Zernium is a library for data visualization through animation.
Data points are animated and
the speed of animation represents the value of each data point.
Zernium is a non-commercial open-source project distributed with the permissive MIT License.
Movement and animation immediately capture our attention and evoke emotional responses.
This effect is rooted in evolutionary biology.
We are attuned to detect movement.
During the evolution of our species,
detecting movement was crucial for survival: movement was either a threat (predator) or an opportunity (prey).
This sensitivity means our eyes are involuntarily drawn to motion,
making animation a powerful tool that cuts through static visual clutter.
Animation facilitates a deeper emotional connection through two mechanisms:
Narrative Flow and Pacing: Static data often requires intellectual effort to piece together a story.
Instead, animation can guide the viewer's eye through a sequence,
controlling the pace, revealing data points gradually, and building tension or surprise.
This storytelling capability transforms abstract figures into a dynamic, relatable journey,
much like a well-paced movie.
Visceral Impact of Transition:
The act of seeing something change — grow, shrink, migrate, or dissolve — is inherently more impactful
than viewing "before" and "after" stills. This dynamic change creates a visceral sense of process,
impact, or consequence.
By leveraging these principles, Zernium transforms sterile facts
into compelling experiences.
It doesn't just inform the viewer's intellect;
it bridges the gap between abstract numbers and human intuition.
View the demos to learn more.
Pollution Map
Visual Elements: The core visual is an interactive map overlaid with numerous flashing circles. Each circle represents a specific pollution hotspot within the city.
Data Representation
Width (Size) of Circles: The size of a circle is directly proportional to the population impacted in that specific locale, highlighting the human scale of the issue.
Color of Circles: The color spectrum indicates the toxicity level of the pollutants. Yellow denotes areas with highly toxic agents, demanding immediate concern, while red indicates locations with lesser toxicity.
Speed of Flashing: The frequency of the flashing animation intuitively represents the concentration of the pollutant. Faster flashing signifies higher concentrations of airborne toxins, creating a sense of rapid pulse and urgency in critical zones.
By combining location, population data, toxicity, and concentration in one animated view, this visualization transforms abstract environmental data into a compelling and emotionally resonant depiction of a significant urban health challenge.
Data points in this chart have been edited for the purpose of illustration.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)
This animated chart visualizes Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) across the four largest economies. Each rotating circle represents a specific country.
The speed of the circle's rotation directly correlates with the country's GDP (PPP); a faster rotation indicates a higher GDP (PPP).
The chart uses the PPP conversion factor to adjust for price level differences between countries, allowing for a more accurate volume comparison of economic output.
Automobile Manufacturers
This animated chart visualizes the annual production output of the world's largest automobile manufacturers. The speed of each circle's movement is directly proportional to the total number of automobiles manufactured by that company in a given year. Faster movement signifies higher production volume.
This visualization provides an immediate, intuitive comparison of the relative production scale and market dominance of major players in the global automotive industry.
We are grateful for the support we have received from the open-source community.
You may either send us a pull request
or a zip file containing your proposed enhancements.
Our core-team will evaluate your work .
If we determine that your contribution matches our needs,
we will accept it for Zernium development.
Zernium is released with the open-source MIT-License. Everything you communicate to our team may be considered open-sourced.