The Treasure Hunting Game

I’ve been having a great time this morning playing Geotreasue, a new game that challenges you to find a hidden location on a map by solving a series of geographic clues. The game is apparently based on the 'Treasure Island' board game, though I haven’t played the original, so I can’t say how closely it follows the source material.

Each game takes place in one of three cities (currently Paris, London, or San Francisco) - where your goal is to uncover a hidden treasure. To guide your search, you’re given three location-based clues. Solving a clue is as simple as clicking on the spot you believe it refers to. If you guess correctly, you can then define a search area on the map, and the game will tell you whether the treasure is inside that area or not.

By solving clues, you gradually narrow down the possible location of the treasure. Once your search area is small enough, you can dig for it - but be careful! You only have three digs, so you need to be precise.

Overall, Geotreasure is a lot of fun. My only complaint is that there’s no real penalty for getting a clue wrong. Even if you misidentify a location, you can still define a search area, which reduces the incentive to solve the clues correctly. I think some nuance could be added here - for example, the size of the search radius you’re allowed after each clue could depend on how accurately you pinpointed its correct location on the map. This would encourage players to think more carefully about their guesses and add an extra layer of strategy to the game.

Donald Trump Surrenders the World to China

The China Index is an interactive map that ranks the expanding influence of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) across the globe. Using 99 distinct indicators - from media sponsorships to academic partnerships - the index tracks Beijing’s deepening reach, updated annually to highlight its accelerating dominance.

The map ranks countries around the world based on how much they are under the sway of Chinese influence. According to the Index currently China has the most influence on Pakistan, Cambodia and Singapore. However China’s strategic investments and partnerships are reshaping political and economic alliances around the whole world, at a time when the United States is becoming more isolationist and, under Donald Trump, imposing trading restrictions on its economic partners.

The Lowy Institute’s trade map starkly illustrates the seismic shift in the global influence of China and the USA. The map shows that 70% of countries now trade more with China than with the U.S. - a dramatic reversal from 2000, when over 80% relied on American markets. Trump’s aggressive new tariffs, rather than reasserting U.S. economic leadership, risk accelerating America’s decline as a preferred trade partner. With half the world already trading twice as much with China, Washington’s protectionist turn will only cement Beijing’s advantage.

In terms of exports, the United States remains a larger export destination than China for more than half of all economies. However, given Donald Trump’s 'Liberation Day' tariffs, the United States' is quickly losing its appeal as an export destination. At the very same time Trump's economic policy has very few ideas as to how the United States' will increase its own exports. In fact there are growing movements abroad to boycott American products and service in response to Trump's tariffs.

The Global Influence Index further confirms China’s ascendancy. While the U.S. clings to historical ties in Europe - now jeopardized by Trump’s 20% tariffs on the EU - China is making decisive gains across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Beijing’s "sustained and deliberate engagement" has turned entire regions toward its orbit, visualized in the GII’s vivid red dominance.

Together, these maps reveal an irreversible trend: China is eclipsing the U.S. as the world’s preeminent economic power. As America retreats behind tariffs and isolation, Beijing’s calculated global strategy is rewriting the rules of influence - and Donald Trump is keen to help them.

The Future Risk Index Rides Again

A few weeks ago I published a list of interactive government maps that have been censored and deleted by the Trump administration. Now The Guardian has resurrected one of those maps!

Over 200 employees of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have been fired by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Those who remain have been ordered to remove all language related to climate change from FEMA websites and publications. One victim of this purge was FEMA's Future Risk Index interactive map.

This FEMA map was designed to help communities across the United States prepare for climate change. It did this by projecting the potential economic losses from environmental hazards such as coastal flooding, extreme heat, wildfires, hurricanes, and drought. The map was a free resource that allowed Americans to explore how climate change might impact their neighborhoods. Data that the Trump administration has tried to remove from public view.

The Guardian has now used data "preserved by the data consultancy Fulton Ring" to recreate the US Future Risk Index. Just like the original FEMA index the map can be used to explore the likely economic losses from environmental hazards such as coastal flooding, extreme heat, wildfires, hurricanes, and drought - at the county level.

Via: Data Viz Dispatch

New Tesla Hack Map

Last week, Tesla owners were shocked when hackers released an interactive map revealing personal details - including their home addresses. Now, a new tracking tool appears to display the real-time locations of all Tesla Cybertrucks on the road.

The Cybertruck Live Tracking Map claims to show the live positions of Tesla’s vehicles worldwide. Tesla cars are equipped with GPS and cellular connectivity, enabling the company to monitor their real-time locations. This data is collected as part of Tesla’s telematics system, which gathers extensive vehicle information - including driving patterns and precise coordinates.

The breach has intensified privacy concerns among Tesla owners, many of whom already worry about their data being accessed or misused. These fears are compounded by the controversial political stance of Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, who has faced criticism for his far-right-aligned public statements. 

