Google doodles

[9A]

Nov 1, 2012

L.S. Lowry's 125th Birthday







Laurence Stephen Lowry was an English artist. His drawings and paintings 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 He painted mysterious unpopulated landscapes, brooding portraits and the unpublished "marionette" works, which were only found after his death.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".

Lowry holds the record for rejecting British honours [five], including a knighthood [1968]. A collection of his work is on display in The Lowry, a purpose-built art gallery on Salford Quays. On 26 June 2013, a major retrospective opened at the Tate Britain in London, his first at the gallery; in 2014 his first solo exhibition outside the UK was held in Nanjing, China.

[9A]

November 1, 2016

Wadih El Safi’s 95th Birthday




One of Lebanon’s most prominent cultural icons, El Safi became known as the “Voice of Lebanon” after winning a national radio competition at the age of seventeen. He was a singer, songwriter, composer, and actor, well known for his mawawil [improvised singing] of ‘ataba, mijana, and Abu el Zuluf. He went on to have a 75 year career in music, releasing more than 5,000 songs.

Today’s Doodle celebrates his rich legacy, which helped etch an authentic Lebanese musical identity, drawn from the folklore and heritage of his country and region.

[9A]

November 1, 2008

1000 Years of The Tale of Genji







The Tale of Genji is a classic work of Japanese literature written in the early 11th century by the noblewoman and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu. The original manuscript, created around the peak of the Heian period, no longer exists. It was made in "concertina" or orihon style: several sheets of paper pasted together and folded alternately in one direction then the other. The work is a unique depiction of the lifestyles of high courtiers during the Heian period. It is written in archaic language and a poetic yet confusing style that make it unreadable to the average Japanese speaker without specialized study. It was not until the early 20th century that Genji was translated into modern Japanese by the poet Akiko Yosano. The first English translation was attempted in 1882 but was of poor quality and incomplete.

[9A]

Nov 1, 2008

Dia de los Muertos / Day of the Dead 2008






The Day of the Dead [Spanish: Día de Muertos or Día de los Muertos] is a holiday celebrated on the 1st and 2nd of November. It originated and is mostly observed in Mexico but also in other places, especially by people of Mexican heritage elsewhere. Although associated with the Catholic celebrations of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, it has a much less solemn tone and is portrayed as a holiday of joyful celebration rather than mourning. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and to remember friends and family members who have died. These celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed.

Traditions connected with the holiday include honoring the deceased using calaveras and aztec marigold flowers known as cempazúchitl, building home altars called ofrendas with the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these items as gifts for the deceased. The celebration is not solely focused on the dead, as it is also common to give gifts to friends such as candy sugar skulls, to share traditional pan de muerto with family and friends, and to write light-hearted and often irreverent verses in the form of mock epitaphs dedicated to living friends and acquaintances, a literary form known as calaveras literarias.

[9A]

Nov 30, 2011

Mark Twain's 176th Birthday







A great writer and humorist, Mark Twain once said, "Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand." His characters are as sincere as they are funny and playful; his work is iconic and a part of literary history. As an author that readers around the world have adored for a century, Mark Twain is a perfect fit for a doodle!

Since Google never likes to take itself too seriously, I wanted to pick a scene from Twain's work that is both recognizable and funny. The fence-painting sequence from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer seemed a perfect fit. Not only does it incorporate a little bit of mischievous humor [painting fences is certainly thrilling!] it also plays cleverly with the white space of the homepage. Alluding to a comic-book format, I drew Tom and Ben working on the fence and, therefore, spreading our famous white space across the doodle.

[9A]

May 19, 2018

Royal Wedding 2018




The picturesque and medieval town of Windsor is steeped in history, and today it adds another joyous occasion to its book of lore — the wedding of Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle.

If your invitation was lost in the mail, join the thousands of merrymaking royal fans who are already lining up to catch a glimpse of the newlyweds as they proceed through this quaint English town in a horse-drawn carriage, after exchanging their vows at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.

Today’s Doodle depicts the newlyweds waving to well-wishers, who have gathered to join in the celebrations along the Long Walk.

Congratulations!

Doodle by Vrinda V Zaveri

[9A]

May 29, 2014

Norman Frederick Hetherington's 93rd Birthday





Norman Frederick Hetherington was an Australian artist, teacher, cartoonist [known as "Heth"], puppeteer, and puppet designer.

He is best remembered as the creator of one of Australia's longest running children's shows, Mr. Squiggle. Hetherington was the sole operator and voice of its star performer, the Mr. Squiggle marionette.

[9A]

Jun 1, 2014

Children's Day 2014





Happy Children’s Day around the world! First proclaimed in 1925 at the World Conference for the Well-being of Children, this holiday is celebrated around the world on various dates.

[9A]

July 21, 2017

Marshall McLuhan’s 106th Birthday




Long before we started looking to our screens for all the answers, Marshall McLuhan saw the internet coming — and predicted just how much impact it would have. A Canadian philosopher and professor who specialized in media theory, McLuhan came to prominence in the 1960s, just as TV was becoming part of everyday life. At the center of his thinking was the idea that society is shaped by technology and the way information is shared.

Today’s Doodle, which celebrates the visionary’s 106th birthday, illustrates this theory by showing how McLuhan viewed human history. He saw it through the lens of 4 distinct eras: the acoustic age, the literary age, the print age, and the electronic age. His first major book, The Gutenberg Galaxy [1962], popularized the term “global village” — the idea that technology brings people together and allows everyone the same access to information.

In Understanding Media [1964], McLuhan further examined the transformative effects of technology and coined his famous phrase “The medium is the message.” He believed that the way in which someone receives information is more influential than the information itself. Throughout the '60s and '70s, McLuhan made frequent TV appearances to share his theories with both followers and skeptics.

Decades later, we honor the man whose prophetic vision of the “computer as a research and communication instrument” has undeniably become a reality.

[9A]

July 21, 2019

Buchi Emecheta’s 75th Birthday




“I work toward the liberation of women. My books are about survival, just like my own life,” said the Nigerian novelist Buchi Emecheta, whose life and work are celebrated in today’s Doodle.

Born to Ibo parents in the Lagos suburb of Yaba on this day in 1944, Florence Onyebuchi Emecheta grew up listening to her grandmother’s tales and went on to become a prolific author. Although she resisted labeling herself a “feminist” author, much of Emecheta’s writing addressed issues of gender and race.

