#tbt: “Hell sure is a popping!”

How National Geographic Mapped a World at War By Michael Fry Senior Map Librarian, National Geographic Library From the earliest issues, National Geographic magazine’s map supplements were topical and timely, of equal interest to geographers and observers of world affairs. Polar exploration, the Spanish-American and Boer Wars, the decades-long effort to construct a canal across Central America—all were featured in the magazine’s pages, and all … Continue reading #tbt: “Hell sure is a popping!”

Mapping Monday: Time Travel is Real!

by Livia Mazur, National Geographic GIS Mapping Specialist The headline of this post isn’t an exaggeration. Check out this dynamic map from MapStory, a platform that allows “people of all kinds [to] turn into Storytellers.” This map is a geographic picture, but weaves in temporal (time-related) details so we see the story of westward expansion come alive. That’s the part that made time travel happen! MapStory … Continue reading Mapping Monday: Time Travel is Real!

Wildfires Scorch San Diego

UNITED STATES Nine wildfires are burning across San Diego County, as record dry conditions, warm temperatures, and gusty winds contribute to an early start to the Golden State’s fire season. (National Geographic News) Use our resources to make your own fire map. Discussion Ideas Take a look at the fire map above, provided by California Fire News (CFN). Compare it with this nice map from … Continue reading Wildfires Scorch San Diego

Ancient Hunting Camp Found Beneath Lake Huron

SCIENCE Deep below the surface of Lake Huron, scuba-diving researchers have found an elaborate network of hunting blinds and animal-herding structures dating back roughly 9,000 years. (USA Today) Can you find the sunken treasure? Discussion Ideas The USA Today article reports that 9,000 years ago, water levels in Lake Huron were about 76 meters (250 feet) lower than they are today. The shallower lake exposed … Continue reading Ancient Hunting Camp Found Beneath Lake Huron

Mapping Monday: MapMaker Interactive Tutorials

This Mapping Monday, we’re sharing some user-generated tutorials for our MapMaker Interactive. The MapMaker Interactive is a online mapping tool that allows students (or for that matter, anyone!) to explore the world using map themes, data and tools. Our online map makes it easy for students to visually explore and interact with our interconnected social and physical Earth systems.   Using this powerful mapping tool … Continue reading Mapping Monday: MapMaker Interactive Tutorials