A presentation at the annual meeting of the American Association of Geographers (AAG) held in Las Vegas this March described how geographic analysis can be used to identify the “coolest” places in LA and NYC–depending upon your definition of “cool.”

 “The Geography of Buzz” project, conducted by Elizabeth Currid and Sarah Williams, was brought to my attention after being featured in the New York Times. Their methodology: Currid and Williams mined through thousands of stock photographs from the imaging giant Getty Images, carefully identifying photos that showed masses of ‘cool people’ doing ‘cool things.’ Then, they located where these photos were taken on a map. According to the two women, the objective of the study was “to be able to quantify and understand, visually and spatially, how this creative cultural scene really worked.”

Continue reading “Geography of Buzz: Buzzworthy?”