Google doodles

[9A]

August 8, 2021

Sarla Thukral's 107th Birthday





Sarla Thukral was born in Delhi, British India on this day in 1914 and later moved to Lahore in present-day Pakistan. Inspired by her husband who was an airmail pilot from a family of fliers, she began training to follow in their footsteps. At age 21, dressed in a traditional sari, she stepped into the cockpit of a small double-winged plane for her first solo flight. Lifting the craft into the sky, she made history in the process. Newspapers soon spread the word that the skies were no longer the province for only men.

And Thukral’s groundbreaking ascent did not stop there. As a student of the Lahore Flying Club, she completed 1,000 hours of flight time to gain her A licence, another first for Indian women. She then began preparation to become a commercial pilot, but the outbreak of World War II put a halt on civil aviation training. Instead, Thukral studied fine art and painting at Lahore’s Mayo School of Arts [now the National College of Arts]. She later returned to Delhi where she continued painting and built a successful career designing jewelry and clothing.

In the decades since, Thukral’s soaring achievements have paved the way for generations of Indian women to turn their dreams of flight into reality.

Dhanyavaad, Sarla Thukral–with one flight, you opened up the door to the skies.

[9A]

October 1, 2021

Nigeria Independence Day 2021



On this day in 1960, Africa’s most populous country [with over 200 million inhabitants] became a sovereign republic, an anniversary commemorated as Nigeria’s Independence Day. Today’s Doodle celebrates this monumental occasion with a depiction of Nigeria’s national animal and symbol of strength—the eagle.

In the Nigerian coat of arms, a red eagle spreads its wings above a wreath of green and white—the national colors also featured in the Doodle artwork that represent fertility and peace, respectively. Below these symbols, the Nigerian motto serves as the foundation for the coat of arms: “Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress.” Today’s observance of Independence Day embodies this official slogan as many citizens at home and abroad unify across diverse backgrounds to reflect on over 60 years of Nigerian history.

Whether listening to local Nigerian music such as fújì or preparing traditional meals like egusi [a type of melon seed] soup, celebrants honor their heritage while looking forward to the future.

Happy Independence Day, Nigeria!

[9A]

October 25, 2018

Tyrus Wong’s 108th Birthday





Along the beach in Santa Monica, California, on the fourth Saturday of every month, an elderly gentleman could be found flying kites with his wife and three daughters. The panda bears, butterflies, and centipedes floating in the breeze were of his own design.

Today’s Doodle honors the life and legacy of Tyrus Wong [born Wong Gen Yeo] the Chinese-American artist responsible for some of the best-known images in American popular culture. Drawing inspiration from Chinese artists of the Song Dynasty, Wong applied his unique vision to paintings, prints, and even the Walt Disney film Bambi.

Born on this day in 1910 in a village in southern China’s Guangdong Province, ten-year-old Wong and his father traveled to America seeking a better life. After living a short time in Sacramento, they eventually settled in Los Angeles.

Although Wong’s father recognized his love of art from an early age, he could only afford for Wong to practice calligraphy using water and newspapers as well as study Chinese art at the Los Angeles Central Library. There, he was introduced to his favorite paintings, the spare landscape paintings of the Song Dynasty [960–1279 AD]. In junior high school, Wong earned a scholarship to the Otis Art institute, supporting himself as a waiter in Chinatown. He and fellow artists like Benji Okubo and Hideo Date formed the Oriental Artists’ Group of Los Angeles, organizing shows of their work. In 1932, Wong’s work was exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago along with works by Picasso, Matisse, and Paul Klee.

In 1938, Wong was hired by Walt Disney Studios as an "inbetweener" intern [illustrators who create the sketches between key animator sketches, forming the movement of a character or object], drawing thousands of illustrations that were photographed to make animated films. His most notable work was on the Disney film Bambi, where he served as a lead illustrator, profoundly influencing the art of the beloved classic. Unfortunately, when Bambi hit theaters in 1942, Wong was only credited as one of many “background artists,” leading his major contributions to go unrecognized for years.

Wong went on to work for Warner Brothers, drawing and painting storyboards that shaped the look of other landmark Hollywood films like The Wild Bunch, Sands of Iwo Jima, and Rebel Without A Cause—all of which earned Academy Award nominations.

The artist’s contributions to Hollywood went largely unrecognized until 2001, when he was named a “Disney Legend.” Twelve years later, the Walt Disney Family Museum also staged a career retrospective “Water to Paper, Paint to Sky.”