Married at age 16, Emecheta moved to London with her husband in 1962. She supported her five children by working at a library, pursued her sociology degree, all while writing tirelessly on novels—usually at the kitchen table as her children played.

Emecheta published 16 novels, including In The Ditch, Second-Class Citizen, and Slave Girl, as well as her 1986 autobiography, Head Above Water. She also wrote several plays for stage, TV, and radio.

During the 1970s and ’80s, Emecheta worked as a lecturer and founded the Ogwugwu Afor Publishing Company with her son. She was named an Officer of the British Empire in 2005, a remarkable accomplishment for someone who faced such adversity.

"Just keep trying and trying,” Emecheta once said. “If you have the determination and commitment, you will succeed."

[9A]

Jul 23, 2019

60th Anniversary of 'The Land Of Crimson Clouds' Publication






Today’s Doodle celebrates The Land of Crimson Clouds, a novel by Russian authors Boris and Arkady Strugatsky, published on this day in 1959. Perhaps the most influential science fiction writers in Russian history, the pair was inspired to collaborate on their first book together through a friendly bet. Arkady wagered his wife Yelena that he and his brother, who studied astronomy in Leningrad, could write a better science fiction novel than those being published in Russia at the time.

Censorship guidelines had restricted some of their predecessors, but in the 1950s a “thaw” was taking place, allowing writers greater freedom of expression. Completed in 1957, the same year as Russia’s historic Sputnik mission, Strana bagrovykh tuch [The Land of Crimson Clouds] is the story of a voyage to the planet Venus, set in the late 20th century. Presenting an optimistic view of the future, the Strugatsky brothers foresaw a world where technology and social progress went hand in hand, with photon-drive rockets carrying explorers to Venus in search of uranium to help generate nuclear power.

Although they lived hundreds of miles from each other, the Strugatskys went on to collaborate on over 25 novels. Their follow-up, Noon: 22nd Century, introduced the “Noon Universe,” interpreted by some as an allegory for the ideals of the Soviet Union, a world filled with intelligent, hard-working people happily engaged in interesting work.

By the late 1960s, the brothers increasingly used their writing to offer subtle critiques of authoritarian government, setting the action in faraway universes. Although some of their later works were censored for political reasons, their family has since made all their work available online as the writers originally intended.

[9A]

January 14, 2017

Carrie Derick’s 155th Birthday




Until modern times, few women were recognized in the world of academia. Carrie Derick, a Canadian botanist and geneticist, upended that norm. Born 155 years ago today, Derick was a trailblazer who fought for women’s rights and helped pave the way for women in education.

In 1890, Derick graduated at the top of her class from Quebec’s McGill University where she would remain for her MA studies. She went on to attend the University of Bonn in Germany, where she completed enough research to earn a Ph.D in 1901. Unfortunately, she did not receive an official doctorate because the school did not award Ph.Ds to women at the time.

Derick persevered, continuing in her career as a botanist and geneticist and in 1912, became Canada’s first female professor at her alma mater, McGill University. She continued to teach there until her retirement in 1929, upon which she was made the first female professor emeritus in Canada.

Throughout her life, Derrick was an advocate for women’s rights and causes, serving as president of the Montréal Suffrage Association from 1913 to 1919.

Today’s Doodle honors Derick, a true pioneer and visionary.

[9A]

Jan 26, 2020

India Republic Day 2020




On the 71st Republic Day of India, today’s Doodle, illustrated by Singapore-based guest artist Meroo Seth, highlights the rich cultural heritage that permeates and unites the diverse Asian subcontinent—from its world-famous landmarks like the Taj Mahal and India Gate; to the wide array of fauna such as its national bird [the Indian peafowl]; to classical arts, textiles, and dances—all coming together to find harmony amongst their differences.

Republic Day marks the completion of India’s transition from the British Raj to an independent republic. It also represents the anniversary of the declaration of Purna Swaraj, which translates to “complete freedom,” by the Indian National Congress in 1929.

Festivities embody the essence of diversity found in one of the world’s most populous nations, celebrated over a three-day period with cultural events displaying national pride.

Happy Republic Day, India!

[9A]

Jan 25, 2013

Juraj Jánošík's 325th Birthday







Juraj Jánošík [first name also Juro or Jurko] was a Slovak highwayman. Jánošík has been the main character of many Slovak novels, poems, and films. According to the legend, he robbed nobles and gave the loot to the poor, a deed often attributed to the famous Robin Hood. The legend is known in neighboring Poland [under the name Jerzy Janoszik or Janiczek / Janicek] and the Czech Republic. The actual robber had little to do with the modern legend, whose content partly reflects the ubiquitous folk myths of a hero taking from the rich and giving to the poor. However, the legend was also shaped in important ways by the activists and writers in the 19th century when Jánošík became the key highwayman character in stories that spread in the north counties of the Kingdom of Hungary [much in present Slovakia] and among the local Gorals inhabitants of the Podhale region north of the Tatras. The image of Jánošík as a symbol of resistance to oppression was reinforced when poems about him became part of the Slovak and Czech middle and high school literature curriculum, and then again with the numerous films that propagated his modern legend in the 20th century. During the anti-Nazi Slovak National Uprising, one of the partisan groups bore his name.

[9A]

January 25, 2011

Robert Burns Day




Robert Burns, also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, the National Bard, Bard of Ayrshire, the Ploughman Poet and various other names and epithets, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who have written in the Scots language, although much of his writing is in a "light Scots dialect" of English, accessible to an audience beyond Scotland. He also wrote in standard English, and in these writings his political or civil commentary is often at its bluntest.

[9A]

January 25, 2011

Tom Jobim's Birthday




Antônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim, also known as Tom Jobim, was a Brazilian composer, pianist, songwriter, arranger and singer. Considered one of the great exponents of Brazilian music, Jobim internationalized bossa nova and, with the help of important American artists, merged it with jazz in the 1960s to create a new sound with popular success. As such he is sometimes known as the "father of bossa nova".

Jobim was a primary force behind the creation of the bossa nova style, and his songs have been performed by many singers and instrumentalists internationally.

In 1965, the album Getz/Gilberto was the first jazz album to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. It also won for Best Jazz Instrumental Album – Individual or Group and for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. The album's single "Garota de Ipanema" ["The Girl from Ipanema"], composed by Jobim, has become one of the most recorded songs of all time, and the album won the Record of the Year. Jobim composed many songs that are now included in jazz and pop standard repertoires. The song "Garota de Ipanema" has been recorded over 240 times by other artists. His 1967 album with Frank Sinatra, Francis Albert Sinatra & Antônio Carlos Jobim, was nominated for Album of the Year in 1968.

