The map above, Universalis Cosmographia, drawn in 1507 by German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller (and hence also called the Waldseemüller Map) made news recently when conservators at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. put it in a state of the art encasement. Sure it’s old, but why go through all the trouble? Turns out, the Waldseemüller has an intriguing link to America:

A map thought lost for almost five centuries is found and is now on display. It’s often called America’s birth certificate.

Created in 1507, the Waldseemüller map is the first map to show a Pacific Ocean, the Western Hemisphere and a continent called America.

Science Daily has the story: Link (with video clip)