Imagine mapping the world using light. That’s exactly what LiDAR does. It fires laser pulses that bounce off objects and return to a sensor, calculating distances with GCSE-level physics. Repeating this millions of times creates point clouds detailed 3D maps. From mapping cities to powering self-driving cars, LiDAR reveals the invisible.
Data in the wild #14: Light, Lasers & LIDAR Read More »
Our five senses are amazing… but limited.
Enter remote sensing: satellites, planes, and sensors that upgrade how we see the world. From zooming in on Google Earth to mapping the ocean floor sometimes the best datasets aren’t online — they’re captured from above, below, and beyond.
Data in the Wild #13: Remote sensing Read More »
My July newsletter, sent out to subscribers at the end of last month, is now open for all to read. You can access this issue, as well as visit the growing catalogue of previous issues, on the Newsletter page.
The July 2025 newsletter is now open to all Read More »
Ancient Andean cultures used quipus knotted strings as a powerful form of data encoding. Long before spreadsheets, these tactile tools tracked census data, resources, and stories. Each knot carried meaning. Portable, durable, and deeply structured, quipus are a forgotten ancestor of modern data viz reminding us that information has always needed form.
Data in the Wild #12: The Incan Origins of Information Design Read More »
My May newsletter, sent out to subscribers at the end of last month, is now open for all to read. You can access this issue, as well as visit the growing catalogue of previous issues, on the Newsletter page.
The May 2025 newsletter is now open to all Read More »
This edition of Data in the Wild explores London’s crime dashboard and how data challenges our assumptions about safety. From Croydon to Kensington, it reveals surprising truths and questions how data intersects with emotion. Can facts change feelings? A look at the power and limitations of data in public life.
Data in the Wild #11: Feeling Safe vs Being Safe Read More »
My April newsletter, that was sent out to subscribers at the end of last month, is now open for all to read. You can access this issue, as well as visit the growing catalogue of previous issues, on the Newsletter page.
The April 2025 newsletter is now open to all Read More »
Data sonification turns raw numbers into sound, transforming patterns into melodies we can hear and feel. From hospital monitors to black hole recordings, it’s an intuitive, emotional way to engage with information. In a world full of dashboards, sometimes the most powerful data is the kind we can listen to.
Data in the Wild #10: When Data Speaks, The World of Sonification Read More »
My March newsletter, that was sent out to subscribers at the end of last month, is now open for all to read. You can access this issue, as well as visit the growing catalogue of previous issues, on the Newsletter page.
The March 2025 newsletter is now open to all Read More »
Smart meters promised to revolutionise home energy use through real-time data. But over a decade since rollout began, the results have been mixed. In this latest Data in the Wild, we explore what smart meters reveal about the power and limits of data visualisation when infrastructure, design, and trust don’t align.
Data in the Wild #9: Smart Meters, dumber homes? Read More »