[9A]

January 26, 2019

Australia Day 2019







Today’s Doodle celebrates the natural beauty of the Fitzgerald River National Park, located on Western Australia’s rugged south coast. The land around the coastal hills known as “the Barrens” is teeming with life. Stretching across the Shires of Ravensthorpe and the Jerramungup, the park protects one of the most biodiverse regions in the world.

More than 1,800 species of plants live in the park—75 of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. The park is also home to 184 bird species, 41 reptile species, 12 frog species, and 22 mammal species, including the adorable honey possum featured in today’s Doodle. These mouse-sized marsupials, also known as “Noolbenger,” have prehensile tails longer than their bodies, pointed snouts, and long tongues covered with bristles to help them drink nectar from native flowers like the Banksia. Tiny but thirsty, one honey possum can drink up to 7 milliliters of nectar per day—roughly equivalent to a human drinking 50 liters of soda! They also help the plants reproduce by spreading pollen as they feast. ​

[9A]

February 10, 2021

Boris Pasternak's 131st Birthday





Today’s Doodle celebrates renowned Russian writer, poet, musician, and translator Boris Pasternak, who understood the potential of the written word and used the medium to make an impact still felt today.

Born in Moscow on this day in 1890, Boris Leonidovich Pasternak was raised in a household bursting with artistic influence. The son of a painter and a concert pianist, he dabbled in drawing and dedicated years to music composition, but ultimately, Pasternak departed from his family’s legacy in the pursuit of literary greatness.

Pasternak first earned acclaim with his 1922 book “Sestra moya zhizn” [“My Sister Life”], a cycle of poems exploring love and life. As his oeuvre grew, so did his reputation, and he became so popular that oftentimes when he paused during poetry readings, audiences would shout out the words to complete his sentences.

Towards the end of his poetic career, Pasternak plotted to smuggle an 800-page manuscript entitled Doctor Zhivago out of the USSR. A semi-autobiographical story about the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, Doctor Zhivago was first published in Italy in 1957 and was quickly banned by the Soviet Union for its message of personal liberty. Despite the censorship, the epic novel became an international best-seller and led to Pasternak winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1958. These days, it is essential reading in many Russian high schools.

Happy birthday to a literary giant, Boris Pasternak!

[9A]

February 10, 2019

Celebrating Molière




“The more we love our friends, the less we flatter them;
It is by excusing nothing that pure love shows itself.”
—Molière


Today’s Doodle celebrates the life and work of actor and playwright Molière, who is widely considered the world’s foremost comic dramatist and perhaps the greatest artist in the history of French theater. His satirical plays fearlessly lampooned human folly and blended ballet, music, and comedy into a new genre that transformed buffoonery into witty social critique.

On this day in 1673, Molière premiered his final play, Le Malade Imaginaire [The Imaginary Invalid], a three-act comédie-ballet satirizing the medical profession. Molière starred in the title role of Argan, a severe hypochondriac who tries to convince his daughter to forsake her true love and marry his doctor’s son, so as to save on medical bills. In classic Molière fashion, the play’s dialogue pushes his characters’ vices and pretensions to the point of absurdity. Today’s Doodle provides a glimpse into Molière’s most memorable scenes from The Imaginary Invalid and other classics like School for Wives, Don Juan, and The Miser.

Baptized in Paris in 1622 as Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, Molière was the son of a successful furniture maker and upholsterer to the royal court. Rejecting his father’s offer to take up the family trade, he assumed the stage name Molière and began a lifetime in the theater during the 1640s. Enduring years of financial hardship, Molière was imprisoned for debts before his breakthrough in 1658, when his company performed for a royal audience at the Louvre.

Despite royal support, Molière’s unsparing pen offended powerful interests who sought to censor his work. His religious satire Tartuffe was first performed in 1664 and immediately banned by the court of King Louis XIV. Five years later the ban was lifted and Tartuffe came to be considered one of his masterworks.

Inspiring future generations of comedians, Molière’s spirit lives on today through the work of humorists and satirists who share a fearless commitment to skewering hypocrisy with sharp-edged insights. As Molière wrote in the preface to Tartuffe, “The duty of comedy is to correct men by amusing them.”

[9A]

Feb 13, 2013

Fyodor Shalyapin's 140th Birthday




Feodor Ivanovich Chaliapin was a Russian opera singer. Possessing a deep and expressive bass voice, he enjoyed an important international career at major opera houses and is often credited with establishing the tradition of naturalistic acting in his chosen art form.

[9A]

Feb 22, 2013

Edward Gorey's 88th Birthday



Edward St. John Gorey was an American writer, Tony Awards winning costume designer, and artist noted for his illustrated books. His characteristic pen-and-ink drawings often depict vaguely unsettling narrative scenes in Victorian and Edwardian settings.

[9A]

February 22, 2016

Draginja Ljočić Milošević’s 161st Birthday






Today marks the 161st birthday of Draginja Ljočić Milošević. Milošević was one of Serbia’s first ever female doctors and the first woman accepted into the University of Zurich in Switzerland.

Doodler Jennifer Hom wanted to highlight the tools of Draginja’s trade. In this early sketch, we see Milošević’s hand clasping a small leather bag, inspired by the stara tora lekarska, one typical of the era and region.

[9A]

Feb 25, 2016

Lesya Ukrainka’s 145th Birthday




Happy 145th Birthday, Lesya Ukrainka!

Today's Doodle celebrates the life and art of Lesya Ukrainka, famed Ukrainian lyric poet. She is known for beautiful poems, stories, and plays about other-worldly forest creatures and nymphs. Guest artist Nata Metlukh, a Ukrainian illustrator and animator living and working in San Francisco, chose to depict a scene from Ukrainka's play Лісова пісня, or "The Forest Song" which she published in 1912, a year before her death.

[9A]

Feb 27, 2012

Dominican Republic Independence Day 2012






In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which became the independent state of Haiti in 1804. After more than three hundred years of Spanish rule, the Dominican people declared independence in November 1821.

In 1821 Santo Domingo creoles [American-born Spaniards] under the leadership of writer José Núñez de Cáceres declared independence from Spain on December 1821 and became free for the first time.

