Greenland appears much larger than it actually is on most world maps, thanks to the Mercator projection, a centuries-old map style. A recent study reveals how this distortion influences our perception ...

James is a published author with multiple pop-history and science books to his name. He specializes in history, space, strange science, and anything out of the ordinary.View full profile James is a ...

Maps distort reality because the Earth is a three-dimensional sphere, and any attempt to represent it on a flat surface requires compromise. It's like trying to make a rectangle out of an orange peel.