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The UN General Assembly has voted in favor of a resolution to move away from the traditional Mercator projection in favor of maps that accurately represent the true proportions of continents. According to The Guardian, the resolution—spearheaded by Togo—was supported by 164 nations, with the United States being the sole dissenting vote. Additionally, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that France will transition to updated cartographic projections that align with scientific consensus and reflect accurate landmass sizes.
Developed in 1569 by Gerardus Mercator for maritime navigation, the legacy projection distorts land sizes as they distance from the equator, making Greenland appear roughly equal in size to Africa, despite Africa being 14 times larger. Although UN General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, this decision is expected to significantly influence educational curricula globally toward adopting more equal-area projections like the Equal Earth map.
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A rye-wheat loaf preserved in a freezer for 36 years has been put on public display as part of the permanent exhibition at the Deutschlandmuseum in Berlin. Dubbed "The Last Loaf of the GDR," it was originally purchased on June 26, 1990, by student Michael Hagedorn, who bought an extra loaf fearing potential food shortages amidst the economic unification of East and West Germany.
The museum's director, Robert Rückel, described the unusual artifact as a unique poignant symbol of everyday human decisions during times of monumental geopolitical change. To maintain its preserved state, the museum installed a custom refrigeration unit where the historical loaf remains permanently frozen for visitors to view.
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