[9A]

February 27, 2014

John Steinbeck’s 112th Birthday




The doodle started out simple enough: Illustrate my favorite book, Travels With Charley. For those who haven't read it, John Steinbeck takes a truck camper and his standard poodle Charley, and drives around America.

• 
  caption courtesy of a friend of a friend
  "A TRIP TAKES US"
  
  
  That could have been the whole doodle right there [and of course there is a lot more to the story itself], but you can't really do a doodle for John Steinbeck and not feature something as monumental as The Grapes of Wrath. 2014 also marks the 75th anniversary of Grapes' publication, so that pretty much sealed it. My solution was to feature both, as well as a few other well-known books, with one letter in each title coming forward to spell Google.
  
  
  I thought these initial spot illustrations could act as a row of book spines, and clicking on them would open up into full-bleed book-cover-style illustrations with light animations. I explored this idea in many sketches. Here are some of the readable ones:
  
  
  
  I also thought it might be cool to have quotes pop up depending on where you clicked the illustration. Kind of like the blurbs on the back of books, only more interactive. This was a bit confusing during test runs though, and our brilliant UX designer, Noah Levin, came up with the continuous parallax scroll concept as an alternative.
  
  THE GRAPES OF WRATH
  
  Below is one of the first sketches I drew for my initial pitch. You can see that I was shooting for more of a book cover format originally.
• 
  The final did not change too much, even after I read the whole book to find possibly better scenes and quotes.
  
  
  
  CANNERY ROW
  
  On top of reading all of these books [the Penguin audiobooks are amazing, btw], part of my research included revisiting my hometown area of Monterey and Salinas. A few friends and colleagues came along [including the engineering mastermind behind the doodle, Kris Hom]. Fun fact: the four of us from the trip are represented as frogs in the Cannery Row illustration:
• 
  "WE OUGHT TO DO SOMETHING FOR HIM"
  
  
  I really enjoyed the parallels between Doc's study of marine biology and how Steinbeck observes the characters within Cannery Row. The bums, prostitutes, store clerk, Doc, etc, all relied on each other in some strange unspoken way; its own ecosystem. Placing one of the iconic cannery bridges in the reflection of a pothole pond was a subtle way of illustrating this parallel.
• 
  
  
  
  OF MICE AND MEN
  
  I have a newfound appreciation for this book, having only read it before in high school. What struck me most this time around was the struggle between reality and longing.
  
  
  The first illustration poses a question on that premise: Are the two men walking toward the physical farm to start a real job, or is this a walk through their imaginary "fat of the land"?
• 
  
  You may also spot some influence from Ben Shahn, specifically his work, Beautitudes. He has a tonal sensibility [both artistic and social] that goes hand in hand with Steinbeck's words, and hopefully some of it trickled its way into these illustrations. He has definitely played a big part in my growth as an artist recently and this seemed like the right time to thank him for it.
• 
  
  The quote above is taken slightly out of context from the moment it occurs in the story and this, to me, was a small victory – when illustration is more than just drawing the text. You're providing another viewpoint to the story without changing it, but creating more intrigue instead. One of the things I wish I did a better job on was identifying more of these unexpected moments throughout the series.
  
  THE PEARL
• 
  
  
  I chose The Pearl because it is my dad's favorite [he's the one that got me into Steinbeck years ago]. In the above sketch, I drew the shape of The Pearl enclosed by the village, as Kino's discovery of the Pearl brings the entire town upon him and his family. The sea image became the final concept for the cover, but the village scene comes back to haunt us.
  
  
  
  
  THE LOG FROM THE SEA OF CORTEZ
  
  This book was eventually cut out, but I intended it to be another homage to one of Steinbeck's biggest inspirations and closest friend, Ed Ricketts. You can see how elements of the sketch ended up in the Pearl, and thankfully, there was a chance to draw Ed in the form of Doc in Cannery Row.
  
  
• 
  
  TRAVELS WITH CHARLEY
  
  Coming back to Charley, I guess one question people might ask is why not end GooglE with the obvious East of Eden? That's totally valid [[and has been asked), but I wanted to end this doodle on a somewhat lighthearted note. It's also an autobiographical book, and serves nicely as an About the Author section at the end of this doodle. Still, I think the message in Travels of observing ourselves and our country is an important one. Things do get a little heavy toward the end of the trip, and even in escapism we are forced to confront things.
  
  
• 
  ...but not always
  John Steinbeck did write that his great mission was "to help people understand each other." And it's amazing how often, despite being published fifty to seventy-five years ago, he amazes me with advice that we as individuals and as a society could benefit from today
  
  Thanks for the journey, Mr. Steinbeck.
  
  
  posted by Mike Dutton, Doodler

[9A]

February 27, 2016

Dominican Republic National Day 2016





Happy Dominican Republic Independence Day! Today's Doodle shows the Bayahibe Rose, the national flower of the Dominican Republic. The scientific name is Pereskia quisqueya, in honor of Quisqueya: a reference to the beautiful region where the rose originates. By any name, this rose is pretty sweet: it's one of the only species of cacti with leaves. It was discovered in 1977 and declared a new species three years later. The rose's brilliant color and originality match today's Independence Day celebrations in the Dominican Republic.

[9A]

February 11, 2015

Zdeněk Burian’s 110th Birthday






Zdeněk Michael František Burian was a Czech painter, book illustrator and palaeoartist whose work played a central role in the development of palaeontological reconstruction.

Originally recognised only in his native Czechoslovakia, Burian's fame later spread to an international audience during a remarkable career spanning six decades [1930s to 1980s]. He is regarded by many as one of the most influential palaeoartists of the modern era, and a number of subsequent artists have attempted to emulate his style.

[9A]

October 22, 2020

Ivan Bunin's 150th Birthday






Today’s Doodle celebrates the 150th birthday of Russian poet, novelist, and translator Ivan Bunin, who in 1933 became the first Russian to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. Widely acclaimed for his rare mastery of both prose and poetry, Bunin carried the tradition of classical Russian literature into the 20th century, establishing his legacy as one of the nation’s most revered stylists of his time.

Ivan Alekseyevich Bunin was born on this day in 1870 in the western Russian city of Voronezh. He grew up with a passion for painting—an early creative expression he later credited as an influence on his writing style. Bunin began to publish poetry and stories as a teenager, leading to the 1891 release of his first book, “Stikhotvoreniya: 1887–1891” [“Poetry: 1887–1891”].

