From ancient globes to cosmic shrouds: The stories maps tell : NPR

PORTLAND, Maine — For many of us, GPS has been a game changer - a tap, a voice, a turn-by-turn path, will get you there. But there is something special about a physical map that the GPS in your car or phone just can't provide.

When laid out, a physical map can provide a greater sense of scale and place, hints at the allure of far-off lands, and a reminder that we're a small part of a big world with a complex history.

A Library that lets students handle history

That's something that's revealed to students at the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education, at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.

Students can view maps and globes, both modern and some going back hundreds of years, from all over the world. Many of the maps put Europe as the focal point, some w