[9A]

October 25, 2017

Âşık Veysel Şatıroğlu 123rd Birthday



Âşık Veysel [born Veysel Şatıroğlu; 25 October 1894 – 21 March 1973] was a Turkish Alevi ashik and highly regarded poet of the Turkish folk literature. He was born in the Sivrialan village of the Şarkışla district, in the province of Sivas. He was an ashik, poet, songwriter, and a bağlama virtuoso, the prominent representative of the Anatolian ashik tradition in the 20th century. He was blind for most of his lifetime. His songs are usually sad tunes, often dealing with the inevitability of death. However, Veysel used a wide range of themes for his lyrics; based on morals, values, and constant questioning of issues such as love, care, beliefs, and how he perceived the world as a blind man.

[9A]

July 21, 2018

Belgium National Day 2018




Today is Belgium National Day! July 21st commemorates Belgium’s anniversary of independence and is the perfect occasion to celebrate Belgian culture and food.

Today's Doodle features one of Belgium’s most distinctly delectable treats - the waffle! Depending on where you find yourself in Belgium, you’ll be treated to different types of waffles. In Brussels, waffles are traditionally rectangular and have deep, square pockets throughout. These waffles are typically light and crispy, and might be dusted with powdered sugar or topped with whipped cream and fruit. Should you order a waffle in Liege, you’ll be treated to a thicker waffle made of a dough similar to bread. The waffle may be rounder and have uneven edges, a signature of this style. Both waffles are a delicious treat and an excellent way to celebrate the holiday!

Whether in Brussels or Liege, or even at home whipping up homemade treats from family recipes passed down through generations, Belgians everywhere take today to celebrate their heritage and partake in the festivities.

Happy National Day, Belgium!

[9A]

October 15, 2020

Dr. Zohra Begum Kazi’s 108th Birthday



Today’s Doodle celebrates the 108th birthday of Indian-born physician, professor, and social reformer Dr. Zohra Begum Kazi, a 20th-century pioneer for women in medicine on the Indian subcontinent. At a time when the medical field was reserved primarily for men, Dr. Kazi broke barriers with an unwavering dedication to patient care and fierce advocacy for female education.

Zohra Begum Kazi was born into an aristocratic medical family on this day in 1912 in Rajnandgaon, British India. Her father was a physician who encouraged his daughters to break from cultural norms by pursuing careers in medicine. A brilliant student, Kazi graduated in 1935 with a bachelor’s degree in medicine and surgery from Delhi’s Lady Hardinge Medical College for Women.

Over the following 13 years, Dr. Kazi developed her expertise as an assistant surgeon in various hospitals across British India. In the wake of India’s partition in 1947, she relocated to Dhaka, present-day Bangladesh, where she joined the Medical College and Hospital as a resident surgeon. Following post-graduate studies, she rose to the top of her field, becoming a professor and head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Kazi worked to redefine women’s attitudes towards medicine, providing door-to-door care to countless women who were previously intimidated by the male-dominated world of medical care.

Throughout her life, Dr. Kazi committed herself to charitable and educational causes and through her pioneering example helped inspire future generations of women to become doctors, just like her.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Zohra Begum Kazi!

[9A]

October 15, 2011

Italo Calvino's 88th Birthday




I was overjoyed to be able to celebrate one of my favorite authors, Italo Calvino. Ostensibly a science fiction writer, Calvino is more of a fabulist, using scientific notions as a jumping-off point for whimsical, delightfully far-fetched, extremely warm and compassionate little tales. The first work of Calvino's that I read was Invisible Cities, an imagined dialogue between Marco Polo and Kublai Khan that meditates on the different ways of conceptualizing cities.

For this doodle, however, I decided to illustrate the first story from my favorite Calvino collection, Cosmicomics. Cosmicomics is an audacious series of myths and legends that covers everything from the creation of the universe, to the evolution of land vertebrates, to the social lives of dinosaurs.

In this story, The Distance of the Moon, the protagonist tells of time when the moon orbited so close to the Earth that it was possible to row out into the middle of the ocean and climb onto the surface of the Moon with a ladder. Once on the moon, the protagonists and his friends would frolic and cartwheel while the Moon's gravity gently pulled jellyfish and crabs up out of the sea. It's a fantastic image, and hopefully one that's very evocative to readers of Calvino.

If you haven't yet, please consider investigating his work!

Posted by Sophia Foster-Dimino

[9A]

Nov 1, 2017

Hannah Höch’s 128th Birthday





If a picture is worth a thousand words, Hannah Höch’s pioneering photomontages speak volumes about gender stereotypes and politics, especially during the Weimar Republic era.

