An homage to summer road trips, we’re exploring maps that keep you on the high road. First up, the Power of Z!

3D mapping began with early artist’s birds-eye view drawings of cities and landscapes, making the relative size and position of objects immediately recognizable. These maps provide intuitive understanding as they replicate human-style navigation. 3D maps allow artists to position the light source at an exact time of day or pass the camera through clouds and storms or around objects creating more visual interest. Maps in 3D also boast vertical information. They incorporate shape and surface elevations of landscapes, mountains, and buildings. The extra dimension Z enables viewers to process data ‘in situ’. Audiences instinctively recognize 3D symbols and often bypass the need to refer to a legend.

Expand your neck of the woods or get off the beaten path altogether with Bering Sea Gold on Discovery Channel.