Infinite perspectives

Whether from military necessity or unbridled curiosity, mapmakers since early antiquity have attempted to represent the configuration of the land about them. In the modern era, techniques are still being invented by which man can portray the three-dimensional world on a flat surface. This work traces the artistic and scientific evolution of topographic representation from its origins to the present. Over 80 colour plates of some of the most significant maps ever made detail important advances in the portrayal of three dimensions in map form. The final section of the book contains 20 plates presenting a revolutionary cartographic technique that allows viewers wearing ordinary 3-D glasses to view planetary surfaces without distortion. This invention, developed by the authors with Dr Russell Ambroziak and named Infinite Perspective Projection is in use by NASA and the US Department of Defense. Included are maps of Mars, the Grand Canyon, and Mount McKinley, as well as two large fold-out maps. The necessary 3-D viewing glasses are also provided.