Science Friday How Math Helps Us Map The World
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Oct 16, 2025 Join Paulina Rowińska, a mathematician and science journalist, as she navigates the fascinating world of cartography. Discover why all maps distort reality, from the Mercator projection's sailor-friendly angles to subway maps that sacrifice distance for clarity. Paulina shares how the rise of phone maps has changed our navigation skills and explores the complexities of mapping the ocean floor. She also reveals the challenges of measuring coastlines and dives into the traveling salesman problem's role in modern logistics.
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Maps Must Distort Something
- Gauss proved you cannot flatten a curved surface without distortion, so every map distorts something.
- Different map projections trade off preserving angles, shapes, or sizes depending on purpose.
Mercator Built For Sailors
- Mercator was created to help sailors navigate by preserving angles and directions.
- Its usefulness for sea travel explains why versions persist in modern navigation tools.
Transit Maps Sacrifice Distance Accuracy
- Transit maps prioritize order and clarity, not geographic distance or walking time.
- Relying on schematic transit maps for real-world travel can mislead about actual distances.
