Travel with Indy

Science World, May 12, 2008

In "Digging Up Adventure" (p. 8), you learned that real-life archaeologists don't travel as often as Indiana Jones. In the movies, the audience tracks the fictional archaeologist's far-flung adventures by watching a red line move across a map. Use the information at the bottom of this page to track Indy's travels* on the world map (below).

* These, journeys are similar to, but are not precise matches to, the ones in the movies.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

DIRECTIONS: Use a red pencil to mark each set of coordinates found in the questions below on the map. Connect the locations to create a travel route for each movie. Then, answer the questions.

1. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indy travels from Peru (10[degrees]S, 76[degrees]W) to Nepal (28[degrees]N, 84[degrees]E). Then he continues to Cairo, Egypt. What are the approximate coordinates for Cairo?

2. In Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indy travels from Shanghai, China, to the Himalayan Mountains near 28[degrees]N, 84[degrees]E. In what continent is he traveling? What are the approximate coordinates for Shanghai?

3. In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indy travels from Venice, Italy, to Turkey (39[degrees]N, 35[degrees]E). What are the coordinates for Venice, Italy?

4. In the new movie, Indy travels from New Mexico (35[degrees]N, 105[degrees]W) to Mexico City, Mexico. What are the coordinates for Mexico City?

5. Suppose Indy's colleagues from Cairo, Shanghai, Venice, and Mexico City were to meet in New York City for a conference. Use the map to estimate the following: Archaeologists from which city will need to travel the longest distance to reach New York City?

TAKE IT FURTHER: Where would you like to travel to go on an archaeological expedition? What would you hope to find?

1. The coordinates for Cairo are roughly 30[degrees] N, 31[degrees] E. Accept reasonable estimates.

2. Indy is in Asia. The coordinates for Shanghai, China, are roughly 31[degrees] N, 12 [degrees] E. Accept reasonable estimates.

3. The coordinates for Venice, Italy, are roughly 45[degrees] N and 12[degrees] E. Accept reasonable estimates

4. The coordinates for Mexico City, Mexico, are roughly 19[degrees] N, 99[degrees] W. Accept reasonable estimates.

5. Here are the approximate distances from each of the following cities to New York City:

Cairo: 9,016 km (5,602 mi) Shanghai: 11,850 km (7,364 mi) Venice: 6,675 km (4,148 mi) Mexico City: 3,357 km (2,086 mi)

Scientists from Shanghai will have to travel the longest distance to reach New York City.