FlowingData presents the 5 Best Data Visualization Projects of the Year; according to the article 2009 ”was a huge year for data. There’s no denying it. Data is about to explode.”
Of all the great data visualization, the top pick was Ben Fry’s awesome “On the Origin of Species: The Preservation of Favoured Traces”, which shows the evolution of Darwin’s book as he edited and released different editions. It’s an interesting look into the process of scientific work from 150 years ago that still resonates now in the face of controversies over scientific consensus in climate change research. Science evolves, theories change in response to new data, interpretations of data change in response to new ideas (and new ways to use and visualize the data). Darwin’s ideas have significantly changed the way that people do biology, but the details are hardly set in stone, even during his own career. Overall, lovely, informative, and thought provoking—great data visualization!
via SEED
