diff --git a/planet_visualization.js b/planet_visualization.js
index 78d613d..c0f4d2a 100644
--- a/planet_visualization.js
+++ b/planet_visualization.js
@@ -130,126 +130,64 @@ function init2DVisualization() {
         .attr('width', width)
         .attr('height', height);
     
-    // Add a background rectangle representing the ocean
-    d3Svg.append('rect')
-        .attr('width', width)
-        .attr('height', height)
-        .attr('fill', '#a4d1e9'); // Ocean blue
-    
-    // Create projection (Mercator) similar to standard world maps
+    // Create projection
     d3Projection = d3.geoMercator()
         .scale(width / (2 * Math.PI) * 0.9)
-        .translate([width / 2, height / 1.8]);
+        .translate([width / 2, height / 2]);
     
     // Create path generator
     d3Path = d3.geoPath()
         .projection(d3Projection);
     
-    // Draw graticule (grid lines)
-    const graticule = d3.geoGraticule()
-        .step([15, 15]); // Grid every 15 degrees
+    // Add a background rectangle representing the ocean
+    d3Svg.append('rect')
+        .attr('width', width)
+        .attr('height', height)
+        .attr('fill', '#a4d1e9');
     
-    d3Svg.append('path')
-        .datum(graticule)
-        .attr('class', 'graticule')
-        .attr('d', d3Path)
-        .style('fill', 'none')
-        .style('stroke', '#ffffff')
-        .style('stroke-width', '0.5px')
-        .style('opacity', 0.5);
-    
-    // Draw equator
-    const equator = {
-        type: "LineString",
-        coordinates: [[-180, 0], [-90, 0], [0, 0], [90, 0], [180, 0]]
-    };
-    
-    d3Svg.append('path')
-        .datum(equator)
-        .attr('class', 'equator')
-        .attr('d', d3Path)
-        .style('fill', 'none')
-        .style('stroke', '#00ffff')
-        .style('stroke-width', '2px');
-    
-    // Draw prime meridian (0° longitude)
-    // const primeMeridian = {
-    //     type: "LineString",
-    //     coordinates: [[0, -90], [0, -45], [0, 0], [0, 45], [0, 90]]
-    // };
-    
-    // d3Svg.append('path')
-    //     .datum(primeMeridian)
-    //    .attr('class', 'prime-meridian')
-    //    .attr('d', d3Path)
-    //    .style('fill', 'none')
-    //    .style('stroke', '#ff0000')
-    //    .style('stroke-width', '2px');
-    
-    // Draw continental outlines (simplified)
-    // This just adds some landmass-like shapes to make it feel more Earth-like
-    const mockContinents = [
-        { // North America (simplified)
-            type: "Polygon",
-            coordinates: [[
-                [-140, 70], [-120, 60], [-100, 50], [-80, 30], 
-                [-90, 20], [-100, 15], [-120, 30], [-130, 50], [-140, 70]
-            ]]
-        },
-        { // South America (simplified)
-            type: "Polygon",
-            coordinates: [[
-                [-80, 10], [-60, 0], [-50, -10], [-60, -30], 
-                [-70, -50], [-80, -30], [-90, -10], [-80, 10]
-            ]]
-        },
-        { // Europe/Africa (very simplified)
-            type: "Polygon",
-            coordinates: [[
-                [0, 60], [20, 40], [30, 30], [20, 10], [10, 0],
-                [20, -10], [30, -30], [20, -40], [0, -30], [-10, 0], [0, 60]
-            ]]
-        },
-        { // Asia (simplified)
-            type: "Polygon",
-            coordinates: [[
-                [30, 60], [60, 70], [100, 60], [130, 40], [110, 20], 
-                [100, 0], [80, 10], [60, 30], [40, 40], [30, 60]
-            ]]
-        },
-        { // Australia (simplified)
-            type: "Polygon",
-            coordinates: [[
-                [110, -20], [130, -25], [140, -35], [130, -40], 
-                [120, -35], [110, -30], [110, -20]
-            ]]
-        }
-    ];
-    
-    // Add continent outlines with very low opacity to provide visual reference
-    mockContinents.forEach(continent => {
+    // Load and draw actual world map data
+    d3.json('https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/world-atlas@2/countries-110m.json').then(world => {
+        // Draw countries
+        const countries = topojson.feature(world, world.objects.countries);
+        
+        d3Svg.append('g')
+            .attr('class', 'countries')
+            .selectAll('path')
+            .data(countries.features)
+            .enter()
+            .append('path')
+            .attr('d', d3Path)
+            .attr('fill', '#d3b683')
+            .attr('stroke', '#a89070')
+            .attr('stroke-width', 0.5)
+            .attr('opacity', 0.8);
+            
+        // Add graticule (grid lines)
+        const graticule = d3.geoGraticule()
+            .step([15, 15]);
+        
         d3Svg.append('path')
-            .datum(continent)
-            .attr('class', 'continent-outline')
-            .attr('d', d3Path);
-    });
-    
-    // Add labels for orientation
-    const labels = [
-        { text: "North Pole", coords: [0, 85], anchor: "middle" },
-        { text: "South Pole", coords: [0, -85], anchor: "middle" },
-        { text: "Equator", coords: [-170, 0], anchor: "start" },
-        //{ text: "Prime Meridian", coords: [5, 45], anchor: "start" }
-    ];
-    
-    labels.forEach(label => {
-        const [x, y] = d3Projection(label.coords);
-        d3Svg.append('text')
-            .attr('x', x)
-            .attr('y', y)
-            .attr('class', 'map-label')
-            .attr('text-anchor', label.anchor)
-            .text(label.text);
+            .datum(graticule)
+            .attr('class', 'graticule')
+            .attr('d', d3Path)
+            .style('fill', 'none')
+            .style('stroke', '#ffffff')
+            .style('stroke-width', '0.5px')
+            .style('opacity', 0.3);
+        
+        // Draw equator
+        const equator = {
+            type: "LineString",
+            coordinates: [[-180, 0], [-90, 0], [0, 0], [90, 0], [180, 0]]
+        };
+        
+        d3Svg.append('path')
+            .datum(equator)
+            .attr('class', 'equator')
+            .attr('d', d3Path)
+            .style('fill', 'none')
+            .style('stroke', '#00ffff')
+            .style('stroke-width', '2px');
     });
 }
 
@@ -346,11 +284,16 @@ function createD3Map(points) {
         // Only draw the point if it projects properly
         const projected = d3Projection([lon, lat]);
         if (projected) {
+            // Calculate scale factor based on latitude to mimic Mercator distortion
+            // 1/cos(latitude in radians) gives us the characteristic Mercator scaling
+            const latRad = lat * Math.PI / 180;
+            const scaleFactor = Math.min(3, 1 / Math.cos(latRad)); // Cap at 3x to avoid extreme sizes
+            
             pointsGroup.append('circle')
                 .attr('class', 'planet-point')
                 .attr('cx', projected[0])
                 .attr('cy', projected[1])
-                .attr('r', 1.5)
+                .attr('r', 1.5 * scaleFactor) // Scale radius by the Mercator factor
                 .style('fill', `rgb(${point.color[0] * 255}, ${point.color[1] * 255}, ${point.color[2] * 255})`)
                 .style('opacity', 0.8);
         }