Maps

I can make an argument that almost everything is scarier in 3D. Horror movies? Scarier in 3D. Sharks? Much scarier in 3D. Population density of Missouri? Absolutely terrifying in 3D and I'll prove it.

I've heard it said that you learn something new every day. If that's really true, I guess today what I learned is a factoid that declares no state in America has more "neighbors" than Missouri. As it turns out, there's only one other state that can make that claim.

I've got good news and bad news. First, the bad news. It's now more likely the world will face a nuclear apocalypse. The good news is the tri-state area including northeast Missouri and west-central Illinois may have the best chances to survive it just fine. Maybe.

Just because all of the Midwest states exist in the same part of America doesn't mean we all like each other. As a matter of fact, most of the time the opposite is true. It's likely that competitive venom that led to a hilarious Illinois map on Reddit that shows a spot-on prediction of what each state really thinks of its neighbors.

I must confess that I have never ever wondered about this, but thanks to an online share I now know what the nicknames of Missouri and Illinois would be if we were pigs.