This latest hack will further concern Tesla shareholders, as the Cybertruck has faced numerous setbacks since its launch. Most recently, Tesla identified an issue with exterior trim panels on both sides of the vehicle, which were at risk of detaching while driving. This marked the eighth recall affecting the Cybertruck - yet the company insists there is minimal risk of catastrophic failure, stating, "Your Cybertruck is very unlikely to explode."

Free TV & Radio Maps

tvgarden is an interactive map that brings the world of live television to your fingertips. Inspired by the long running success of Radio Garden (which allows users to explore global radio stations through an interactive 3D map,) tvgarden applies the same concept to television, offering a seamless and engaging way to watch live TV from around the world.

Features and User Experience

One of TVGarden’s standout features is its intuitive 3D globe interface, which enables users to select channels by clicking on different countries. This makes for an effortless way to discover international news, entertainment, sports, and cultural programming. If you’re feeling adventurous, the “Random Channel” button lets you explore new content with just one click, making every visit to tvgarden a fresh experience.

The map sidebar provides an alternative method of discovering live TV. Here stations are organized into categories, including News, Music, Sports, Movies, Documentaries, and more, allowing users to quickly find content that matches their interests.

tvgarden curates a wide selection of live TV channels sourced from the IPTV community and YouTube. This ensures a broad variety of programming that is constantly updated. 

tvgarden admits to having been inspired by the popular Radio Garden interactive map. Since 2016, Radio Garden has helped users discover and listen to music from around the world. From the rhythmic Pacific sounds of Radio Guam to the distant Siberian melodies of Radio Sabir, Radio Garden’s interactive 3D map lets users explore and listen live to thousands of radio stations worldwide."

Radio Garden features radio broadcasts from hundreds of different countries. Just click on a marker on this interactive map, and you can tune in to local radio stations that provide live internet radio streams. Radio Garden is a great way to explore the sounds of different cultures worldwide. It even includes a "Balloon Ride" feature that transports users to random radio stations. Some users have likened the "Balloon Ride" feature to a blend of Radio Garden and GeoGuessr, as you can try to guess the location of each random radio station while the map slowly pans out to reveal where you are in the world.

Federal Funding & Jobs Slashed

The White House has mandated deep cuts to federal funding for scientific research, threatening breakthroughs that save lives and fuel economic growth. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) - a cornerstone of medical progress - supports critical research on cancer, diabetes, dementia, heart disease, stroke, mental illness, and other pressing health challenges. These devastating cuts include a nationwide reduction in health research funding and the cancellation of numerous grants for life-saving projects.

These cuts won’t just stall scientific progress - they will also have a negative impact on local economies across the country. Research funding doesn’t just pay for labs and scientists; it supports businesses, universities, and jobs across the USA. You can view the economic impact of the NIH funding cuts on SCiMap. SCiMaP is an interactive map which shows how funding cuts reduce economic activity and employment nationwide. The map visualizes "the impact of proposed cuts to the NIH indirect cost rate" at the county or state level.'

CNN has mapped out the US House districts which have the highest share of federal employees. The map uses scaled markers to show the percentage of each district’s workforce made up of federal employees. Since federal workers live in all 50 states, the DOGE layoffs will harm local economies nationwide. The CNN article also includes an interactive feature that displays the top 10 federal professions in each state.

The Nationwide Sakura Map

Every spring, Japan transforms into a breathtaking canvas of pink and white as cherry blossoms, or sakura (桜), bloom across the country. This fleeting yet spectacular display is deeply ingrained in Japanese culture, symbolizing renewal, beauty, and the impermanence of life. People gather under the blossoms for hanami (flower viewing), a cherished tradition that brings friends and families together to admire the scenery, enjoy seasonal foods, and celebrate the arrival of warmer days.

To help travelers and locals alike make the most of the cherry blossom season, the Nationwide Sakura Map offers a dynamic and interactive way to track the peak bloom across Japan. This innovative tool features forecast isobars - lines indicating the best estimated viewing dates based on location and climate conditions - ensuring that users can plan their outings with precision.

The Nationwide Sakura Map also features some beautiful photographs of this year's cherry blossom season. Reporters and cherry blossom enthusiasts contribute images from various regions, showcasing the blossoms as they appear. Visit the map regularly over the next few weeks and you will be able to track the progression of this year's bloom from southern Kyushu to northern Hokkaido through all the submitted photos.

Cherry Blossom Viewing Spots

The cherry blossom season in Japan is a huge cultural and social event. It is also hugely important to Japan's tourism industry. According to Kansai University, cherry blossom blooms attract 63 million people who travel to and within Japan to witness the phenomenon. That tourism is worth around $2.7 billion (301 billion yen) to the Japanese economy.

In 2019 Bloomberg released a story map exploring the big business of Japan's cherry blossom season. In The Big Business of Japan’s Cherry Blossoms, Bloomberg uses the story map format to show how the timing of the cherry blossom season varies across the country. The map goes on to show the location of 600 viewing spots that are popular with tourists and the volume of visitors to those spots in 2018. A flow map is also used to illustrate the number of tourists visiting Japan in March and April 2018 and which countries those visitors came from around the world.

