Magnify the Universe
Showing size relationships is notoriously difficult in still media such as print. Magnifying the Universe by Number Sleuth – Information-is-Beautiful award-winner – is a great example of how well interactive illustration can do just this – show size relationships. Hit full-screen and zoom into the hydrogen atom’s proton nucleus, then out to the observed universe… a great way to illustrate and navigate abstractions of the vast, such as space or deep time.
10/17/2012
This must be what Douglas Adams had in mind when writing about the ‘Total Perspective Vortex’. I am devastated at the sight of my unimportance …
10/17/2012
Indeed, it would have been cool to include a towel and other travel necessities at their correct position in the zoom.
10/18/2012
It would be very nice to see something like this… dedicated to evolution & deep time.
10/18/2012
I can already imagine the effect of the appearance of primates humans all in such a short span, down to things like the fall of rome, JK assassination. All just one clump at the end of this massive journey.
10/18/2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXSEyttblMI
10/18/2012
@ Fabio: that’s a cool film, thanks!
Makes me want to do a graphic version, maybe with outlines, maybe color coding for life vs geologic events. The text is a nice abstract representation.