As the eyes of the world were riveted on the terrifying scene of a lost submersible in the North Atlantic (now thought to have experienced a “catastrophic loss of cabin pressure”), data visualization experts built creative and compelling graphics to show just how deep Titanic lies on the ocean floor.
We humans are not wired to understand big numbers. We’re specific about small numbers like one, two, or three. But as numbers grow larger, we skip to “a lot.”
Data visualization experts know the brain’s limitations, so they’ve figured out creative ways to tell the story behind enormous numbers. The most effective tactic all scientists should adopt to explain numbers to the public is to compare them with something the public already knows.
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The Titanic sits 12,500 feet (3.8 kilometers) below sea level. Here’s how CNN describes it:
“For perspective, the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, would only go down 2,717 feet into the ocean—still roughly 9,700 feet short of reaching the Titanic wreckage.”
I’ve heard CNN hosts use the Burj Khalifa comparison for several days. Where did they come up with it? They didn’t figure it out themselves. Instead, they had help from internal experts like Amy O’Kruk, who, according to her CNN biography, is “passionate about telling data-driven stories and using illustrations to engage readers.”
Teachers, educators, scientists—take note. Telling stories with data is hard, but, when done effectively, it encourages audiences to pay attention to the information you’re trying to convey.
The Burj Khalifa example doesn’t require a graphic to get the point across. But pictures add a powerful and memorable element to the numbers.
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One animated graphic that’s gone viral is a 5-minute video that slowly descends into the ocean depths. Along the journey, it passes famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower (300 meters) and bodies of water such as the Black Sea and the Red Sea, neither of which is as deep as the Titanic shipwreck (3800 meters).
MetaBall Studios created the video, which posts its animations on a YouTube channel that has attracted 1.5 million subscribers for its eye-catching videos, comparing everything from lakes and cities to planets and galaxies.
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The secret to engaging audiences with numbers is to connect the abstract to something concrete that your readers or listeners can wrap their heads around. But since it’s not an easy skill to adopt, learn from others who make data visualization their work. When you come across an intriguing visual explanation, trace its origin, and you’ll likely find that the same individual or organization that came up with it offers other examples.
Scientific discoveries are growing increasingly complex to understand—and to explain. Use every tool to make the abstract familiar.
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