Born on this day in 1889, in Gotha, Thuringia, Germany, Höch was the only female member of the Berlin Dada movement, an avant-garde band of artists that rejected the conventional German Expressionist aesthetic of the moment. As a student, Höch studied applied arts, including glass design, painting, and graphic design. Her romantic involvement with Austrian artist Raoul Hausmann introduced her to the inner circle of Dada artists, inspiring her later photomontage [or fotomontage] collage work.

Höch showed her most famous photomontage, Cut with the Dada Kitchen Knife through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch in Germany, at the First International Dada Fair in 1920. Juxtaposing fragmented images culled from newspapers and magazines, including bits and pieces of movie star Pola Negri, philosopher Karl Marx, and a map of European countries where women could vote, this large-scale piece conveyed her stance on women’s roles in society, art-world misogyny, and current affairs. Later works further revealed Höch’s incisive perspective as a 1920s New Woman who lived by her own rules.

Created by Berlin-based collage artist Patrick Bremer, today’s Doodle uses photomontage imagery and the feeling of brushstrokes to capture Höch’s likeness as one of her own collage characters. “Höch and many other Dadaists have long been an influence in my work, as I expect she is to most artists working in collage,” says Bremer. “Taking on this project meant delving back into her work and visiting it in person at the Berlinische Gallery, and it has been fascinating to surround myself with her unique dada vision of the world.”

Happy birthday, Hannah Höch!

[9A]

November 1, 2014

86th anniversary of the first radio calisthenics broadcast in Japan



It is commonplace for doodles to undergo several permutations during the concept phase. The celebration for the 86th anniversary of the first radio calisthenics broadcast is no exception!




Animation could have been used to great effect. The above illustration is an early concept exploring the idea of anthropomorphized letters performing an exercise routine.

However, we wanted to pay homage to the long tradition of uniform composition and staging set forth by NHK [Japan’s national broadcasting station], so the idea of using real ‘calisthenists’ in a live-action video doodle seemed not only appropriate, but relevant. We began by referencing their instructional calisthenics videos as a visual starting point.

But what better way to integrate the logo, than to show the letters themselves learn how to do radio calisthenics! Having actors perform the moves dressed as Google letters seemed like the perfect integration of whimsy and cultural relevance.

With that in mind, I set to work designing the costumes to be donned by the performers.

Then, a team of six professional actors were cast, one for each of the Google letters! We also worked with two professional calisthenics assistants from the official radio calisthenics TV program to help train the actors.

With the costumes completed and the calisthenics performers cast, shooting day began. The actors were filmed in front of a green screen, so that the background images could be composited in later.










After a long day of calisthenics, our actors pose for a group photo, with their own rendition of the letters, sans-costume.

Posted by Kevin Laughlin, Doodler

[9A]

November 1, 2014

Mariquita Sanchez de Thompson's 228th Birthday



Mariquita Sánchez de Thompson y de Mendeville, also known simply as Mariquita Sánchez de Thompson, was a patriot from Buenos Aires and one of its leading salonnières, whose tertulias gathered many of the leading personalities of her time. She is widely remembered in the Argentine historical tradition because the Argentine National Anthem was sung for the first time in her home, on May 14, 1813.

One of the first politically outspoken Argentine women, Mariquita Sánchez de Thompson has been considered the most active female figure in the revolutionary process.

[9A]

November 1, 2012

L.S. Lowry's 125th Birthday



Laurence Stephen Lowry was an English artist. His drawings and paintings mainly depict Pendlebury, Lancashire, where he lived and worked for more than 40 years, Salford and its vicinity.

Lowry is famous for painting scenes of life in the industrial districts of North West England in the mid-20th century. He developed a distinctive style of painting and is best known for his urban landscapes peopled with human figures, often referred to as "matchstick men". He painted mysterious unpopulated landscapes, brooding portraits and the unpublished "marionette" works, which were only found after his death.

His use of stylised figures, which cast no shadows, and lack of weather effects in many of his landscapes led critics to label him a naïve "Sunday painter".

[9A]

November 1, 2004

Melbourne Cup 2004




The Melbourne Cup is Australia's most famous annual Thoroughbred horse race. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and over, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club on the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria as part of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world and one of the richest turf races. The event starts at 3:00 pm on the first Tuesday of November and is known locally as "the race that stops the nation".

[9A]

November 1, 2021

Celebrating the late We:wa





In honor of Native American Heritage Month in the U.S., today’s interactive Doodle—illustrated by Zuni Pueblo guest artist Mallery Quetawki—celebrates Zuni [A:shiwi] Native American fiber artist, weaver, and potter the late We:wa. As a Łamana, the late We:wa was a revered cultural leader and mediator within the Zuni tribe, devoting their life to the preservation of Zuni traditions and history.


