Interpreting Global Flight Maps

kodiaktau writes "Five experts including: artist, environmentalist, aviation consultant, data visualization expert and philosopher interpret a flight map showing global flights. While the imagery of the visualization is intriguing, the interpretations are particularly interesting and show how individual background and experience impact they way they view the data."

Comments

Re:Eurocentric

[Striikerr]

I don't see why you are complaining about this. Every civilization will place themselves central to the map. I grew up in North America and so the North American continent was always central with Europe etc. on the right side and Asia etc. on the left. Australia will place itself central and so will Europe (as seen here) and Asia on their respective maps. Having North at the top of the map is an international standard (to my knowledge). This has nothing to do with North being good (and therefore S being bad?)

Interestingly, as a child, I always thought that maps were the same everywhere (North America central) and so was surprised when I first saw maps from other countries. I paused a moment and realized why and that I was naive for assuming otherwise. I had wondered at that time if, to simplify things, Australia or other countries towards the Southern end of the planet, taught geography with South at the top.

Back on track, the interpretations were interesting to view. It shows us all that we perceive things in the world differently from others (as I learned so long ago with the maps)

Re:Revealing data

[bobbied]

Airport hubs serve primary TWO purposes....

One is to provide a place for the spokes of the flying wheel to meet so everybody can change planes and get to their destination. Two is to provide access to at least ONE destination that a lot of people want to go too.

Where it might make sense to put a centrally located hub in the geographic center of it all, if nobody wants to actually go there, it's just not going to make it as a major hub. With all due respect to Kansas City, there is just not enough passengers who want to go there to make a hub of it work, at least not for a major airline.