In 1901, Bunin won the prestigious Academy of Sciences’ Pushkin Prize for his book of poetry titled “Listopad” [“Falling Leaves,” 1901]. Around this time he began to turn his focus towards prose, establishing himself as one of Russia’s most popular writers. Known for his understated and musical writing style, Bunin went on to craft vivid portraits of Russia through works like “Derévnya” [“The Village,” 1910], the autobiographical novel “Zhizn Arsenyeva” [“The Life of Arseniev,” 1930], his diaries “Okayánnye Dni” [“Cursed Days: A Diary of Revolution,” 1936], and the book of short stories “Tyomnye allei” [“Dark Avenues,” 1943].

An opponent of the Russian Revolution, Bunin left the country in 1920, ultimately settling in France, where he continued to publish novels and poetry for the rest of his life.

Happy birthday, Ivan Bunin!

[9A]

October 26, 2020

Dolores Cacuango's 139th Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates the 139th birthday of Ecuadorian civil rights pioneer Dolores Cacuango, who spent decades fighting fiercely for the rights of the country’s Indigenous people. Cacuango was a dedicated advocate for accessible education and instrumental in establishing Ecuador’s first bilingual schools, which practiced in Spanish and the Indigenous language of Quichua.

Dolores Cacuango was born on this day in 1881 in the Pesillo hacienda in the northern canton of Cayambe, Ecuador. Like many Indigenous people before her, she began to work at a young age, and at 15 years old was forced to relocate to the Ecuadorian capital of Quito to become a servant. With new insight into the troubling racism and class inequality facing her people, Cacuango returned home committed to the struggle for change.

Back in Pesillo, she became a leader in the movement against the exploitative hacienda system, and through her dynamic speeches, she advocated for causes like land rights, economic justice, and education for the Indigenous community. In 1926, she helped lead the people of Cayambe in challenging the sale of their community land, setting a strong example for future movements. Some two decades later in 1944, she also contributed to the establishment of the groundbreaking Ecuadorian Federation of Indians, which united Indigenous people around economic and cultural issues. She spent the rest of her life advocating for indigenous rights for current and future generations.

Today, Cacuango’s legacy is remembered with a street named in her honor in northern Quito.

[9A]

October 26, 2018

Austria National Day 2018




Each year on October 26, Austrians celebrate the day in 1955 when the Austrian Parliament declared permanent neutrality, establishing the country as independent democratic and multicultural state, respecting its neighbors and the human rights of all its citizens. This year’s Nationalfeiertag [national holiday] is special because it also marks 100 years since the formation of the Republic of German Austria.

Today’s Doodle depicts the Pallas-Athene-Brunnen Fountain, situated on Vienna’s famous Ringstrasse in front of the Parliament building. The Austrian sculptor Karl Kundmann created the marble figure of the Greek goddess of wisdom, seen here wearing a sash to commemorate Austria’s centennial.

National Day celebrations include a ceremony at Heldenplatz [Hero’s Square] featuring the Federal President and Minister of Defense, a televised state of the union address, and the swearing-in of new recruits to the Austrian armed forces. At the Heldenplatz the Austrian military performs, twirling and tossing their rifles in the air as the music plays.


Happy National Day, Austria!

[9A]

October 26, 2016

Austria National Day 2016




On October 26th of each year, Austrians come together to celebrate their National Day. Its origins stretch back to post-World War II Austria, when allied forces occupied the country. After negotiations, the Austrian State Treaty was signed in 1955 and the troops moved out in the Autumn, leaving the country as an independent state.

National day celebrations in Vienna take place in Heldenplatz public square and gardens, overlooked by the Austrian Parliament building and the imperial Hofburg Palace. Many of the city’s most popular museums also offer free or cut-price admission in honor of the day.

Today’s Doodle features an image of Austria’s highest mountain, the iconic, black rock Großglockner in the High Tauern National Park. The area is home to eagles and rare butterflies, and features dramatic waterfalls and glaciers.


Happy National Day, Austria!

[9A]

Jan 28, 2019

200th Anniversary of Singapore's Founding







Today’s Doodle marks Singapore's Bicentennial. The occasion commemorates the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles in Singapore, a key milestone in the nation’s history. While 1819 was a turning point for the development of the island, the Bicentennial is also a chance for Singaporeans to rediscover the rich history of the island before Raffles—which spans as many as 500 years prior to the British stateman’s arrival. A heptagon surrounds the Singapore skyline in today’s Doodle, in honor of the 700 years of development that the island nation has undergone.

Singapore’s long and diverse history will be at the center of the celebration through a calendar of events and exhibitions spanning most of 2019. The Bicentennial will culminate with a multimedia sensory experience at the Fort Canning Centre where Singaporeans can walk through key historical periods including the settling of early communities, the arrival or Raffles, and augmented reality tours of the Singapore River and Fort Canning Park.

Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles, was a British statesman, Lieutenant-Governor of the Dutch East Indies [1811–1816], and Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen [1818–1824]; best known for his founding of modern Singapore and the Straits Settlements.

[9A]

January 28, 2021

Jim Wong-Chu's 72nd Birthday






Today’s Doodle celebrates the birthday of Canadian activist, community organizer, poet, author, editor, photographer, radio producer, and historian Jim Wong-Chu, who devoted his life to amplifying the narratives of the Asian Canadian community.

Born in Hong Kong on this day in 1949, Wong-Chu moved to Canada when he was 4, and as a young adult, he settled in Vancouver, British Columbia. During the ‘70s he worked as a community volunteer and became interested in the use of literature to explore his identity as a Canadian of Asian heritage. In 1986, while studying creative writing at the University of British Columbia, he compiled his work into the collection “Chinatown Ghosts,” one of the first poetry books ever published by a Chinese Canadian author.

But Wong-Chu didn’t just want to tell his story; he wanted to tell the stories of all the undiscovered talent in his community. In 1989, he began to sift through every literary magazine in UBC’s library to identify pieces written by Asian Canadian writers. With co-editor Bennett Lee, he honed this collection into his first of numerous anthologies, “Many Mouthed Birds” [1991], a touchstone in the emergence of the genre of Asian Canadian literature.

To promote the genre, Wong-Chu co-founded the Asian Canadian Writer’s Workshop in 1996, which–along with its literary magazine Ricepaper [now a digital publication]–has continued to elevate the voices of the Asian Canadian literary arts movement to this day.


Happy birthday, Jim Wong-Chu!