As advised by the Zuni tribe, it is discouraged to speak of community members who have passed on within the present tense. Therefore, we refer to We:wa as “the late We:wa” out of respect for their memory and spirit.

The term “Two Spirit” became widely adopted in the 1990s to encompass the various non-binary gender identities and expressions amongst Indigenous peoples. In the Zuni tribe, Łamana is the recognized third gender outside of the male-female binary system. Historical records have used both “he” and “she” pronouns in reference to Łamana and the late We:wa. Because Łamana and many modern Indigenous Two-Spirit people are considered distinct from male and female genders, we have aligned with our Zuni community collaborators and elected to use the ungendered singular pronoun “they.”

Go behind-the-scenes of today’s Doodle below!






The late We:wa was born of the Donashi:kwi [Badger clan] and a child of the Bit'chi:kwe [Dogwood clan] around 1849 in Zuni Pueblo, a community indigenous to the land that is now known as New Mexico. In the Zuni tribe, Łamana is a recognized third gender outside of the male-female binary system and revered as a traditional cultural concept reflecting harmony and balance. Like most Łamana, at a young age the late We:wa began learning a variety of skills done by both men and women in the tribe. They became an expert weaver, a role traditionally taken on by men in the community, and created textiles using different looms. After years of training, the late We:wa became one of the first Zuni craftspeople to sell ceramics and woven goods to non-Indigenous people, which catalyzed the process of Indigenous crafts being appreciated as a fine art in the U.S.

The late We:wa also mastered essential Zuni myths, songs, and ceremonies to become a highly respected spiritual leader in the community. Their cultural expertise led to the late We:wa traveling with American anthropologists James and Matilda Stevenson to Washington, D.C. in 1885 in hopes of fostering cultural exchange. During the late We:wa’s landmark visit to the U.S. capital, they called upon high-ranking U.S. officials to protect Zuni lands and culture from encroaching settlers.

Even in the face of colonial policy, which threatens Indigenous peoples nationwide, the late We:wa’s dedication to their community never faltered. They returned to Zuni Pueblo, where they spent the remainder of their life as an artist and community leader. Today, the late We:Wa’s legacy lives on in the approximately 10,000 Zuni people who safeguard the rich tapestry of Zuni heritage and retain one the most uninterrupted cultural lineages of modern Indigenous tribal communities in the U.S.

Give the art of weaving a try in today’s interactive Doodle in honor of the late We:wa and their craft!

[9A]

March 21, 2014

Ayrton Senna's 54th Birthday




Ayrton Senna da Silva was a Brazilian racing driver who won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1988, 1990, and 1991. Senna is one of three Formula One drivers from Brazil to win the World Championship and won 41 Grands Prix and 65 pole positions, with the latter being the record until 2006. He died in an accident while leading the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, driving for the Williams team.

[9A]

Oct 20, 2011

Park Wan-suh's 80th Birthday




Park Wan-suh was a South Korean writer.

In 1980s, Park turned increasingly toward problems afflicting women in patriarchal society while continuing to engage with the lives of middle-class Koreans. Such works as The Beginning of Days Lived [Sarainneun nareui sijak, 1980], The Woman Standing [Seo inneun yeoja, 1985] and The Dreaming Incubator [Kkum kkuneun inkyubaeiteo, 1993] belong to this group. Through the eyes of a woman who has been forced to abort a daughter in order to produce a son, The Dreaming Incubator, in particular, critiques the male-centered organization of Korean society which reduces women to incubators for the male progeny. Park has also sketched the life of a woman merchant at the turn of the century in the historical novel Remembrance [Mimang 미망 未忘, 1985–90].

[9A]

October 20, 2008

35th Anniversary of the opening of the Sydney Opera House




The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the banks of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th century architecture.

Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, but completed by an Australian architectural team headed by Peter Hall, the building was formally opened on 20 October 1973 after a gestation beginning with Utzon's 1957 selection as winner of an international design competition.

[9A]

October 20, 2017

Otfried Preußler's 94th Birthday




Otfried Preussler knew all about magic.

Every day, he walked several kilometers to and from his job as a primary school teacher. While others might take this time to consider their schedules, or their grocery lists, or even their troubles, Otfried instead dreamed up stories.

