A Guide to Figuring out the Age of an Undated World Map by https://xkcd.com/1688/

@infobeautiful It's a very nice map. 🤣😂

But what if I didn't make the map??

@infobeautiful Even Tolkein's legendarium is in there. Glorious.
@infobeautiful This might be love. Thank you.
@infobeautiful
Gosh, the account if research that had to go into this.
Well done xkcd!
@infobeautiful I painstakingly used this flowchart on a globe once, only to discover once I got to the end that there was actually a year listed on the globe. But the flowchart gave the right answer!

@infobeautiful My version of this is to look at the map of Africa and compare it to the names of countries in the SG Part I stamp catalogue.

This works for most undated atlases that you're likely to come across (my theory is that older ones are rare and expensive and you won't find one in your granny's attic, and newer ones are dated).

@TimWardCam @infobeautiful

Whoever makes maps or atlases (or any document really) without dating it needs to be strung up by the thumbs. Or at the very least needs a good stern talking to.

@infobeautiful

3am must be a very weird experience inside of Randal Monroe's head....