Japan's great earthquake.

The tragedy that happened in the early morning of today not only devistated many people, but moved the coast line nearly 8 feet. If that was not enough, the earths axis has also been shifted ten inches. Read more about this at the Vancouver Sun as well as see more maps and charts featuring the Tsunami and Earthquake.

Are you a mapaholic? Does just the idea of a topographic map get your blood boiling?

If having a couple maps on your walls just isn't enough, there is good news! You can spread the love of maps to your dinnerware! A company name Topoware has created a full dining experience that allows you to stare at the topographic map of your dinner.

And if that wasn't enough you can top your table off with a topographic bowl of New York made by Fredrick Roije.

Come and check out a new Exhibit tomorrow!

Tomorrow , March 10th our new exhibit, Places & Spaces- Mapping Science, opens up. The opening reception is from 4-6 p.m. with speakers Dr. Katy Borner and Dr. Mark E.J. Newman. This exhibit has been featured in Wired, Data as Art: 10 Striking Science Maps, which shows a few of the fabulous maps that have been featured in the past and are being featured now.

This exhibit will be featured until May 24th in the Hatcher Graduate building in the Gallery, room 100.

The Grand World Fair!

This colorful map depicts the 1940's World Fair which was located in New York City.

For a better view of the map click on the image and for more details, including a link to a map of section 15, General Motors exhibit, click here.

Elementary, my dear Watson...

Sherlock Holmes is known throughout the world, but never has a floor plan of his living quarters existed quite like this.
Thanks to artist Russell Stutler, who read all 60 books twice, we can see exactly what Sir Aurthur Conan Doyle has described the brilliant detective's quarters to be. Click the Image above to see more detail or here to see notes by the artist on the image.

What if rivers were mapped like subway lines?

Maps made would look much like this one created by Cartographer Daniel Huffman.

This talented cartographer has turned not just Michigan's water system into subway stops on their way to the Great Lakes but many other waterways as well. To see some of his other maps and for more information you can visit his site here.

Think Portable GPS Devices are new? Think again.

In the year 1927 the Plus Four Wristlet Route Indicator was invented. This new fangled device showed the wearer a map of their location and by merely twisting either the upper or lower nobs the map unwound with a viewfinder showing a section of the road that they were on. With 20 interchangeable maps this device would have been highly useful to those who traveled often and it is a bit of a surprise that these did not even make it to mass production phases.

Beyond the mapping feature it also included a way to keep score in Golf, perhaps this would have been more suited to come with maps for a golf course rather than cross country? MailOnline