This is a post on the videos in TED's "Adventures in Mapping" playlist. The playlist has 12 videos with 11 from TED and 1 being produced independently but part of a TED "Best of the Web" pick. "Maps don't just tell you which street to turn left on. Maps convey information that shapes our lives, deepen our understanding of problems and our ability to create solutions, and whisk our imaginations to new lands. See what we mean, below." Although the description does suggest that the playlist is all about maps, I do find some videos more suitable for someone interested in data visualising with maps than others. Hence, read this post before diving straight in if you have a specific kind of video you have already mapped out in your mind.
1. Making sense of maps (16.19)
The video begins with how a cognitive map - the virtual map in the brain - create linear streets with markers of meaning like symbols resembling the real street map. It then moves on the discuss how public transport maps like the one for London Tube are made like that with geographic distortion. A simplified public transport map is about having lines that show stations and station names with street name details and landmarks for a successful transport map. This reminds me of the train map that I have done. In line with the video, it may be made better with more markers and linear lines as the video suggests. A video for anyone into the public transport maps.
2. Happy maps (7:05)
A short video on how the shortest path may not be the most enjoyable path to travel. A discussion on emotion and cartography in a world fabricated by efficiency. Paths to our workplaces can be the shortest, the most beautiful, the happiest, or the quietest. Perhaps, these can be interesting choices offered by map companies to travellers instead of routes breakdown by travel times.
3. Making maps to fight disaster, build economies (2:36)
This video addresses the importance of mapping in times of crisis. When there are no maps for the area, it slows the delivery of aid after a disaster. This video can probably be an introduction to a longer lecture if I am to give one on maps.
4. How the "ghost map" helped end a killer disease (9:50)
A look at how John Snow's map (part of it pictured below) locating clusters around pumps using death counts (bars) have helped to eradicate cholera in London in 1854. A valuable lesson for the pandemic today and an important map to anyone interested in how maps can help us across disciplines.
5. Lessons from 1918 flu (20:52)
Another video, another pandemic. However, this video is less about maps than the globalised concerns of pandemics brought about by the bird flu. Maps are more heavily featured at the start of the presentation on globalisation and the spread of bird flu that stop short of the Americas.
6. How to build an information time machine (21:17)
A video on adding time as a variable to a map. Through digitization, mappers can "travel back" for information as the further the past the less information available. Maps can also be combined with simulation to tell history. The project discussed in this video is Venice Time Machine, an example of scaling humanities projects by going across teams and using digital tools.
7. New York - before the City (15:53)
A case study on how the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) with relevant data collected on New York City can be used to learn about the past, present, future.
8. Augmented-reality maps (7:58)
It is interesting to see how far the world has come with augmented-reality maps. Using Bing maps and crowd-sourced Flickr photos, time travel with map imageries is made possible.
9. How megacities are changing the map of the world (20:22)
The video talks about layers in GIS via the term "connectography". Using lights on maps to identify megacities leads the speaker to conclude that traditional borders are no longer as important, but the connectivity of the world that flows from megacities leads us towards peace. Connectivity, not geography is destiny. An inspirational piece for a less technical individual like me who is not going to take GIS to the next level but looking to use GIS as part of data analysis.
10. Tour Microsoft's Virtual Earth (5:56)
A discussion on building the metaverse of the world. A familiar term in 2021 that has long existed. This video shows the importance of data collection in building earth on different scales to create mapping tools.
11. Mapping ideas worth spreading (7:43)
A video that is less about maps but more about using nodes and edges to identify what ted talks topics are in trend using text analysis.
12. Great design is serious, not solemn (21:35)
This video is produced independently and is recommended by TED. It has started out as more about having fun and design, with the last 3 minutes going into turning maps into art.
All in all, for someone looking into data viz and maps from the humanities side, I will suggest watching 3 of them - Making sense of maps, How the "ghost map" helped end a killer disease, and How megacities are changing the map of the world. They are 3 chapters to understand data viz and mapping from the lenses of urban transport planning, the history of using maps for data viz, and geopolitics. For how far technology has come in the recent years with big tech companies into mapping the world, Making maps to fight disaster, build economies, New York - before the City, Augmented-reality maps, and Tour Microsoft's Virtual Earth can be fascinating watches. For how researchers have tapped onto GIS for multi-disciplinary projects, How to build an information time machine and New York - before the City.