Misc
Animated Map: Visualizing Earth’s Seasons
Animated Map: Visualizing Earth’s Seasons
Why does Earth have seasons?
Many people think the seasons are dictated by Earth’s proximity to the Sun, but this isn’t the case. It’s the Earth’s tilt, not its closeness to the Sun, that influences our seasons.
This animated map by Eleanor Lutz visualizes Earth’s seasons, showing how the temperature changes impact ice levels in the Arctic as well as vegetation more broadly. It also highlights the cloud cover and sunlight each hemisphere receives throughout the year, with each frame in the animation representing a month of time.
Why is Earth Tilted?
Unlike some of the planets that sit completely upright and rotate perpendicularly, Earth rotates on a 23.5-degree axis.
But why? A commonly accepted theory among the scientific community is the giant impact hypothesis. According to this theory, a celestial object called Theia collided with Earth many years ago, when the planet was still forming. This collision not only knocked Earth into its tilted position—some believe that the dust and debris from this impact ended up forming our moon.
Ever since, our planet has been rotating with a slight tilt (which itself is not fixed, as it “wobbles” in cycles), giving us our varying seasons throughout the year.
How Earth’s Tilt Influences our Seasons
As our planet orbits the Sun, it’s always leaning in the same direction. Because of its tilt, the different hemispheres receive varying amounts of sunlight at different times of the year.
In December, Earth is technically closer to the Sun than it is in June or July. However, because the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun during December, that part of the planet experiences winter during that time.
The graphic above by the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) visualizes Earth’s orbit throughout the year, showing when each hemisphere receives the most direct sunlight (and thus, experiences summer).
The Climate Change Impact
While our seasons have always varied, it’s worth noting that climate change has impacted our seasons, and changed how much Arctic ice we lose each summer.
In the past, millions of miles of ice remained frozen throughout the summer months. In the 1980s, there were 3.8 million square miles of ice in July—that’s roughly the same size as Australia.
Over the years, Arctic ice cover has steadily declined. In July 2020, the ice cover was only 2.8 million square miles—a million less than the amount four decades ago.
Some scientists are predicting that we could lose our summer sea ice entirely by 2035, which would have a devastating impact on the Artic’s wildlife and the indigenous people who live there.

This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.
Misc
Charted: Where the U.S. Imports Its Art From
The U.S. imported $8.8 billion worth of art and antiques in 2024, with European countries dominating in import value.

Charted: Where the U.S. Imports Its Art From
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
The U.S. is the world’s largest art market, accounting for 43% of global art sales in 2024.
As a global market for high-value art and antiques, the U.S. sees significant cross-border trade, with imports fueling its art sales. These items include everything from paintings and sculptures to photos and installations, and are often collectibles for the ultra-wealthy.
This infographic shows the top countries from which the U.S. imported art and antiques in 2024, based on their share of total import value. The data comes from the Art Market Report 2025, by Arts Economics.
European Countries Dominate U.S. Art Imports
In 2024, the U.S. brought in $8.8 billion worth of art and antiques from foreign countries, which made up more than one-third of its $24.8 billion in total art sales.
European countries were the biggest exporters of art to America, accounting for 68% of total U.S. art imports.
The table below breaks down U.S. art imports by country in 2024, based on the share of total import value:
Country | Share of Value of imports in 2024 |
---|---|
France 🇫🇷 | 26% |
UK 🇬🇧 | 19% |
Italy 🇮🇹 | 12% |
Germany 🇩🇪 | 11% |
China 🇨🇳 | 1% |
Other countries 🌏 | 31% |
France, known for its influential art history, accounted for over a quarter of the total value of U.S. art and antique imports in 2024, followed by the U.K. at 19%.
With Italy and Germany rounding out the top four, European countries exported nearly $6 billion worth of art to the United States.
Meanwhile, China ranked fifth with a 1% share in U.S. art imports. However, it remains a significant export market, accounting for 13% of U.S. art exports in 2024.
How Will Trade Tensions Affect Art and Antiques?
With heavy reliance on international trade, the global art market faces headwinds from trade tensions in 2025.
According to Art Economics, tariffs from the Trump administration and potential countermeasures from other countries are likely to dampen cross-border art trade through both direct impacts and indirect regulatory uncertainties.
European art markets and the U.S. are most susceptible to trade escalations, with the U.K., Switzerland, France, and Germany also accounting for 57% of U.S. art exports in 2024.
Learn More on the Voronoi App 
Learn more about the current state of U.S. tariffs in this infographic on the Voronoi app.
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