Google doodles

[9A]

22 June 2017
Oskar Fischinger’s 117th Birthday






https://www.google.com/doodles/oskar...117th-birthday [interactive]


In the world of design, Fischinger is a towering figure, especially in the areas of motion graphics and animation. He is best known for his ability to combine impeccably synchronized abstract visuals with musical accompaniment, each frame carefully drawn or photographed by hand. A master of motion and color, Fischinger spent months — sometimes years — planning and handcrafting his animations.

Although mostly known for his films, Fischinger was also a prolific painter, creating numerous works that capture the dramatic movement and feeling of his films within a single frame. Unsatisfied with traditional media, he also invented a contraption, the Lumigraph, for generating fantastic chromatic displays with hand movements — a sort of optical painting in motion and a precursor to the interactive media and multi-touch games of today.

Special thanks to Angie Fischinger, Oskar's youngest child, who played an integral role in making this project possible. Below, she shares some thoughts about her father's work and life:
My parents were German immigrants. They were forced to leave Germany in 1936 when it became clear that my father could not pursue his work as a filmmaker there [avant-garde was considered degenerate by Hitler and his administration]. But many people who had already seen his films recognized his greatness. He received an offer to work at MGM and stayed in Hollywood after the war.

[9A]

21 Jun 2017
Machado de Assis’ 178th Birthday









In 1839, Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis was born to a simple family in Morro do Livramento, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was the grandson of freed slaves, in a country where slavery wouldn't be fully abolished until 49 years later. Machado faced the many challenges of being of mixed race in the 19th century, including limited access to formal education. But none of that stopped him from studying literature. While working as a typographer, he experimented with poems, romances, novels and plays.

Machado's work shaped the realism movement in Brazil. He became known for his wit and his eye-opening critiques of society. Today's Doodle features some scenes from his novels — Quincas Borba, Dom Casmurro, and The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas are considered masterpieces to this day. Machado was also a founder and the first president of the Brazilian Academy of Letters.

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17 Jun 2017
Susan La Flesche Picotte’s 152nd Birthday







Today’s Doodle honors the life and legacy of Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte [[1865-1915), the first American Indian to earn a medical degree.

Picotte grew up in Nebraska on the Omaha reservation, where her father urged her to “be somebody in the world.” She left her village and made her way east, eventually attending the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania [featured in today’s Doodle on the left], where she graduated at the top of her class. Despite receiving numerous prestigious job offers, Picotte chose to return to the reservation to provide the medical care that her tribe badly needed – tending to patients across 1,350 square miles on foot and horseback, in wind, snow, and rain.

Picotte was also a fierce public health advocate and social reformer. She promoted life-saving hygiene practices, such as the elimination of communal drinking cups and the installation of screen doors to keep out disease-carrying insects. Most notably, in 1913, she personally raised the funds to build a modern hospital in her hometown, which you can see pictured to the right of today’s Doodle.

Picotte’s remarkable career as a physician and health advocate just scratches the surface of her legacy. She was more than the reservation’s doctor – she was also an advisor, confidant, and symbol of hope for the Omaha.

[9A]

12 Jun 2017
Philippine Independence Day 2017







The flag of the Philippines is a symbol of national pride, especially today as the country celebrates the anniversary of its sovereignty. In honor of Philippine Independence Day, today’s Doodle is a colorful celebration of both the Philippine flag and the country’s unique island landscapes.

Each component of the flag’s design holds specific meaning. The prominent sunburst has eight rays to represent the eight provinces that began the fight for independence, while the three surrounding stars represent the country’s three island groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

With more than 7,000 islands that make up the country, there is no shortage of opportunities to watch the sun rise over the water. The sunrise imagery in the Doodle is meant to capture Filipinos’ optimism in the face of adversity.

[9A]

29 May 2017
Hibari Misora’s 80th birthday





In 1945, 8-year-old Hibari Misora sang before an audience at a concert hall in Yokohama. So went the debut of a long and storied musical career spanning nearly 45 years, 1,200 recorded songs, and 80 million records sold worldwide.

Over the decades, Misora became a beloved figure of modern Japanese pop culture, acting in more than 150 movies while continuing her extensive musical pursuits. Her status as a cultural icon has inspired museums, monuments, tributes, movies, and other homages to her life and work.

Though today’s Doodle depicts Misora in her most well-known costume, the Doodler considered an early draft that highlighted her career from start to finish, through album covers and movie posters. The final Doodle shows Misora donning her phoenix wings to showcase her larger-than-life personality.

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22 May 2017
Richard Oakes’ 75th Birthday




Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Richard Oakes made a stand for the rights of American Indians. Over his time as an activist, he fought peacefully for freedom, justice, and the right of American Indians to have control over their lands.

