We are a vision-oriented species‑‑our sense of vision is our primary sense.
So maps are a great tool that give us the visual portrait of a place.
A map gives a person an idea of the bigger picture,
a mental picture of the whole space.
Paradoxically, maps also show us the details of a place,
such as physical characteristics like elevation, climate, and flora and fauna.
Now, we are in the age of satellite imaging
and GPS (stands for Global Positioning System),
so there has been a shift in the ways we read maps---
our own physical body now has a real-time place within them.
In fact, we call this an image rather than map.
A new kind of map is the genetic map, with thousands of markers.
There is also the mind map, which arranges concepts,
classifying them into groupings, branches, or areas.
Lumeta Corporation maps Internet users.
The SDSS-III Collaboration is mapping the Milky Way and extrasolar planets.
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| Infrared map of the whole Galaxy showing the plane and bulge of the Galaxy full of stars and dust. Courtesy SDSS-III |
Here on Earth,
during a major humanitarian crisis. It provides daily maps
that show relief agencies where to go to provide help,
such as after a natural disaster.
that show relief agencies where to go to provide help,
such as after a natural disaster.
Their website states that their maps answer questions such as:
"where are displaced people moving to?"
or "what logistics capacity is needed to reach them?"
I declare the Right to Maps,
upholding our Right to Knowledge,
and in spite of our Right to Privacy,
as long as one's Right to Security is not breached.
In the future, maps may become a potential, supportive tool
for making our Right to Spatial Mobility
a real possibility.
