Every map is a lie — some are just useful ones. Explore how projections distort reality, how GPS pins your location from 20 000 km away, and how floods spread through terrain data.
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Map projections, routing, spatial data, and geographic analysis — live
GIS and geospatial simulations model the mathematical and computational foundations of geographic information systems. Map-projection simulations render the same set of world polygons under dozens of different projections — Mercator, Mollweide, Robinson, Azimuthal equal-area — showing how each distorts area, shape, distance, and direction relative to the spherical Earth.
Least-cost-path routing simulations apply Dijkstra on a grid of elevation-weighted terrain costs, reproducing the algorithms used in GPS navigation and urban transport planning. Spatial-interpolation demos apply inverse-distance-weighting and kriging to scattered point measurements, producing the smooth raster surfaces used in soil-science, meteorology, and geology. These tools connect classical cartography to modern computational spatial analysis.
Each simulation in this category is built with accuracy and interactivity in mind. The underlying mathematical models are the same ones used in academic research and professional engineering — just made accessible through a web browser. Changing parameters in real time and observing the results is one of the most effective ways to build intuition for complex scientific and engineering concepts.
Topics and algorithms you'll explore in this category
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