Island persisted as a cartographic error into the digital age.
The Mountains That Never Existed
- The Mountains of Kong were a fictional range shown on European African maps for nearly a century.
- Jay Foreman explains the error began from Mungo Park's diary and grew bolder through repeated cartographic copying.