[9A]

October 1, 2020

Mid Autumn Festival 2020 [Vietnam]






Today’s Doodle commemorates Vietnam’s Mid-Autumn Festival or Tết Trung Thu, an annual holiday observed on the date of the harvest moon–the first full moon after the autumnal equinox. One of Vietnam’s most significant holidays, Tết Trung Thu provides a festive occasion to gaze up at the sky and celebrate the year’s harvest.

Also known as the Children’s Festival, the celebration is eagerly anticipated by many Vietnamese youth excited to display their red, star-shaped lanterns and enjoy the holiday’s signature dish: mooncakes. These small cakes come in countless varieties, from the sweet to the savory; if you’re lucky you just might find a salted egg yolk at the center, symbolic of the bright full moon around which this holiday orbits.

Happy Tết Trung Thu, Vietnam!

[9A]

October 1, 2019

Celebrating Dr. Herbert Kleber





“Of course I’m an optimist,” psychiatrist Dr. Herbert Kleber once remarked. “How else do I work with addicts for 40 years?” Today’s Doodle celebrates Dr. Kleber—born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on June 19th, 1934, and hailed for his pioneering work in addiction treatment—on the 23rd anniversary of his election to the prestigious National Academy of Medicine [formerly the Institute of Medicine]. This Doodle was illustrated by Massachusetts-based artist and author of the graphic memoir Hey, Kiddo Jarrett J. Krosoczka.

Volunteering for the United States Public Health Service in 1964, Dr. Kleber was assigned to a prison hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, where thousands of inmates were being treated for addiction. Noticing that the vast majority of patients would relapse shortly after release, he began to develop a new approach.

Describing his method as “evidence-based treatment,” Dr. Kleber viewed addiction as a medical condition as opposed to a moral failure. Rather than punishing or shaming patients, as many of his predecessors in the field had done, Dr. Kleber stressed the importance of research, helping to keep many patients on the road to recovery and avoid relapse through the careful use of medication and therapeutic communities.

Dr. Kleber’s success attracted the attention of President George H.W. Bush, who appointed him Deputy Director for Demand Reduction at the Office of National Drug Control Policy. As co-founder of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, Dr. Kleber was a leader in reframing the field of substance abuse research and treatment as a medical discipline.

At the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, he and his then-wife Dr. Marian W. Fischman established America’s leading research program on substance abuse. During his 50-year career, Dr. Kleber authored hundreds of articles, wrote important books, and mentored numerous other medical professionals in the field of addiction treatment. A self-described “perpetual optimist,” Dr. Kleber changed the landscape of addiction treatment, allowing patients to be diagnosed and treated rather than shamed—and saving countless lives in the process.

[9A]

October 1, 2020

Mid Autumn Festival 2020 [Japan]







Today’s Doodle commemorates the Japanese Mid Autumn Festival, also known as Otsukimi, which translates to “moon viewing.” Dedicated to the celebration of the harvest moon–the first full moon after the autumnal equinox–the holiday provides an opportunity to appreciate the year’s harvest and reflect on the passage of the seasons.

The Japanese tradition of Otsukimi is said to date back well over a millennium to the country’s Nara period of the 700s. During the Heian period that followed, Japan’s aristocrats were known to celebrate with festive banquets, boat outings, and moonlit poetry recitals. The holiday gained popularity over the centuries and today is celebrated across the country.

One way many honor Otsukimi is to decorate their homes with pampas grass or susuki, a symbol of the season’s bounty. Custom also calls for the preparation of special dishes like tsukimi-dango, bite-sized rice dumplings [a staple food in Japan] that resemble the full moon and are reputed to bring health and good fortune.

Happy Mid Autumn Festival, Japan!

[9A]

October 1, 2018

Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy's 100th Birthday



"Attachment to your village, your hospital, your state or country—that must go. You must live in your soul and face the universal consciousness. To see all as one. To have this vision and work with strength and wisdom all over the world...to give sight for all."

-Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy


Known as Dr. V to colleagues and patients, Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy, founded the Aravind Eye Hospital, which started as an 11-bed facility and has grown into a network of clinics providing life-changing care to citizens of a nation struggling with high rates of blindness. Born on this day in 1918, Govindappa Venkataswamy was raised in Vadamalapuram, a rural village in Southern India. He began his education at a school with no paper or pencils—spreading sand from the riverbank on the ground, students would write with their hands. From such humble beginnings he went on to earn a B.A. in chemistry from American College in Madurai, an M.D. from Stanley Medical College in Madras in 1944.

Joining the Indian Army Medical Corps straight out of medical school, Dr. V’s plans for a career in obstetrics were derailed when he was stricken with rheumatoid arthritis so severe that he was confined to his bed for a year. Simple acts like walking or holding a pen became a serious challenge, but somehow he managed to return to school and study for a degree in ophthalmology in 1951. Despite his health issues, he learned how to perform surgery to remove cataracts—the leading cause of blindness. Dr. V could perform 100 surgeries in a day. Addressing the problem of blindness in a holistic fashion, he set up eye camps in rural communities, a rehab center for blind people, and a training program for ophthalmic assistants, personally performing over 100,000 successful eye surgeries. In 1973 he received the Padmashree award from the Government of India for outstanding service to the nation.

Facing mandatory retirement at age 58, Dr. V began the next phase of his career in 1976, establishing the GOVEL Trust in order to fund the first Aravind Eye Hospital. The 11-bed facility was financed by doctors mortgaging their homes and donating their own furniture. The vision was to devote six beds to those patients who could not pay anything and to cover those costs with the other five beds, serving patients paying only as much as they could afford.

Today Aravind Eye Hospital has nearly 4,000 beds performing over 400,000 eye surgeries each year, with 70% of patients paying little or nothing. This seemingly miraculous result has been made possible by a relentless focus on efficiency and good management. Dr. V lowered the cost of cataract operations to nearly $10 per patient. His team of paramedicals do most of the prep work required for each surgery, freeing doctors to do what they do best. Each year Aravind performs 60% as many eye surgeries as the NHS in Great Britain, doing so at one-one thousandth of the cost.

As Dr V said, “Intelligence and capability are not enough. There must also be the joy of doing something beautiful.”


Happy 100th Birthday Dr. V!

[9A]

October 1, 2019

Nigeria Independence Day 2019





On this day in 1960, Africa’s largest and most populous country gained independence from the United Kingdom. This momentous occasion is celebrated each year across all of Nigeria’s 36 states, and today in this Doodle.

