A Striking New Way to Visualize Mobility

For quick info on routes and travel times, there's always Google Maps. But for a traveler wanting more of a beauteous, immersive experience, try Isoscope, a mapping tool that plots possible journeys in what looks like glowing-blue ectoplasm.

Isoscope is not a service one would use to get from point A to B. It's more of a way to explore mobility in areas where travel conditions change hour by hour. First, set the map to zoom in on any place in the world and click it to site your imaginary traveler. A ghostly, translucent presence will then form, all splotches and tendrils. This cerulean shape is actually 24 different layers representing all the hours of the day. Track the mouse over the hours at the map's bottom, and the shape's outline will expand and contract to show how far you can get in a preselected two-to-ten minute car trip.