The most substantial errors in mapmaking history - Kayla Wolf episode artwork

EPISODE · May 16, 2026 · 6 MIN

The most substantial errors in mapmaking history - Kayla Wolf

from TED-Ed · host TED-Ed

Travel through the history of mapmaking and discover what big mistakes cartographers made about the world’s geography.--For thousands of years, people made both functional maps and what are known as cosmographies, illustrating the earth and its position in the cosmos, often including constellations, gods, and mythic locations. These maps were meant to depict the world's geography, but weren't necessarily useful for navigation and contained some glaring mistakes. Kayla Wolf shares mapmaking’s biggest blunders.Lesson by Kayla Wolf, directed by Serin İnan, Kozmonot Animation Studio.Tabula Rogeriana image from Konrad Miller: https://bit.ly/KonradMillerSupport Our Non-Profit Mission----------------------------------------------Support us on Patreon: http://bit.ly/TEDEdPatreonCheck out our merch: http://bit.ly/TEDEDShop----------------------------------------------Connect With Us----------------------------------------------Sign up for our newsletter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdNewsletterFollow us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/TEDEdFacebookFind us on Twitter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdTwitterPeep us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/TEDEdInstagram----------------------------------------------Keep Learning----------------------------------------------View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-biggest-mistakes-in-mapmaking-history-kayla-wolfDig deeper with additional resources: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-biggest-mistakes-in-mapmaking-history-kayla-wolf#digdeeperAnimator's website: https://www.kozmonot.tv----------------------------------------------Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Sid, Kent Logan, Alexandra Panzer, John Hellmann, Poompak Meephian, Chuck Wofford, Daniel Erickson, frank goto, Jayson Hauschild, J D Wallace, Marq Short, Chen Jun Xiang, Adam Pagan, Paul Schultz, Behzad Farhanieh, Anders Sørheim, Wes Winn, Conder Shou, BrushReads, Matt Kennedy, Jonah Dobbs, ntiger, Noname, Hansan Hu, Cameron Burkle, Dhanwanth Varadhan, David D, Zuko Gameplays, Jonathan Bates JBZ, Aria Smith, Mac Hyney, Keith Ellison, robin valero walters, Camehira, Lynne Truesdale, Gatsby Dkdc, Matthew Neal, Jayson Gasper Ayson, Maxwell Ramsby, Dmitry Yuryev, Denis Chon, Julian Oberhofer, Monte Carroll, Eddy, Jay M, Constantino Victor Delgado, Andrea Galvagni, Andrew Tweddle, Laurel-Ann Rice and Fernando A. Endo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Travel through the history of mapmaking and discover what big mistakes cartographers made about the world’s geography.--For thousands of years, people made both functional maps and what are known as cosmographies, illustrating the earth and its position in the cosmos, often including constellations, gods, and mythic locations. These maps were meant to depict the world's geography, but weren't necessarily useful for navigation and contained some glaring mistakes. Kayla Wolf shares mapmaking’s biggest blunders.Lesson by Kayla Wolf, directed by Serin İnan, Kozmonot Animation Studio.Tabula Rogeriana image from Konrad Miller: https://bit.ly/KonradMillerSupport Our Non-Profit Mission----------------------------------------------Support us on Patreon: http://bit.ly/TEDEdPatreonCheck out our merch: http://bit.ly/TEDEDShop----------------------------------------------Connect With Us----------------------------------------------Sign up for our newsletter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdNewsletterFollow us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/TEDEdFacebookFind us on Twitter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdTwitterPeep us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/TEDEdInstagram----------------------------------------------Keep Learning----------------------------------------------View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-biggest-mistakes-in-mapmaking-history-kayla-wolfDig deeper with additional resources: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-biggest-mistakes-in-mapmaking-history-kayla-wolf#digdeeperAnimator's website: https://www.kozmonot.tv----------------------------------------------Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Sid, Kent Logan, Alexandra Panzer, John Hellmann, Poompak Meephian, Chuck Wofford, Daniel Erickson, frank goto, Jayson Hauschild, J D Wallace, Marq Short, Chen Jun Xiang, Adam Pagan, Paul Schultz, Behzad Farhanieh, Anders Sørheim, Wes Winn, Conder Shou, BrushReads, Matt Kennedy, Jonah Dobbs, ntiger, Noname, Hansan Hu, Cameron Burkle, Dhanwanth Varadhan, David D, Zuko Gameplays, Jonathan Bates JBZ, Aria Smith, Mac Hyney, Keith Ellison, robin valero walters, Camehira, Lynne Truesdale, Gatsby Dkdc, Matthew Neal, Jayson Gasper Ayson, Maxwell Ramsby, Dmitry Yuryev, Denis Chon, Julian Oberhofer, Monte Carroll, Eddy, Jay M, Constantino Victor Delgado, Andrea Galvagni, Andrew Tweddle, Laurel-Ann Rice and Fernando A. Endo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The most substantial errors in mapmaking history - Kayla Wolf

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This episode was published on May 16, 2026.

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Travel through the history of mapmaking and discover what big mistakes cartographers made about the world’s geography.--For thousands of years, people made both functional maps and what are known as cosmographies, illustrating the earth and its...

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