The basis for many were the spoken folktales of his youth. Germany, he knew, was flush with the fantastic, especially when it came to magical beings. The stories are universal, and as a result, Otfried Preussler’s books have been translated into 55 languages and sold 50 million copies worldwide

Otfried’s stories were quick to spread once they escaped his imagination and appeared in print. It wasn’t long before most German children [[and their parents) were giggling over Kasperl and Seppel spoiling the Robber Hotzenplotz’s plans – or the adventures of the little witch, ghost, and water sprite.

Otfried knew that being “good” is sometimes hard to figure out, for human children and little witches alike. Adults sometimes get it wrong, too. He felt that what’s important is that you try to be kind and brave, and – if you’re a water sprite – don’t ever let your feet dry out.

The author would be 94 today – still far too young to attend the annual witches party, according to The Little Witch. In his honor, Frankfurt-based illustrator Jan Buchczik created a Doodle for all the bold little witches, ghosts, and water sprites of the world. But not you, Robber Hotzenplotz – you should take a page from the Little Witch’s book and try doing only good deeds from now on!

[9A]

Oct 21, 2017

Nain Singh Rawat’s 187th Birthday





Nain Singh also known as Nain Singh Rawat, was one of the first Indian explorers [dubbed "pundits"] employed by the British to explore the Himalayas and Central Asia. He came from the Johar Valley in Kumaon. He surveyed the trade route through Ladakh to Tibet, determined the location and altitude of Lhasa in Tibet, and surveyed a large section of Brahmaputra. He walked "1,580 miles, or 3,160,000 paces, each counted."

[9A]

Oct 27, 2008

Diwali 2008





Diwali is a festival of lights and one of the major festivals celebrated by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs. The festival usually lasts five days and is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar month Kartika [between mid-October and mid-November]. One of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, Diwali symbolizes the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance".

[9A]

October 27, 2021

Otto Wichterle's 108th Birthday



Are you one of the estimated 140 million people around the world who wears contact lenses? Whether your answer is yes or no, the story of the Czech chemist who invented the soft contact lens—Otto Wichterle—might give you some fresh insight. Today’s Doodle celebrates Wichterle’s life and legacy on his 108th birthday.

Otto Wichterle was born on this day in 1913 in Prostĕjov, the Czech Republic [then, Austria-Hungary]. As a lover of science from his youth, Wichterle went on to earn his doctorate in organic chemistry in 1936 from the Prague Institute of Chemical Technology [ICT]. He taught as a professor at his alma mater during the 1950s while developing an absorbent and transparent gel for eye implants.

Political turmoil pushed Wichterle out of the ICT, leading him to continue refining his hydrogel development at home. In 1961, Wichterle [a glasses wearer himself] produced the first soft contact lenses with a DIY apparatus made of a child’s erector set, a bicycle light battery, a phonograph motor, and homemade glass tubing and molds. As the inventor of countless patents and a lifelong researcher, Wichterle was elected the first President of the Academy of the Czech Republic following the country’s establishment in 1993.

While Wichterle is most well-known as the inventor of contact lenses, his innovations also laid the foundation for state-of-the-art medical technologies such as “smart” biomaterials, which are used to restore human connective tissues, and bio-recognizable polymers, which have inspired a new standard for drug administration.

Happy birthday, Otto Wichterle—thanks for helping the world see eye to eye!

[9A]

May 19, 2022

Stacey Park Milbern's 35th Birthday



Stacey Park Milbern was a queer, Korean-American disability justice activist, who co-founded the disability justice movement and dedicated her life to advocating for marginalized communities. In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, today’s Doodle—illustrated by San Francisco, CA-based guest artist, Art Twink—celebrates Stacey Park Milbern’s legacy on what would be her 35th birthday.

Milbern was born in 1987 in Seoul, South Korea. She grew up in Fort Bragg, North Carolina and began her service as a leader for disability justice at the age of 16. After noticing a lack of advocacy for disabled LGBTQ+ and people of color, she teamed up with other activists in 2005 to coin disability justice—a framework dedicated to ensuring the perspectives of traditionally marginalized groups within the disabled community weren’t left out of the fight for disability rights.

At the age of 24, Milbern moved to the Bay Area, California, where she worked tirelessly to organize, write, and speak for the movement, and became Director of Programs at the Center of Independent Living. In 2014, Milbern was appointed to the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities and served as an advisor to the national administration.

“I want to leave a legacy of disabled people knowing we are powerful and beautiful because of who we are, not despite of it." - Stacey Park Milbern

From advocating for national legislation to building community through the Disability Justice Culture Club—Stacey Milbern always dreamed big and lived up to her values. Happy 35th birthday, Stacey Park Milbern.