Book of the month... August 2016

... Putting us all on the map

The Global Positioning System, or GPS, is a scientific marvel that enables many aspects of modern technology. In Pinpoint: How GPS is Changing our World, Greg Milner looks at how the system touches many aspects of our lives, from guiding us around town to helping to land planes and anticipating earthquakes.  

The book is great for readers who want to learn the technical details of GPS without being overwhelmed, looking for instance at its influence on agriculture, astronomy and criminology. 

Milner discusses how GPS may not have just affected the way we consume technology but also how the increased reliance on the system is affecting the way we think. He also covers the so-called ‘death by GPS’ where people have been known to blindly drive their cars into lakes or off cliffs owing to a fault in mapping systems and not paying enough attention to the road in front of them. 

A single GPS timing flaw, whether accidental or malicious, could bring down the electricity grid, hijack drones, or halt the financial system, says Milner.  

“Although it is less visible, GPS’s influence on the world equals or exceeds that of the internet,” writes Milner. After reading Pinpoint, I’m inclined to agree.

Pinpoint: How GPS is Changing our World by Greg Milner is published by Granta and costs £14.99.