why is north "up" ?

[kwerk]

Why are maps oriented the way they are? Why didn't they do it the other way round with the south pole at the top? We're floating in SPACE what difference does it make.

 

[SlyReaper]

Because map makers had to pick one convention or the other, and that's the one they chose.

If it were the other way round, would you have created a thread titled "why is south up?"

 

[Sin_Chase]

........seriously?

 

[SlyReaper]

YA SRSLY

 

[Skidder]

Presumably the conventions started in Europe where people would perceive there only location as being up I imagine. You don't tend to think of yourself as upsidedown.

 

[norm]

"The convention came a few centuries ago when Northern hemisphere, European navigators started using the North star and the magnetic compass. Before that, the top of the map was to the East which is where the word orientation comes from."

And this does look fairly ridculous.

 

[h00fzilla]

I like the 'upside-down' one as you get to fully appreciate the vast size of the Pacific!

 

[oxygene]

I like the 'upside-down' one as you get to fully appreciate the vast size of the Pacific!

Its like whoever built the planet forgot to stick in an extra continent!

 

[SteveOBHave]

I like this one: Pangea to the current map - awesome stuff:

 

[oxygene]

I like this one: Pangea to the current map - awesome stuff:

Hmm strange, in that animation England has always been a separate little island but I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that people used to be able to walk from England to France (a long time ago).

 

[SubFocus]

Because it's grim.

 

[bloodiedathame]

We have poles due to the earths magnetic field. North and South are just labels for the area where the magnetic forces meet.

 

["andy"]

Hmm strange, in that animation England has always been a separate little island but I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that people used to be able to walk from England to France (a long time ago).

they could walk on water back in the day though

 

[Cosimo]

Because the North Pole is up there, looks at map, yes it is.

 

[orderoftheflame]

To make Australians feel inferior obviously.

 

[Admiral Huddy]

Rename the North to South and visa-versa, you have the same dilemma.. It's just a tag..

Remember though, everyone is north to someone else.. or South to that matter...

 

[p4radox]

Remember though, everyone is north to someone else.. or South to that matter...

Unless you're standing on the North/South pole.

 

[hood1971]

Unless you're standing on the North/South pole.

Well then everyone is both north and south to you.

 

[bloodiedathame]

It's all relative.

 

[Bubo]

Why do cockneys say "Are you going up west?". Surely it should be "Are you going sideways to the left a bit west?"