Oakes grew up on the Mohawk Indian reservation in Akwesasne, on the Canadian / New York border. When he was 18, he moved to San Francisco, and enrolled in San Francisco State University shortly after. There, his passion for empowerment through education led him to play an integral role in creating one of the first American Indian studies programs in the nation.

Oakes went on to be a champion for social justice in his community. His most powerful protest happened in 1969 when he led a group of activists occupying Alcatraz Island. The aim was not only to set up a community, complete with a university, museum and cultural center, but also for the government to acknowledge the rights of American Indians to claim the out-of-use federal land as their own.

Although Richard didn't succeed in gaining the deeds to Alcatraz for his people, he brought their issues into the media spotlight and made a substantial impact on the treatment of American Indians in the US. He also went on to assist the Pit River Tribe in their claim for land in Northern California.
Today's Doodle recognizes places that were important in his life's story and mission, depicting the Akwesasne reservation, Alcatraz Island, and Pit River.

[9A]

17 May 2017
115th Anniversary of the Antikythera Mechanism's Discover







On this date in 1902, Greek archaeologist Valerios Stais sifted through some artifacts from a shipwreck at Antikythera. The wrecked Roman cargo ship was discovered two years earlier, but Stais was the first to notice an intriguing bit of bronze among the treasures. It looked like it might be a gear or wheel. That corroded chunk of metal turned out to be part of the Antikythera Mechanism, an ancient analog astronomical computer.


The Antikythera Mechanism tracked planetary positions, predicted lunar and solar eclipses, and even signaled the next Olympic Games. It was probably also used for mapping and navigation. A dial on the front combines zodiacal and solar calendars, while dials on the back capture celestial cycles. Computer models based on 3-D tomography have revealed more than 30 sophisticated gears, housed in a wooden and bronze case the size of a shoebox.


The mechanism was initially dated around 85 BC, but recent studies suggest it may be even older [circa 150 BC]. The crank-powered device was way ahead of its time -- its components are as intricate as those of some 18th-century clocks.


Historians continue to ponder the Antikythera Mechanism's purpose and inner workings, and visitors to the National Archaeological Museum of Greece marvel at its delicate complexity. Today's Doodle illustrates how a rusty remnant can open up a skyful of knowledge and inspiration.

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9 May 2017
Ferdinand Monoyer’s 181st birthday

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Ferdinand Monoyer, born on this date in 1836, rose to prominence as one of France's most famous ophthalmologists. He developed the diopter, the unit of measurement for vision that's still used today. The diopter measures the distance you'd have to be from text to read it. Most notably, Monoyer devised an eye chart where every row represents a different diopter, from smallest to largest.

Monoyer was known to change the font of a particular letter if it didn't suit him; after all, if you're going to judge a person's vision by it, that letter had better be as legible as possible! If you look closely at today's Doodle, you might be able to spot a tribute to another of Monoyer's signatures: his name, hidden in the chart.

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1 May 2017
First of May – Maypole 2017









Happy May Day! Revelers in various regions of Germany will raise a maypole today to celebrate the merry month of May. The maypole is usually a decorated tree trunk, traditionally placed in the village green or town square. As today's Doodle illustrates, there might also be a procession through the town, complete with a brass band and traditional costumes. Some regions have maypole climbing competitions, and in others, everyone joins in a maypole dance with ribbons that form a festive braid.

Guest Doodler Christoph Hoppenbrock combined various traditions and customs, like a May bug [Maikäfer] and a smaller birch tree with a heart and streamers for placing in a sweetheart's yard. The Doodle’s whimsical style reflects the lighthearted fun that May Day inspires. "Deer are often used in traditional German folk art,” Christoph notes. “I found it especially fun to draw a deer in lederhosen."

The maypole [Maibaum] symbolizes unity and togetherness, so gather your family, friends, and neighbors and celebrate the season!

[9A]

27 Apr 2017
King's Day 2017




King’s Day [formerly “Queen’s Day”] is the annual Dutch national holiday in honor of King Willem-Alexander, who turns 50 today. This day is celebrated all over the Netherlands, but Amsterdam is the centerpiece of the festivities, with over 750,000 people traveling here to partake in the fun. The day starts bright and early and calls for partiers to put on their best orange outfits [[the national color) and take to the streets in the morning.

On this day, street-selling regulations are lifted, so the entire city becomes an enormous open air flea market for shopping second-hand treasures. Kids sell their toys, artists sell their handicrafts, homemakers sell delicious baked goods...and it’s all found at discounted “friends and family” style rates. This element of the cultural tradition poignantly illustrates the entrepreneurial and community-driven spirit of the country.