The country’s green and white flag will be unfurled with great ceremony in the capital city of Abuja and those national colors—green representing the country’s wealth or natural beauty and white representing peace—will be on display in a plethora of parades featuring the armed forces, student bands, and various cultural groups. The official celebration also includes a tribute to Nigerian heroes and freedom fighters as well as the cutting of the national cake [with green and white frosting of course] at the presidential villa, known as Aso Rock.

There are plenty of parties to choose from during this nationwide holiday, but many families take advantage of this opportunity to spend time together, enjoying home-cooked delicacies, such as jollof rice and chicken.

Happy Independence Day, Nigeria!

[9A]

October 1, 2014

Nigeria Independence Day 2014





Don’t miss the motorcade for Nigerian Independence Day. Today marks Nigeria’s 54th year as a sovereign nation.

[9A]

October 1, 2020

Mid Autumn Festival 2020 [Taiwan]





Today’s Doodle commemorates Taiwan’s Mid Autumn Festival, a holiday observed each year on the date of the harvest moon–the first full moon after the autumnal equinox. Mid Autumn Festival provides an annual opportunity to look up at the night sky and appreciate the natural beauty of the moon, all while enjoying some delicious culinary treats.

The signature snack of the festival is mooncakes–round, filled cakes that come in countless sweet and savory varieties. One traditional variant contains a salted egg yolk in the center, symbolic of the bright full moon around which the holiday orbits. Once you’ve had your fill, try one of the large citrus fruits called pomelos. And don’t be surprised to see children donning the peels as festive hats, which are traditionally said to bring good fortune to those who wear them.

Happy Mid Autumn Festival, Taiwan!

[9A]

October 1, 2020

Celebrating Ignatius Sancho





To honor the start of the UK’s Black History Month, today’s Doodle, illustrated by UK-based guest artist Kingsley Nebechi, celebrates British writer, composer, business owner, and abolitionist Ignatius Sancho. A former slave who advocated for abolition through prolific letter-writing, Sancho became the first person of African descent to cast a vote in a British general election.

Born in Africa around 1729, Ignatius Sancho was enslaved for the first five years of his life on the Caribbean island of Grenada before he was taken to England as a toddler. There, he was forced to serve as a slave for three sisters in Greenwich but eventually managed to run away and escape. He then gained employment with another aristocratic family for whom he worked for the next two decades. Having taught himself to read and write, Sancho utilized his employers' extensive library to further his self-education.

A skilled writer, Sancho penned a large volume of letters, many of which contained criticism of 18th-century politics and society. Newspapers published his eloquent calls for the abolition of slavery, which provided many readers their first exposure to writing by a Black person. The multi-talented Sancho also published four collections of music compositions and opened a grocery store with his wife in Westminster. As a financially independent male homeowner, he was qualified to vote—a right he historically exercised in 1774.

Sancho’s extensive collection of letters was published posthumously in 1782, garnering huge readership and widespread attention to the abolitionist cause.

Thank you, Ignatius Sancho, for your courageous fight in the name of freedom and equality.

[9A]

February 24, 2017

Celebrating Penpan Sittitrai




In the skilled hands of Penpan Sittitrai, a watermelon was far more than a refreshing treat on a summer day: it was art.

Using just a carving knife, she magically transformed melons into graceful swans, mangoes into rabbits, and potatoes into ducklings. Nature was a favorite theme, and she often formed lotus flowers from common foods like yam beans and garlic bulbs. Her intricate sculptures were used as showstopping centerpieces and serving vessels.

Even Thailand’s monarchs tapped Sittitrai for her talents. She once carved water chestnuts into 500 jasmine flowers for a royal wedding, and turned 250 coconuts into urns for a royal dining event.

On February 24, 2010, at the age of 83, Sittitrai was awarded the honorary title of National Artist for her outstanding contributions to Thailand’s arts. Instituted in 1985, “National Artist Day” is celebrated in Thailand on February 24.

In recognition of Sittitrai’s contributions to Thailand’s visual arts, today’s Doodle draws inspiration from her many books, including, “The Art of Thai Vegetable and Fruit Carving.”

[9A]

October 28, 2018

39th Anniversary of the MassKara Festival




Today’s Doodle marks the 39th anniversary of the MassKara festival in the Philippines, a popular celebration known for its vibrant masks, feathers, costumes [like the one’s seen in Today’s Doodle] and dancing on the streets.

While the festival is at its peak on this particular day, it is a month-long celebration that includes, in addition to street dancing and singing, contests for pig-chasing, pole-climbing, and fireworks shows.

MassKara [Spanish-derived portmanteau of “a mass of people” and “face”] was started as a city government’s effort to uplift the city of Bacolod, located on the island of Negros. At the time, the prominent sugar industry was suffering and an economic depression had set in. The celebratory festival was intended to bring back joy and laughter in the lives of the people. It was not just embraced but has since become an integral part of the culture and a tourists delight,

Happy MassKara Festival to Bacolod and the Philippines!

[9A]

January 11, 2018

Alan Paton’s 115th Birthday




“Cry, the beloved country, for the unborn child that is the inheritor of our fear.”


South African author and activist Alan Paton introduced the world to life in pre-Apartheid South Africa, fearlessly speaking out against racial segregation in person and through his books, and propagating universal franchise and non-violence.

Born in the Natal province [present day KwaZulu-Natal], the young Paton was subjected to extensive corporal punishment, which led to his lifelong opposition to any form of authoritarianism and physical punishment. Later, as administrator of the Diepkloof Reformatory for young black African offenders, he developed a controversial but compassionate system of reform that included open dormitories, work outside the prison walls, and home visitations.

After the Second World War, Paton toured correctional reform facilities across the world, during which time he started to write Cry, the Beloved Country. The book was published in 1948 — ironically the very year in which apartheid was formally institutionalized, beginning four decades of racial segregation in South Africa. His magnum opus is a moving tale of racial injustice, human suffering, and redemption, as two fathers come to terms with the loss of their sons — one an accidental murder and the other, his unfortunate victim.

Today’s Doodle depicts Paton on a train ride [on which he allegedly gained inspiration to write Cry, the Beloved Country] and celebrates the 115th birthday of a visionary who did much to fight for basic human principles of love, non-violence, and equality.

Happy Birthday, Alan Paton!

