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Wordless Globe

It's so much more impressive when it's not obsolete.
  (+10, -1)(+10, -1)
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Most commercially available globes of the earth show countries in different colors. A few show elevations or climactic regions in different colors, still with lots of country borders and names on.

A lot of globes in people's houses still show the USSR. And the border of Yemen has never been determined satisfactorily.

Idea: manufacture a globe that does NOT show countries, cities, or indeed any sort of manmade and therefore mutable feature. Intstead, use sattelite photos to create a globe that looks, more or less, exactly like the Earth would from space, if it were shrunk down really really small, and all the clouds removed. Mmmaaaybe do a version with topological lines.

Make sure the surface is wipeable and distribute with an erasable marker or crayon. Tah-daaah! Always wanted a globe of the Roman Empire? Interested in giving your students more prespective by showing what political divisions existed in 2300 BC? Sci-fi writer working out flight distances between New Brunswick and the newly-constructed Isle of Liftoff? Now you can draw it all in!

Or, if you're the contemplative type, just set it up in your den, put "From A Distance" on the stereo, and bathe in the warm glow of optimism. Or cackle maniacally and destroy Hawaii with a brush of your fingers! Your choice.

gisho, Nov 26 2006

Raised Rellief Globe http://www.1worldglobes.com/land250x.html
You might enjoy this handsome specialty globe with exaggerated relief. Doesn't look like the sort you'd want to draw on, though. [jurist, Nov 26 2006]

NASA Photo Inflatable Globe http://www.spacetoy...tail.php?prod=TIF19
These NASA toy globes are pretty cool, too, without political boundaries but glow-in-the-dark city locations. Shame about the pesky clouds, though. At just $14.95USD for each, you could use a different globe for each map you wanted to chart without having to worry about wiping it off for re-use. Just deflate, store away in a flat-file, and buy another. [jurist, Nov 26 2006]

Dry-Erase Globe http://www.thesavvy...dry_erase_globe.htm
Black-and-white, rivers, no words. But has country- and US state boundaries. [jutta, Nov 26 2006]


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Annotation:







       I was hoping that this would be a globe made out of OLEDs and then had a satellite subscription that provides current topographical information. Either geo, political, weather, whatever that was always up to minute current.
NotTheSharpestSpoon, Nov 26 2006
  

       [NTSS] - yeah, a spherical display would be great, but this idea would be a bit cheaper (+).
neilp, Nov 26 2006
  

       The globe could be set up so it can rotate itself and a pen can move up and down its stand to plot points automatically (and also erase them), it'd be a kind of spherical printer. If the globe were blank you could load different maps onto it. The past positions of the continents, the topography of mars, your very own world...
Helixthecat, Nov 26 2006
  

       I have often wanted to draw on my globe but don't for fear of ruining it forever. Your globe allows me to do so. BAKERY GOODS FOR ALL!
Heavy_Phat, Nov 26 2006
  

       Unlike this idea, that would be technological overkill and is unlikely to be produced; consequently, it keeps coming up on this site - see "Animated News Globe" and "LiveGlobe".
jutta, Nov 26 2006
  

       [jurist], something similar in look to that Infalatable Globe was what I was imagining. I'd just rather have one with the same sturdiness of construction (and ability to put on a stand and spin) as a normal desktop globe.   

       I am in awe of the Raised Relief Globe. But it's juuust a tad unrealistic. Also, my bank account cries for mercy at the mere sight. Hellishlly nifty, though.
gisho, Nov 26 2006
  

       I suppose it's time to update my PangaeaGlobe.
craigts, Nov 27 2006
  


 

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