Tom PattersonThe Equal Earth map projection. An accurate world map is something that has evaded cartographers for centuries. But this new design just might make distorted maps a thing of the past.

Given the increasing importance of rare earths, countries with large reserves are gaining significant economic and political ...

Explore what the world’s new coastlines would look like. 8 min read This story appears in the September 2013 issue of National Geographic magazine. The maps here ... of ice on Earth, and some ...