[9A]

January 11, 2012

Nicolas Steno's 374th Birthday





Known as the father of stratigraphy and geology, Nicholas Steno worked to understand history by what he could find in the ground. Rather than simply write books about his findings, Steno opted to do his own hands-on research. As an innovative thinker, he disagreed with his contemporaries in thinking that shark-tooth-shaped objects found imbedded in rocks "fell from the sky." Instead, Steno argued that these formations were fossils. His dedication to analysis, critical thinking, and creative thinking make him a great subject for a Google doodle!

Considering Steno's contributions to stratigraphy and geology, I wanted to honor his birthday with a unique take on his work. I knew that the colorful and geeky aesthetic of stratigraphy was the right direction for the doodle, but the team and I weren't sure how to apply it. Should we set the doodle in the middle of the country? Should we relate it to Google culture? Should I just make things up?

After consulting a few geology nerds within Google, I decided to set the land in our very own Mountain View! I learned an interesting fact about our home-- there are no dinosaur fossils in the Bay Area [except for Stan of course].

Also staying a little more faithful to stratigraphy graphs, I formed the Google logo as though it was cut from a chunk of three dimensional land.

There were so many different ways to think about Steno and his studies, it was a challenge and pleasure to honor such a fascinating person!


posted by Jennifer Hom

[9A]

Jan 14, 2012

National Children's Day 2012





As doodlers, messing with the company logo is part of our job, but every once in a while we really get to mess with it by making it virtually unreadable! Since Children's Day is traditionally all about having lots of fun being kids, we tend to make this annual doodle a little – well, extra fun. But for those who crave neatness or are just curious as to where exactly the letters are hidden, here you go!






And for you art nerds out there [we're a tech company after all], this second image shows the "movement" throughout the illustration. I, uh, totally meant to do that...


posted by Mike Dutton

[9A]

May 10, 2019

Minarni Soedarjanto’s 75th Birthday




Today’s Doodle salutes international badminton champion Minarni Soedarjanto, hailed in her Indonesian homeland as "Queen of all badminton queens."

Born in Pasuruan, East Java, on this day in 1944, Soedarjanto began competing at the age of 13 and went on to win her first title at the 1959 National Championship in Malang at the age of 15. That same year, she was chosen for the Indonesian national team, competing in the world’s top badminton tournament for women, the Uber Cup.

Although Indonesia was defeated in 1960, Soedarjanto won singles and doubles titles for many years, including a historic win in the sport’s oldest tournament, the All-England. Teaming up with Retno Koestijah, Soedarjanto won Indonesia’s first All England title in 1968. She also went on to victory at the 1969 U.S. Open and Canada Open that same year.

Soedarjanto was part of Indonesian teams that competed for the Uber Cup trophy in 1963, 1966, and 1969—but unfortunately came up short every time. "It's hard to just leave, considering it's been 23 years playing badminton," she said in a 1972 interview. By 1975 she was a player-coach and mother of three, but refused to retire without fulfilling her goal. Finally, she beat perennial powerhouse Japan, winning Indonesia’s first Uber cup which was the last title of her illustrious career.

Thanks for paving the way, and happy 75th birthday, Minarni Soedarjanto!

[9A]

May 13, 2019

Georgios Papanikolaou’s 136th Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates Georgios Papanikolaou, the Greek cytopathologist who worked with his wife to develop the life-saving medical test known as the Pap smear.

Born on the Greek island of Euboea on this day in 1883, Papanikolaou grew up the son of a doctor. Although he initially studied music and the humanities, he later chose to follow in his father’s footsteps and go into the medical field.

Papanikolaou started medical school at age 15, and after graduation served as an army surgeon in the Balkan wars. In 1913, he immigrated to the U.S. with his wife, Andromachi Mavroyenis. The couple initially struggled to make a living—Georgios sold carpets and played violin in restaurants and Mary sewed buttons for $5 a week—until he was recruited as a researcher at Cornell University. There, Georgios worked alongside his wife who served as a technician and sometimes test subject.

The couples’ scientific breakthrough came after recruiting a group of close friends to participate in a study for their research, which involved undergoing Pap smears. During the study, Papanikolaou detected malignant cells in one guest’s sample, diagnosing his wife’s friend with cervical cancer. Still widely used today, the simple, low-cost “Pap smear” makes early detection of cervical cancer in women possible, slashing fatalities in half [based on some estimates].

Nominated twice for the Nobel Prize, Papanikolaou received the Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research in 1950 and his portrait appeared on the Greek 10,000 drachma banknote as well as a 1978 U.S. postage stamp. A Miami cancer research institute that hired him late in his career was also renamed in his honor.

Happy 136th birthday, Georgios Papanikolaou!

[9A]

May 13, 2016

Daeng Soetigna's 108th Birthday







Music can instantly transport a listener to a unique place and time. The melodic sounds of the angklung are no exception.

One rap of the hand on this Indonesian bamboo instrument, and we’re transported to the tranquil islands of Southeast Asia. For this, we can thank Daeng Soetigna, whose novel seven-note diatonic angklung brought the tones of Indonesia to an international audience. While the oldest known angklung dates back to the 17th century, it was Soetigna’s modifications in 1938 that lifted it out of obscurity and into orchestras, concerts, and classrooms around the world.

We celebrate Soetigna’s ingenuity, and contribution to modern musical education with this bamboo-themed doodle by Lydia Nichols.

[9A]

May 13, 2015

Inge Lehmann’s 127th Birthday






Editor’s note: News of a second major earthquake within a short time in Nepal today provides a sad context to this post -- and reminds us of the importance of science in predicting earthquakes so that more lives can be saved.

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At the turn of the twentieth century, a teenager in Østerbro, Denmark felt the ground move beneath her feet. It was her first earthquake, but it wouldn’t be her last.

More than two decades of study and observation later, Inge Lehmann’s work sent shockwaves through the scientific community. By observing earthquakes, she discovered the earth has both inner and outer cores. Her work has withstood the test of time. In fact, it’s still the foundation for seismological science today.

Inge used deduction and evidence to discover something unseeable. Today’s Doodle sheds light on her powerful but invisible discovery. Doodler Kevin Laughlin helps us experience the gift Inge illuminated for the world by revealing it as a glowing orb. Not all of his early drafts looked the same, but the earth’s inner core glowed at the center of each.

Pioneers like Inge make this world a better place by helping us understand it from the inside out. But Lehmann’s legacy isn’t just scientific. Having been educated at a very young age in a Copenhagen school that treated female and male students as absolute equals, she was a strong proponent of gender equality. Her pioneering spirit is an inspiration to us as we continue to do more on diversity.