AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

Imagine you're a chilled out alien, sitting on a rock somewhere in the galaxy, lazily watching planet earth.  As the planet revolves, you ponder the swarm-like simplicity of those tiny little 'Aeroplane' bugs. What are they polinating when they fly from place to place?  Do they know they have a hive-like mind or do they think that they are individuals? ahh, how relaxing to be obliviously human.

FACE THE MUSIC

I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this but; your music collection has become squalid and uninteresting! I realise it can be tough sifting through the murky mire of a million musical mishaps, but like any sensible person, if you're lost you should look at a map!  Specifically, you should look at Gnod's interactive music map. Go on, give it a try - its really very good.  The closer a name is  to your search the more likely you'll like it. Once you're done there you can do something about your literature and movies collections too!

FLOWER POWER

What do you do if you're the environmental agency of a region and you want to raise awareness about biodiversity?  Well, if you're the European Environmental Agency you grow a massive map on the side of your building, if however you're the environmental agency of any other region you just wallow in your own bad case of FOMO (fear of missing out) 

TOURISTS VS LOCALS

Do you ever think its odd that as you go away on holiday you're often passing by tourists in the airport or on the highway who are coming in to holiday?!  Perhaps if you look at the world through their eyes (or equally, through locals' eyes if you're the tourist) it might alter your outlook on life.  But how to do this? where to go? Well, how about investigating these cities' maps of tourists vs locals Flickr photos (the blue bits are locals' photos and the red bits are tourists' photos)

THE GOOGLES, THEY DO NOTHING!

Ok smartguy, how many nuclear explosions have there been in the world, and where have they been? Would it surprise you to learn that there have been over 2,000 of them scattered all around the world?!

This video artwork by Isao Hashimoto presents every nuclear explosion  as a light explosion on a map (accompanied by a cool 80s retro noise).  The first two minutes are pretty boring I admit, but its kind of mesmorising once they really get going (sadly).

FUN AND GAMES

If you're looking for a mapping related distraction, consider a game of aerial alphabet eye spy.  Apparently there is a whole forum of peeps out there playing if you wanna join in. But I prefer this addictive little geography game myself!

HAND-DRAWN MAP ASSOCIATION

If you've ever scribbled a map for somebody - perhaps the directions to a keg party, the location of an amazing cafe, or the sexiest way home (?), you'll appreciate The Hand-Drawn Map Association.

As budget and probably embarrassingly poor as they may well be; these humble maps are quietly celebrated as necessary parts of a vibrant life...
life, oh life, ooooh life
doo, doo doo doo
doo, doo doo doo

EMERGENCY EMERGENCY

The USA Department of Homeland Security sure do know how to make maps that resemble a scene from Donnie Darko!  ....no, not really (I wish) but in this 4min video clip you get a sweet glimpse of the future of real-time mapping and information dissemination techniques.

How can you not click here to watch?!

MOUSE MAP

Do you ever wonder what a map of all of those tiny little computer-mouse movements of yours would look like over time? Do you ever wonder why exactly you've developed Repetitive Over-use Syndrome in your wrist? No?  Well, don't not wonder no more!... At IOgraphica.com you can download some sweet software to see a map of every little compiled movement!

FRACTAL ROYALE

In yet another of my random fossikings on the Internet, i stumbled across these sculptures of wind direction, and intensity and I was greatly satisfied for some inexplicable reason.  I think I know now the answer to that glee - you see, one of my secret pleasures in life is investigating fractals (recurring patterns in nature) and I was reminded of the similarity between these patterns of wind movement (albeit human generated) and other patterns found in nature. Which patterns? - You decide in this little game I call fractal royale!  (mouse-over the image for the answers displayed in the bottom bar of the screen)

This little guessing game may seem inconsequential at first, but the human ability of drawing similarities between (usually) relatively random things can lead us to use one tool for another task - and potentially advance human development.  Does the medical profession know about the advances in the mapping world and vice versa?  If this fractal world offers scalable answers perhaps one day I'll know if its possible for the grooves of a fingerprint to be played like the grooves of a record!