Today’s Doodle by Dutch Doodle artist Gerben Steenks salutes the King on his 50th birthday year. Happy King’s Day to all!

[9A]

14 Apr 2017
56th Anniversary of Xingu Indigenous Park




Officially dedicated in 1961, Xingu Indigenous Park celebrates its 56th anniversary today. The park is located in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso and spans 6,528,530 acres of savannah and forest.

Xingu’s primary goal was to protect the social diversity of Brazil’s indigenous people, and was created after a long campaign by activist brothers, Orlando and Leonardo Villas-Bôas. Some of the tribes that call Xingu home are the Kamayurá, Kaiabi, Yudjá, Aweti, Mehinako, Wauja, Yawalapiti, Ikpeng, Kalapalo, Kuikuro, Matipu, Nahukwá, Suyá, and Trumai. In all, several thousand indigenous people live within the park’s boundaries.

Today’s Doodle puts Xingu indigenous culture on full display. Hugged tightly by the all-important Xingu River, the design incorporates Xingu cultural elements like fishing baskets, cassava root, buildings, and headdress.

[9A]

14 Apr 2017
First Day of Bengali Calendar Pohela Boishakh







Today's doodle marks Pohela Boishakh, the first day of the Bengali Calendar. While Pohela Boishakh is a lively festival today, its origins are less fanciful. The Bengali calendar year was developed over 400 years ago by the Emperor Akbar as a way to collect taxes on a specific date every year. When the new year begins, accountants can close their books on the previous year and start fresh.

On this day in Bangladesh, the country comes alive with colorful celebrations and parades. Cities and towns gather together to sing traditional songs like "Esho, he Boishakh". They eat Bengali food such as Panta bhaat [a dish of rice soaked in water], and Illish Maas [fried hilsa fish]. The main attraction in the capital city of Dhaka is the large Mangal Shobhajatra procession. The streets fill up with a parade of huge masks and creatures, each with its own symbolism, but many meant to drive away evil spirits or inspire courage and peace. The masks are often vibrant and imaginative representations of animals native to Bangladesh, like the owl and tiger you see in today's doodle.

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13 Apr 2017
Songkran 2017




Celebrated in Thailand every April 13-15, Songkran is the New Year’s holiday famous around the world for its water festival. For many visitors to the Southeastern Asian country, it’s primarily just an excuse for an epic water battle in the streets of a tropical paradise. For Thai people, though, the holiday is also a time to do good deeds and spend time with family.

The name of the holiday is derived from a Sanskrit term that describes the movement of the sun through the sky as the seasons change. Traditionally, Thai people celebrate Songkran by visiting temples to pour water over statues of Buddha, or by visiting elder relatives to pour water over their hands. These acts are known to be symbols of purification — a spring cleaning of sorts. And in a place where daily temperatures reach highs of 88°F in the month of April, it’s easy to see how the tradition might’ve evolved into the all-out splash-fest it is today.

The water festival is now so well established, some cities shut down busy streets during celebration days, allowing participants to safely soak anything and anyone that crosses their paths. So if you’re strolling around Thailand in mid-April and a total stranger douses you with water, consider it a compliment!

[9A]

13 Apr 2017
Celebrating Henrietta Augusta Dugdale







On this date in 1869, the Melbourne Argus published a momentous letter. It was written by Australian feminist and suffragist Henrietta Augusta Dugdale, and its demand was simple but profound: equal justice for women. Dugdale made this plea in response to a bill that claimed to secure property rights for women but did not go far enough. Known for using fiery, provocative language, Dugdale called the bill a "poor and partial remedy for a great and crying evil" and a "piece of the grossest injustice."

Born in 1827 in London, Dugdale moved to Melbourne in 1852. She soon became a prominent figure in the Australian women's rights movement, and she served as president of the first Victorian Women's Suffrage Society. Her 1883 booklet A Few Hours in a Far-Off Age envisioned a utopian future of equality, intelligence, and social justice. Dugdale's inspiring letters and rousing speeches helped make Australia the second country to grant women the right to vote, in 1902.

Today, we pay tribute to a woman who knew the power of her pen, and used it to fight for equal justice and rights for women.

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11 Apr 2017
Misuzu Kaneko’s 114th birthday





Simple and expressive enough for children yet deep and accessible enough for adults, the works of Misuzu Kaneko were nearly lost to time until they were rediscovered four decades later. Misuzu is known throughout Japan as a poet who expressed childlike wonderment and humility simply and beautifully through her words.

