In the previous post, we mentioned the origin of world globes – how the earliest record of world globes of Crates of Mallus dating around 150 BC (celestial globes are said to have been invented even earlier). Globes were created to enable us to understand our home world better. It has been more than two thousand years since then. Globes have come a long way from this:
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| World Globe of Crates of Mallus (around 150 BC). |
To this:
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| Google Earth |
From "high-touch" to "high-tech" virtual globes. If science-fiction movies are proven right, and we get to go to other planets, world (and other planet) globes and star maps would be much more sophisticated than Google Earth.
Given more advanced technology, we might even get to make something as magical as this:
A Space-ial Future
Yes, if space is the future of mankind, space is also the future of world globes. In fact, globes were used by astronauts (especially Soviet cosmonauts) in the
Space Race as navigation equipment:
But no amount of sophistication can replace the sentimental value of a simple globe. Look at this glimpse into the life of astronauts at the
International Space Station:
Notice the
classroom globe at 1:59 of the clip:
You can also see a model earth at 4:18-4:21 of this clip:
At this time, sophisticated onboard maps and virtual globes in laptops are already available to the astronauts/cosmonauts. Why bother to take a bulky model of the earth with you? Even the planned Russian Commercial Space Station has a globe in it:
No space like home
Yup, it's about homesickness. Globes are simple, powerful mementos of home. On leaving, people want to bring a little something they can touch to remind them of home, of where they came from, of who they are. Touch is a very human thing. No amount of features and virtuality can replace the draw of something you can hold and touch. Even a modern, computerized virtual globe such as this aspires to be touched:
If you're leaving the earth (even if only for the neighborhood space), what better keepsake to bring to remind you of earth than a touchable model earth – even one as simple as a classroom globe?
Teach children of home, so when they leave, they won't forget who they are.
