Make Your Own World!

Folded from the Our Spaceship Earth Satellite Self Portrait Dymaxion Map, this 6" icosahedral (20-sided) globe generates conversation on global issues and solutions.

Fuller's Projection Method

This fold-up globe is based on R.Buckminster Fuller's world map. Fuller created several world maps in his attempts to create a visually accurate flat rendition of a sherical globe. His final version was based on the icosahedron, a polyhedron with 20 equilateral triangular faces. Fuller first published his icosahedral version of the map in 1954. This is a cloud-free satellite image fold-up globe based on his icosahedral world map.

An Accurate Tool

All flat world map representations of a sherical globe contain some amount of distortion either in shape, area, distance, or direction measurements. On the well-known Mercator world map, Greenland appears to be three times its corresponding globe size and Antarctica appears as a long thin white strip along the bottom edge of the map. Even the popular Robinson Projection, now used in many schools, still contains a large amount of distortion with Greenland 60 percent larger than its corresponding globe size.

A New Perception of Earth

If a world map presents visually obvious distortions of our world, then our perceptions and presumtions become distorted. Every projection must make certain compromises as information is transferred from a spherical globe to a flat surface. As early as 1927, R. Buckminster Fuller began to search for and develop an accurate 2-dimensional world map. The Fuller Projection enables us to visualize the planet's surface in a single view without visually obvious distortions of the relative shapes, sizes or connections of the continents.

Teaches tactile skills, geometry, cartography, and a new perception of earth. Excellent for home schooling too!

Hang from the ceiling or a mobile, or place on your desk or table. Easy to build. Stand included. Ready to assemble with complete instructions. A great gift for ages 8 and up.

Globe and packaging made from recycled paper.