Born Teru Kaneko in the fishing village of Senzaki, twenty-year-old Misuzu sent her first poems to several Tokyo children’s magazines in 1923. Her mother, who ran a bookstore in the small town of Shimonoseki, ensured her daughter was highly educated. Misuzu became a voracious reader, in turn inspiring her to try her own hand at writing. What resulted were internationally read poems beloved by several generations.

Today’s Doodle took its inspiration from Misuzu’s poem “A Bell, A Bird, and Me.”

No matter how I spread my arms
I can not fly at all,
But unlike me, a flying bird
Can not run fast on ground.
Though I rock my body back and forth
It makes no pretty sounds,
Yet unlike me, a ringing bell
Does not know many songs.
A bell, a bird, and also me,
All are different, all are good.

The poem exemplify Misuzu’s insatiable curiosity about nature and her ability to find the good in adversity.

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22 Mar 2005
World Water Day 2005







World Water Day is an annual United Nations [UN] observance day held on 22 March that highlights the importance of fresh water. The day is used to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. The theme of each day focuses on topics relevant to clean water, sanitation and hygiene [WASH], which is in line with the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 6. The UN World Water Development Report [WWDR] is released each year around World Water Day.

UN-Water is the convener for World Water Day and selects the theme for each year in consultation with UN organizations that share an interest in that year's focus. The theme for 2021 was "Valuing Water" and the public campaign invited people to join a global conversation on social media to "tell us your stories, thoughts and feelings about water".

In 2020, the theme was "Water and Climate Change". Previous themes for the years 2016 to 2019 were "Water and Jobs'", "Why waste water?" "Nature for Water", and "Leaving no one behind". World Water Day is celebrated around the world with a variety of events. These can be theatrical, musical or lobbying in nature. The day can also include campaigns to raise money for water projects. The first World Water Day, designated by the United Nations, was in 1993.

[9A]

29 June 2020
Celebrating Subak





Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Indonesia-based guest artist Hana Augustine, commemorates the culturally significant Indonesian irrigation system called subak, which was inscribed on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites on this day in 2012. This network of canals, tunnels, and dams has allowed the people of the island of Bali to sustain lush rice paddy fields and live in symbiosis with nature for over a thousand years.

The word subak refers not just to the irrigation infrastructure, but also to the cooperative social tradition that surrounds it. Through this system, a limited water supply is managed peacefully through some 1,200 collectives of individual farmers. Subak is considered to be a reflection of the ancient Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana, which loosely translates to “three causes of well-being” and describes the ideal of spiritual, interpersonal, and natural harmony.

Firmly rooted in this ideology passed down through the generations, the traditional subak system has been upheld with unwavering dedication since its formation as early as the 9th century. In turn, Indonesian agriculturists have achieved an egalitarian rule of order that successfully sustains a harmonious balance between the land and the community of farmers that reap its benefits.

The practice of subak has created a majestic and abundant landscape of tiered rice paddy fields that waterfall for hectares, and is an irreplicable phenomenon that fills both the hearts and bellies of the Balinese people.

[9A]

25 Jun 2020
Dragon Boat Festival 2020







Each year on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, revelers flock to the banks of rivers and canals to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, or Duanwujie. Dating back more than 2,000 years, the holiday is honored with unique customs in countries all across Asia. Among the most popular traditions in many countries are the dragon boat races, which draw teams from around the world to compete in colorfully painted boats, like those depicted in today’s Doodle artwork.

Percussion rings out across the water as a drummer on each boat keeps the rowers in sync. As the teams approach the finish, the most nimble racers can often be seen stretching far off the fronts of their boats; the first to snatch a flag from a buoy or cross the finish line earns their team the victory.

Meanwhile, spectators are known to enjoy one of the holiday’s most popular treats called zongzi.
These triangular dumplings of sticky rice can be topped with meat or egg yolk and are typically tied up in leaves. And it’s believed that if you can balance an egg upright at noon, you’ll have good luck for a year.

[9A]

23 Jun 2020
Huda Sha'arawi’s 141st Birthday






Today’s Doodle,illustrated by Cairo-based guest artist Aya Tarek, celebrates the 141st birthday of Egyptian activist, feminist, nationalist, and author Huda Sha’arawi, widely considered one of the pioneers of the women’s movement in Egypt.

Huda Sha’arawi was born Nur Al-Huda Sha’arawi into a wealthy family in Minya, Egypt on this day in 1879 and grew up in the Egyptian capital of Cairo. Following World War I, Sha’arawi became a prominent leader in the country’s nationalist fight against British rule. In 1919, following the arrest of several nationalist leaders, she organized Egyptian women into one of the largest protests of the movement.

In 1923, after Egypt gained its independence, Sha’arawi founded and led one of the first formal feminist organizations in Egypt, the Egyptian Feminist Union, to fight for women’s education, suffrage, and legal equality, including representation in parliament.

