Breaking Math Podcast Mapmatics: A Mathematician's Guide to Navigating the World with Maps with Paulina Rowinska
Sep 17, 2024
Dr. Paulina Rowinska, a mathematician with a PhD, shares her journey from academia to writing about math and cartography. She demystifies common misconceptions about map-making and discusses the historical significance of map projections. Topics include the coastline paradox, gerrymandering in electoral maps, and the application of mathematical principles in criminology. Paulina also highlights the groundbreaking contributions of women like Marie Tharp in mapping science, showcasing the intersection of creativity and mathematics in understanding our world.
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Earth's Shape Debate
- France and England argued about Earth's shape, impacting sea navigation and land claims.
- Expeditions to South America, lasting decades, confirmed the "grapefruit" shape.
Coastline Paradox
- Coastline lengths change with map scale, making rankings misleading.
- This paradox has financial and political implications, impacting funding for coastline protection.
Mercator Map's Distortions
- The Mercator map preserves angles for navigation but distorts relative sizes.
- This distortion can reinforce problematic narratives about global power dynamics.