The globe has been helping us understand our world since antiquity.
In fact, these spherical models of Earth are among the most ancient scientific instruments known.
The first globes appeared as we realized the planet was round. The Greeks and Romans developed terrestrial globes and celestial globes—those that map the positions of stars, constellations, and other celestial bodies in the night sky. In the 15th century, globes helped navigators and mapmakers visualize the true spherical nature of the Earth, dismissing once and for all the "flat Earth" notion.
Globes were also designed as treasury pieces, symbolic of power and wealth. But by the late 19th century, globes were being mass produced. They found their way into homes and schools as teaching and reference tools. And even in this high-tech digital age, globes remain valuable instruments of learning.
In this gallery, we chart the rounded history of the globe and examine how these three-dimensional spheres changed our view of the world. Click on to continue reading.