Through her tireless advocacy for women’s rights and education, Sha’arawi helped pave the way for Egypt’s first secondary school for women, and in 1933, the country honored its first female university graduates. In 1956, another one of her biggest goals was finally achieved when Egypt granted women the right to vote and run for office.

[9A]

12 Jun 2020
Russia National Day 2020






Today’s Doodle, illustrated by guest artist Olesya Shchukina, commemorates Russia National Day, known locally as Den Rossii. On this day in 1990, Russia became an independent nation following the official adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty of the Russian Federation, which was then followed by the establishment of the national anthem and flag.

From the Bering Sea in the country’s Asian east, to the shores of the Baltic Sea in the European west, Russia has celebrated June 12th as a public holiday and a time to pay tribute to the country’s identity and heritage since 1992.

Today, Russia’s widely varied cultures and ethnicities are symbolized by historical customs, such as the playing of the country’s many traditional folk instruments. These unique musical instruments include Iozhkis [spoons], buben [tambourines], and accordions, as depicted in today’s Doodle.

[9A]

13 November 2017
Helene Stöcker’s 148th Birthday




Women’s rights were hard-won by the women of the early 20th century, and visionaries like Helene Stöcker were at the forefront of the movement.

Born in 1869, Helene was the definition of someone whose ideas were ahead of her time. Bucking societal expectations, she was one of the first German women to obtain her doctorate, and in 1893 penned her famous short essay, “The Modern Woman.” In it, Helene describes a woman with the freedom to embrace intellectual and cultural pursuits in addition to love or marriage.

In 1905, Helene co-founded The League for the Protection of Mothers and Sexual Reform, continuing her influential writing as the editor of the League’s magazine. For nearly 30 years, she lead the charge with a philosophy she called the New Ethic. Among other things, it advocated for equality for children born out of wedlock, access to contraceptives, and sex education.

Helene wrote with passion about a time when women could fully embrace everything life has to offer. As a feminist, she cherished and championed all women, writing that any modern woman would do the same: “After all, she sees in them a common front, a world-conquering future.”

Today’s Doodle by artist Cynthia Kittler, drawn in honor of Ms. Stöcker’s 148th birthday, illustrates the common front Helene wrote so passionately about.

[9A]

13 Nov 2017
Humayun Ahmed’s 69th Birthday





Today’s Doodle celebrates the life of prolific Bangla writer, Humayun Ahmed, who would have turned 69 today. Although formally trained as a chemist, Ahmed found his true calling as a writer. He authored over 200 books, many of which were best sellers and eight of which were made into films.
Ahmed is often credited with revitalising Bengali literature. His unique storytelling style captures the oral tradition and rhythm at the root of Bangla, bringing to life the stories and aspirations of traditional middle class and rural families.

A nature lover, Ahmed found refuge in his estate of Nuhash Polli, a wonderland he designed himself and where he collected statues, flora, and fauna from all over the world. Today’s Doodle imagines Ahmed at his estate, meeting with Himu, a much-loved character from his novels who preferred the life of a vagabond and walked everywhere!

[9A]

25 October 2019
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti’s 119th Birthday






“As for the charges against me, I am unconcerned,” said Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, the Nigerian educator and activist who fearlessly campaigned for women’s rights and the liberation of Africa from colonial rule. Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Nigerian-Italian guest artist Diana Ejaita, celebrates a formidable leader who founded what many refer to as one of the most important social movements of the twentieth century.​

Born on this day in 1900 in Abeokuta, the current capital of Nigeria’s Ogun state, the former Frances Abigail Olufunmilayo Thomas grew up witnessing Great Britain consolidating control over Nigeria. As the grandchild of a slave, she became one of the first girls to enroll in Abeokuta Grammar School, before traveling to Cheshire in England to continue her education. By the time she returned home, she’d dropped her birth names and preferred to speak Yoruba.

In 1932, Ransome-Kuti established the Abeokuta Ladies Club [ALC], fostering unity between educated women and poor market workers and setting up the first adult education programs for Nigerian women. Renamed the Abeokuta Women’s Union in 1946, the organization boasted a membership of some 20,000 and pushed for healthcare, social services, and economic opportunity. Imprisoned in 1947 for protesting against unfair treatment towards women, Ransome-Kuti and her followers also led the charge to abdicate a corrupt local leader.

A trailblazer in many ways, Ransome-Kuti was also the first Nigerian woman to drive a car. She was also the only woman in Nigeria’s 1947 delegation to London, which lodged a protest and set the nation on the path toward self-government. As one of the few women elected to Nigeria’s house of chiefs, she was recognized for her advocacy work on behalf of women's rights and education, and revered as the “Lioness of Lisabi” and the “Mother of Africa.”

