Google Fiber is ready to expand, as Google has identified nine metro areas scattered around the country as possible sites of deployment, the company said. "We’ve invited 34 cities in nine metro areas across the US to work with us to explore what it would take to build a new fiber-optic network in their community," Google said in an announcement today. "Many of these cities asked for Google Fiber in 2010 and have since continued to try to bring better Internet access to their residents."

Why do maps always show the north as up? For those who don’t just take it for granted, the common answer is that Europeans made the maps and they wanted to be on top. But there’s really no good reason for the north to claim top-notch cartographic real estate over any other bearing, as an examination of old maps from different places and periods can confirm.

Many people’s dream vacations involve travel to distant, exotic lands. But the reality is that most people take their holidays close to home. Europeans, for example, tend not to stray very far, generally seeking out the nearest sunny spot at home or in the near abroad.

Mapping nearly 12 years of violence in 42 seconds shows that the war America started still rages on.

Millions of people continue to live in places that outlaw same-sex relationships and prosecute people for being gay. In five countries and in parts of two others, homosexuality is still punishable with the death penalty, while a further 70 imprison citizens because of their sexual orientation.

How do you venerate the irreverent? Like, if you really admire someone who forges his or her own path, isn’t the best homage really no homage whatsoever? For instance, if you really admire the bravery of Jack Kerouac and his devil-may-care attitude, one could argue that a road trip that follows On the Road turn-by-turn is really the antithesis of the whole point of that novel. But then, maybe the postmodern—by which I mean, most Tumblr-esque—thing to do is to get over yourself and acknowledge t

Eight states limit speech about homosexuality in ways similar to, though not as far-reaching as, the Russian ban that has received international criticism ahead of the Winter Olympics in Sochi.

If you’re willing to go to Pakistan for your nicotine fix, you can score a pack of Marlboros for less than $1.

The Sochi Olympics are intended, as The Economist has noted, as a “celebration of Russia’s resurgence, a symbol of international recognition.” So far, the press coverage in the lead-up to tonight's opening ceremonies has instead highlighted the games as a “microcosm of Russian corruption, inefficiencies, excess of wealth and disregard for ordinary citizens.”

The 2012 GDP of the entire United States was about $16.2 trillion.

Scientists using ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) have learned what the weather is like on the surface of one of the objects in the system Luhman 16AB.

What's happening in Ukraine is really important, but it can also be confusing and difficult to follow for outsiders who don't know the history that led up to – and, in some crucial ways, explains – this crisis. Here, then, are the most basic answers to your most basic questions. First, a disclaimer: this is not an exhaustive or definitive account of Ukraine's story, just some background, written so that anyone can understand it.

Timelaspe: Atlanta traffic maps tell the story. THE TIME OF DAY IS THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER This video shows Google’s traffic map for the Atlanta metro at five-minute increments throughout the day. (Video provided by GDOT and created by Georgia Tech)

1) View the world based on the best countries for budget backpackers. 2) Hover over countries to view stats in safety, cheapness, friendliness, & our World Travel Expert's Ranking (WTE Rank). 3...

An interactive map shows how measles and whooping cough have made a comeback in the U.S. and Europe.

About 2.4 million people live behind bars in America — the highest number in the world. That's a little more than 0.7% of the population and more than 700 for every 100,000 people. This world map illustrates how disconcerting that is. The size of each country corresponds to the size of its total prison population (as of 2010), and a darker color indicates a higher incarceration rate.

Stare long enough at these twin images, and you will never see a map of China again without thinking of an agitated chicken flapping its wings as it runs eastward to chase a - what is that?

A new study suggests a mural excavated at the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük in Turkey may be based on the eruption of nearby Mount Hasan around 6900 BC.

Maps can be a remarkably powerful tool for understanding the world and how it works, but they show only what you ask them to. You might consider this, then, a collection of maps meant to inspire your inner map nerd. I've searched far and wide for maps that can reveal and surprise and inform in ways that the daily headlines might not, with a careful eye for sourcing and detail. I've included a link for more information on just about every one. Enjoy.

Data from the Census Bureau show where the poor live.