Infographics shine when they communicate data or concepts that are difficult to comprehend without visual aid. A lot can go wrong when trying to illustrate extremes, but when they’re done right, it’s a lot like a light going off for the first time.
Theoretical Limits: The Minimums and Maximums of Our Universe
This infographic is theoretically great, but it’s even better in practice. From fetus to full-grown dinosaur, understanding the utmost extent of what something is capable of is an interesting (but difficult to discover) pursuit. The fact that this infographic manages to showcase so many binaries (all via the same medium) elevates it as the pinnacle of good infographic design and research.
Oh, and a bit.ly source link to a Google Spreadsheet? That’s just good learnin’.
via BBC
Journey to the Centre of the Earth
Every toddler on the beach has wondered how long it would dig all the way through China, but very few have the resources to research their answer. From crust to core, this infographic shows the scale of our planet’s inner workings, all while informing the reader as they make their journey down.
via Power Tool
The Earth’s Oldest Trees
We love the design here. A simple top-down listing of the Earth’s oldest trees, in order, with the name of each subtly rooted to where they’d be found on a world map. Brilliant.
Which Dictator Killed the Most People?
An uncomfortable question posed by an uncomfortable font. At least the accompanying caricatures offer a bit of levity .
While serviceable, a lot could be done to communicate this infographic’s information and provide context to it. For example, colour coding cause of death would be interesting, as would showcasing how the numbers compare to the country’s total population at the time.
The Cost of Living on the Moon
We love when infographics ask questions that make you hunger for a answer. The 50’s-style hypothesizing about the future inevitably moves from “is it possible?” to “is it feasible?”
In this case, no, living on a dead and barren husk of space rock probably isn’t practical. But it sure is fun to think about.
via Buddy Loans
A Perspective on Time
The first sentence on this infographic is its thesis (and the thesis of this post). Humans are good at a lot of things, but appreciating scale and a perspective besides our own is something we often need help with. From the first second to the future death of the universe as we know it, this infographic accomplishes a lot.
Tine by Wait but Why