Her daughter—Dolupo—and three sons—Beko, Olikoye, and Fela—likewise became leaders in education, healthcare, and music, continuing their mother’s legacy of activism and advocacy.

[9A]

29 Jun 2014
World Cup 2014 #41







Hats off to Costa Rica & Greece for being in the last 16!

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30 Jun 2014
World Cup 2014 #42

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30 Jun 2014
World Cup 2014 #43










The Ground staff are ready for France v Nigeria!

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30 Jun 2014
World Cup 2014 #44

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1 Jul 2014
World Cup 2014 #45

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1 Jul 2014
World Cup 2014 #46

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1 Jul 2014
World Cup 2014 #47

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4 Jul 2014
World Cup 2014 #48

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4 Jul 2014
World Cup 2014 #49

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4 Jul 2014
World Cup 2014 #50

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8 December 2018
145th Anniversary of Lacerda's Lift Opening








Today’s Doodle celebrates the iconic Lacerda Elevator of Salvador, Brazil, which has been in operation for the past 145 years. Situated on Brazil’s southeastern coast overlooking the Bay of All Saints, São Salvador, Bahia was the nation’s capital until 1763. Constructed in two sections, at the top and bottom of a steep embankment, Salvador is divided into a lower city [Cidade Baixa] and an upper city [Cidade Alta], which were initially connected by a long flight of stairs.

In the early 1600s Jesuit missionaries installed a rope-and-pulley elevator to lift people and parcels on the 72-meter journey to the top. However, In the late 1860s construction began on a mechanical elevator under the leadership of developer Antonio de Lacerda and his brother, engineer Augusto Frederico de Lacerda.

A complex system of counterweights, hydraulics, and steam engines powered the elevator, which opened in 145 years ago, in 1873. In the 1900s the elevator was revamped with electric power, and it received an Art Deco makeover in 1930. Today there are two towers with a total of four bays, each of which can accommodate up to 32 passengers for the 30-second journey—roughly a million people use the elevator each month. Exactly 12 years ago the elevator was recognized by Brazil’s National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage. Dawn is a great time to ride this legendary lift, when it’s decorated with lights and there’s a gorgeous view of Fort Santo-Antonia-da-Barra. More than a means of transportation, the Lacerda Elevator has become a tourist attraction and a symbol of Brazilian ingenuity.

[9A]

6 Dec 2018
Tareque Masud’s 62nd Birthday






The first Bangladeshi director to participate in the Oscars or to be honored at Cannes, Tareque Masud was a driving force within his country’s independent film movement. He and his wife Catherine, would visit remote villages all over Bangladesh showing films with a mobile projector, earning the nickname “Cinema Feriwalla” [Vendor of Movies].

Born in the village of Nurpur on this day in 1956, Masud was educated in a Bangladeshi madrassa, or Muslim school. Following Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, he became part of the film society movement and earned a master’s degree in history from the University of Dhaka. His first films were documentaries that told the story of his homeland, starting with 1989’s Adam Surat [Inner Strength] about the Bangladeshi painter Sheikh Mohammed Sultan. His classic 1995 feature-length documentary Muktir Gaan [Song of Freedom] about the independence movement in Bangladesh attracted huge audiences.

Masud’s upbringing in East Pakistan inspired his first feature, The Clay Bird. The Masuds invested all their savings into completing the film, which went on to win an International Critics’ award at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival.

A founding member of the Short Film Forum, an important platform for independent film, Masud also organized Bangladesh's first International Short and Documentary Film Festival, which continues to this day. To further honor his legacy, the Tareq Masud Memorial Trust launched the Tareque Masud Short Film Competition, encouraging a new generation of Bengali filmmakers to follow in his footsteps.

[9A]

27 Nov 2018
Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita’s 132nd Birthday





“The reason why I so much enjoy being friends with cats is that they have two different characters: a wild side and a domestic side. This is what makes them interesting,” said Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita. “A cat’s a wild animal, and I like that.”

Born in Tokyo on this day in 1886, Foujita, the son of a Japanese army general, dreamed of becoming a painter in Europe. After graduating from art school in Japan, he relocated to France in 1913, where he befriended various School of Paris luminaries such as Juan Gris, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Matisse, and even studied dance with Isadora Duncan.

Foujita’s first solo exhibition at the prestigious Gallery Chéron in June 1917 sold out quickly. The exhibition consisted of watercolors painted with a fine brush in a distinctive style that blended Eastern and Western influences and finished with a silvery wash.

