This book presents an unprecedented portrait of the hidden patterns in human society, visualized through the world of data. Award-winning geographer-designer team James Cheshire and Oliver Uberti transform enormous datasets into rich maps and cutting-edge visualizations. In this triumph of visual storytelling, they uncover truths about our past, reveal who we are today, and highlight what we face in the years ahead. With their joyfully inquisitive approach, Cheshire and Uberti explore happiness levels around the globe, trace the undersea cables and cell towers that connect us, examine hidden scars of geopolitics, and illustrate how a warming planet affects everything from hurricanes to the Hajj.

The book is presented as a triumph of visual storytelling, offering an unprecedented look at hidden patterns in human society through data. Its approach is described as joyfully inquisitive, aiming to reveal truths about the past, present, and future. The authors explore diverse topics, from global happiness to the impacts of climate change, inviting readers to marvel at the promise and peril of data. The work highlights the contours of a newly visible world, shaped by the analysis of vast datasets.