73 - What the World May Come To: a Tetrahedron
Notwithstanding the fact that celestial objects of a certain mass generally are spherical in shape, an article in My Magazine, dated May 1918 (and titled What the World May Come To: The School Maps As They May Be in Millions of Years to Come) predicts that the earth is spinning itself into a tetrahedron. The explanation, as one can imagine, is very dodgy. The accompanying picture of the globe is strange enough to be figured here.
The article concludes: “We may be sorry for the editors and poets in those days. It is pleasant to write of sailing round the globe, or of this spinning ball, but who would not pity the poet who has to write and make his rhymes about some bold Sir Francis Drake’s brave journey round the tetrahedron? We hope the League of Nations will rule the Tetrahedron well.”
Hey, fame at last for my site!
If you’d like a larger scan of the illustrations contact me, I’ll be happy to oblige.
Comment by marcus rowland — February 9, 2007 @
[...] post amazing things. This is another good example of why it is becoming one of my favorite blogs: What the World May Come To: a Tetrahedron « strange maps Notwithstanding the fact that celestial objects of a certain mass generally are spherical in shape, [...]
Pingback by Sonoran Sea » 73 - What the World May Come To: a Tetrahedron « strange maps — February 9, 2007 @
What a wonderfully nutty idea!
Can I make some map requests?
1. Hollow Earth maps
2. Medieval maps
3. Map of Wonderland and Looking-Glass Land
4. Map of The Matrix (and adjacent realities).
Comment by A.R.Yngve — February 10, 2007 @
This reminds me of some maps that were found in schools in the early 70s. They showed the world projected on a variety of geometric surfaces. I distinctly remember a torus, and possibly a dodecahedron. I think there were others. (And, of course, there’s the cubic Bizarro world.)
Comment by DemetriosX — February 11, 2007 @
First time here. LOVE the site.
Comment by spatulated — February 11, 2007 @
I still see the world that way. Infact, I have proof.
(come to my site, it’s there somewhere ;) )
Comment by peterandthehare — February 13, 2007 @
[...] Strange Maps points out a 1918 magazine article that frets about the world eventually spinning itself into a tetrahedron rather than the sphere we all know and love. “We hope the League of Nations will rule the Tetrahedron well.” This is just begging to be used for some sort of RPG, isn’t it? Read more: somewhat odd [...]
Pingback by Screw Global Warming, What if the World Became a Tetrahedron? » Needcoffee.com — February 17, 2007 @
[...] of the tetrahedral Earth via Strange Maps, and a whole lot of bad science from the early 20th [...]
Pingback by Who Maps the Map Blogs? « The Diplodocus — May 3, 2007 @
[...] What The World May Come To: A Tetrahedron [...]
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