Celebrated during his lifetime, Foujita received international awards and prominent commissions. His 1930 Book of Cats, featuring 20 etched plate drawings, became one of the most popular cat books ever published. Today, his work can be seen in Kyoto’s National Museum of Modern Art before rotating to the Musée d’Art Moderne de la ville de Paris in early 2019.

In 2011 his estate established the Foujita Foundation which carries on his legacy by the supporting artistic projects of young people experiencing difficulties from an interdisciplinary approach while encouraging educational development, cultural openness, and personal fulfillment.

[9A]

27 Nov 2018
Fe del Mundo’s 107th Birthday






“I’m glad that I have been very much involved in the care of children, and that I have been relevant to them,” says Filipina physician Fe del Mundo. “They are the most outstanding feature in my life.”

Born in Manilla on this day in 1911, del Mundo was inspired to study medicine by her older sister who did not herself live to realize her dream of becoming a doctor. Also known as “The Angel of Santo Tomas,” del Mundo devoted her life to child healthcare and revolutionized pediatric medicine in the process.

A gifted student who became the first woman admitted to Harvard Medical School, del Mundo returned home after completing her studies in the U.S. During World War II, she set up a hospice where she treated more than 400 children and later became director of a government hospital. Frustrated with the bureaucracy, she eventually sold her house and belongings to finance the first pediatric hospital in the Philippines. Del Mundo lived on the second floor of the Children's Medical Center in Quezon City, making early morning rounds until she was 99 years old, even in a wheelchair.

When she wasn’t treating patients she was teaching students, publishing important research in medical journals, and authoring a definitive ‘Textbook of Pediatrics.’ She established the Institute of Maternal and Child Health to train doctors and nurses, and became the first woman to be conferred the title National Scientist of the Philippines and received many awards for her outstanding service to humankind.

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25 November 2015
Asmahan’s 103rd Birthday









Amal al-Atrash, better known by her stage name, Asmahan, was one of the most acclaimed singers and actresses in Egypt during the 1930s and ‘40s. Known for her powerful voice, versatility, and commanding stage presence, she earned great fame at a time when society often frowned upon women entertainers. Her success helped pave the way for the female performers who came after her.

Sophie Diao’s animated Doodle honors Asmahan, paying tribute to her signature performing style and highlighting the intimate way she would look deeply into the camera and sing directly to her audience. Diao also captured Asmahan’s iconic, glamorous look, and used black and white coloring to simulate film grain from the time.

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21 May 2019
Willem Einthoven’s 159th Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates the birth of Willem Einthoven, the Nobel Prize-winning Dutch physiologist who pioneered electrocardiography—a quick, painless, and effective method of studying the rhythms of the heart and diagnosing cardiovascular disease.

Born on the island of Java [now Indonesia] on this day in 1860, Einthoven grew up aspiring to follow in the footsteps of his father who had been both a doctor and military medical officer. By 1886 he had become a professor of physiology at the University of Leiden, focusing on optics, respiration, and the heart.

In 1889, Einthoven attended the First International Congress of Physiologists, where he watched a demonstration of a device known as the “Lippmann capillary electrometer” recording the electrical activity of the human heart. After analyzing the results, Einthoven recognized the need for a more accurate device, and began work on his string galvanometer, based on the technology used to amplify signals along underwater cables.

Balancing a fine string of quartz coated in silver between the two poles of a magnet, Einthoven’s invention precisely measured variations in electrical current. In 1901 he announced the first version of the string galvanometer, and soon published the world’s first electrocardiogram or ECG, a printed record of a human heartbeat. Einthoven studied the ECG patterns, identifying five “deflections” of normal heart function, learning how to interpret deviations that signal circulatory problems and heart disease.

Einthoven’s groundbreaking research won him the 1924 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. Today, ECG machines are still used in hospitals all over the world, and while the technology has evolved greatly, they still work according to the same basic principles and techniques developed by Einthoven, who is now remembered as the father of modern electrocardiography.

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18 May 2012
Minakata Kumagusu's 145th Birthday






Minakata Kumagusu was a Japanese author, biologist, naturalist and ethnologist.

Minakata was born in Wakayama, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. In 1883, he moved to Tokyo, where he entered the preparatory school Kyōryū Gakkō. The headmaster of Kyōritsu, Takahashi Korekiyo, encouraged Minakata in his botanical studies, and stimulated his interest in the English language. The following year, Minakata passed the entrance exam to Tokyo University Preparatory School, counting among his classmates the novelist Natsume Sōseki.

At the end of 1886, Minakata set off to study in the United States. He arrived in San Francisco in January of the next year, and he studied there for about six months. He next went to Michigan State Agricultural College, where he was accepted, becoming the first Japanese to pass the entrance exam there. These were just the first steps, however, in Minakata's unusually adventurous studies in various parts of the world, which would eventually include Cuba, Haiti, what is now Panama, Venezuela, and England, before returning to Japan.

