Kayla Wolf: Why every world map is wrong

Why every world map is wrong

Fourteen Greenlands could fit in Africa— but you wouldn't guess it from most maps of the world. The fact is, every world map humans have ever made is wrong. Actually, it's impossible to make a flat map of the whole spherical world 100% right. So why do we bother with these inaccurate maps at all? Kayla Wolf explores how even the simplest changes in map design can shift our point of view. [Directed by Globizco Studios, narrated by Alexandra Panzer, music by Manuel Borda]. 

Every flat map of the world is inherently flawed because a spherical planet cannot be translated perfectly onto a rectangle. For example, Africa is so much larger than Greenland that fourteen Greenlands could fit inside it, yet most maps suggest otherwise. Over centuries, mapmakers have invented creative projections to suit different needs, inevitably distorting size, shape, or perspective. These choices influence not just navigation and education, but also our beliefs about the world and its people.