Japan Rail Pass also maintains a list of the Best cherry blossom festivals and viewing spots in Japan.

The 2025 Australian Election Map

Yesterday, the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, announced that the next Australian federal election will be held on May 3. The leader of the center-left Labor Party currently holds a very slim majority in Parliament. To achieve a majority government in the next Parliament, a party must win at least 76 seats out of 150 in the House of Representatives. If no party reaches this number, a hung parliament occurs, requiring parties to negotiate to form a minority government.

Following Albanese's announcement, The Guardian was quick off the mark, immediately publishing an Interactive guide to electorates in the 2025 Australian election: from safe to marginal. This interactive map allows voters to select any of the 150 electorates to learn more about the seat, including its recent political history (with a timeline of past election winners) and demographic data from the latest census.

The map itself features two main visualization views. A traditional 'geographical' view displays all 150 electorates on a standard map of Australia. Meanwhile, the 'exaggerated' view uses a gridded cartogram to show all electorates as equal-sized areas, making it easier to compare electorates visually. Additionally, users can switch between two color-coded seat views: a 'winning party' view, which displays electorates based on the current controlling party, and a 'by margin' view, which highlights the competitiveness of each seat.

If you are interested in how the results of the 2022 Australian federal election were visualized by the media then you might like Map Mania's round-up of Australian Election Maps 2022

How Deep was That Earthquake?

A few years ago, ESRI's Raluca Nicola created a stunning 3D visualization titled Earthquakes with Exaggerated Depth, illustrating how far below the surface earthquake ruptures (hypocenters) occur. Her interactive globe visualizes one year's worth of earthquake activity worldwide (from July 2017 to July 2018).

The map was created using data from the USGS. On the 3D interactive globe, each earthquake is represented by a colored circular marker, with color and size indicating the earthquake's magnitude. The depth of each earthquake is visualized with an exaggerated scale, magnified by a factor of eight.

Now, you can explore a near real-time 3D map displaying the locations and depths of the most recent earthquakes worldwide. The 3D Earthquake Globe Visualization was developed using Three.js to render an interactive, transparent Earth model with exaggerated depth markers.

The map fetches real-time earthquake data from an API endpoint, plotting each quake as a colored line -where hue represents magnitude and length signifies depth. Detailed information on each earthquake is displayed on hover. The visualization features a main globe view with auto-rotation controls and a secondary, Japan-focused seismic view. Both views depict Earth's internal layers, from the crust to the core.

The user interface includes interactive controls for rotation, depth scaling, layer visibility, and globe opacity, providing an intuitive and immersive experience.

Make Your Own Scrambled Maps

Introducing:

• Scrambled Maps Studio
• Scrambled Maps Challenge

Are You Ready to Create Your Own Scrambled Maps Games?

Scrambled Maps is probably my all-time favorite map game. I may be a little biased - since I wrote the original game - but TripGeo has taken my small creation and transformed it from a fun little puzzle into an amazing global challenge.

Today, Scrambled Maps has become even better with the release of Scrambled Maps Challenge & Scrambled Maps Studio!

Scrambled Maps Studio

Scrambled Maps Studio allows you to design your own custom Scrambled Maps games for any location in the world. This means you can create a Scrambled Maps game for your own neighborhood or any of your other favorite places. Games you can then share and play with others.

Create Your Own Challenges:

• Global Map Selection: Choose any location in the world at any zoom level
• Customizable Difficulty: Adjust grid sizes for easier or more challenging puzzles
• Themed Collections: Build multi-map challenges around travel destinations, historical sites, or any theme you choose
• Sharing Capabilities: Generate links to share your creations with friends

Scrambled Maps Studio opens up endless possibilities for customization. Whether you want to create puzzles featuring your hometown, dream vacation destinations, or the world’s most recognizable landmarks, you now have the tools to make it happen.

Scrambled Maps Challenge

Alongside the release of Scrambled Maps Studio, TripGeo has also overhauled the main Scrambled Maps page under a new banner - Scrambled Maps Challenge. This major revamp introduces a host of exciting new features, including a revamped Daily Challenge and a new global leaderboard.

Each Daily Scrambled Maps Challenge features carefully selected locations from around the world, with varying difficulty levels to keep you engaged. The daily challenge typically includes three city maps with a 6×3 grid size, optimized for both desktop and mobile play. Complete these challenges and compare your results with players worldwide on the daily leaderboard.

• Daily Challenges: New puzzles every day
• Competitive Leaderboards: See how your completion times stack up against other players
• Performance Tracking: Compare your times with the community average
• Multi-Map Games: Complete series of maps in sequence for a greater challenge

All the cities you complete in daily challenges automatically unlock in your Scrambled World map, helping you conquer the world faster than ever before!

So, why not test your skills right now? Play today’s Daily Scrambled Maps Challenge and see how you rank on the global leaderboard! 🚀🌍