In addition to his studies in slime moulds, Minakata was intensely interested in folklore, religion and natural history. He wrote several papers, including 51 monographs in Nature. He is famous for discovering many varieties of mycetozoa.

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13 May 2019
60th Anniversary of Torres del Paine National Park





Described by an early visitor as "one of the most ... spectacular sights that human imagination can conceive," Torres del Paine became a national park on this day in 1959. Initially named Lago Grey, the park was expanded and renamed in 1970. Today’s Doodle celebrates the splendor of this natural treasure situated near the Andes mountains at the southernmost tip of Chile.

First settled by the ancient Aonikenk people, Parque Nacional Torres del Paine takes its name from the Paine Massif mountain range and three granite torres or towers that rise some 2000 meters above the Patagonian steppe.

The rugged beauty of the land—forests, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and an enormous blue glacier—attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to enjoy camping, hiking, cycling, kayaking, and boating. Since the 15th century, the area has also been home to the nomadic Kaweskar people who coexist with wild pumas, condors, and llama-like creatures known as guanacos.

The national park was added to UNESCO’s Biosphere Reserve system in 1978 and even received 5 million votes to be elected the “Eighth Wonder of the World” in 2013.

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10 May 2008
Mother's Day 2008

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17 May 2008
125th Birthday of Walter Gropius


Walter Adolph Georg Gropius was a German architect and founder of the Bauhaus School, who, along with Alvar Aalto, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright, is widely regarded as one of the pioneering masters of modernist architecture. He is a founder of Bauhaus in Weimar [1919]. Gropius was also a leading architect of the International Style.

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7 Jun 2008
Charles Rennie Mackintosh's Birthday




Charles Rennie Mackintosh [7 June 1868 – 10 December 1928] was a Scottish architect, designer, water colourist and artist. His artistic approach had much in common with European Symbolism. His work, alongside that of his wife Margaret Macdonald, was influential on European design movements such as Art Nouveau and Secessionism and praised by great modernists such as Josef Hoffmann. Mackintosh was born in Glasgow and died in London. He is among most important figures of Modern Style [British Art Nouveau style].

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16 March 2018
Dr. Esther Park’s 142nd Birthday





A century ago in Korea, it was considered improper for female patients to be examined by male doctors; as a result, women did not have access to proper medical care. That changed with the arrival of Dr. Esther Park, the first female doctor of Western medicine in Korea.

Park was born into a poor family as the youngest of four daughters in 1879, in Jeong-dong, Seoul. She was a gifted student at Ewha School, the first modern school for Korean women, particularly in English studies. As a result, she was introduced as an interpreter to an American doctor, Rosetta Sherwood Hall, involved in medical service missions in Korea. Although not initially interested in medicine, she became inspired after observing Hall flawlessly operate on a patient with a harelip.

After moving to Liberty, New York to study English, Park enrolled at a nursing school for one year, and in 1896, entered the Baltimore Women’s Medical School, the forerunner of Johns Hopkins Medical School. She became the first Korean woman to graduate from BWMS and receive a doctor’s degree.

Returning to Korea, Park began caring for female patients at Bogu Yeogwan, Korea’s first hospital for women. She would travel across Hwanghae and Pyongan Provinces to provide free care to women, caring for an average of over 5,000 patients per year for 10 years!

For her service, Dr. Park received a silver medal from Emperor Gojong. In 2006, she was also honored at the Korea Science and Technology Hall of Fame.

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7 Jul 2008
Marc Chagall's Birthday - images used with the permission of the Artist Rights Society





Marc Chagall was a Russian-French artist of Belarusian Jewish origin. An early modernist, he was associated with several major artistic styles and created works in a wide range of artistic formats, including painting, drawings, book illustrations, stained glass, stage sets, ceramics, tapestries and fine art prints.

Chagall’s repertory of images, including massive bouquets, melancholy clowns, flying lovers, fantastic animals, biblical prophets, and fiddlers on roofs, helped to make him one of the most popular major innovators of the 20th-century School of Paris. He presented dreamlike subject matter in rich colours and in a fluent, painterly style that—while reflecting an awareness of artistic movements such as Expressionism, Cubism, and even abstraction—remained invariably personal.

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9 May 2021
Mother's Day 2021 [09 May]

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9 May 2010
Mother's Day 2010 - USA

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12 May 2013
Mother's Day 2013





https://www.google.com/doodles/mothers-day-2013

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31 May 2020
Mother's Day 2020 [31 May]




https://www.google.com/doodles/mothers-day-2020-may-31