Google doodles

[9A]

7 November 2013

Rafael Pombo's 180th Birthday



José Rafael de Pombo y Rebolledo [November 7, 1833 – May 5, 1912] was a Colombian poet born in Bogotá. Trained as a mathematician and an engineer in a military school, Rafael Pombo served in the army and he traveled to the United States of America as Secretary of the Legation in Washington. After completing his diplomatic assignment, he was hired by D. Appleton & Company in New York to translate into Spanish nursery rhymes from the Anglo-Saxon oral tradition. The product of this work, more than a translation, was a transformative adaptation published in two books under the titles Cuentos pintados para niños and Cuentos morales para niños formales.

In spite of his extensive and diverse literary works, Rafael Pombo is mostly remembered for this contribution to children's literature. Among his most popular children's fables are Michín, Juan Chunguero, Pastorcita, La Pobre Viejecita, Simón el Bobito, El Gato Bandido, and El Renacuajo paseador.

[9A]

7 November 2013

C.V. Raman's 125th Birthday




Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman was an Indian physicist known for his work in the field of light scattering. Using a spectrograph that he developed, he and his student K. S. Krishnan discovered that when light traverses a transparent material, the deflected light changes its wavelength and frequency. This phenomenon, a hitherto unknown type of scattering of light, which they called "modified scattering" was subsequently termed the Raman effect or Raman scattering. Raman received the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery and was the first Asian to receive a Nobel Prize in any branch of science.

[9A]

7 November 2009

40th Anniversary of Sesame Street - Oscar the Grouch



Oscar the Grouch is a Muppet character created by Jim Henson and Jon Stone for the PBS/HBO children's television program Sesame Street. He has a green body, no visible nose, and lives in a trash can. Oscar's favorite thing is trash, as evidenced by the song "I Love Trash", with a running theme being his collection of seemingly useless items. Although the term "Grouch" aptly describes Oscar's misanthropic interaction with the other characters, it also refers to his species. The character was originally performed by Caroll Spinney from the show's first episode until his official retirement in 2018. Eric Jacobson began understudying for the character in 2015, and officially took on the full role after Spinney's retirement in 2018.

[9A]

5 November 2018

Michael Dertouzos’ 82nd Birthday




A computer scientist who foresaw how the internet would impact the lives of everyday people, Dertouzos predicted the popularity of personal computers and helped to maximize their potential as director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Laboratory for Computer Science.

Born in Athens, Greece on this day in 1936, Dertouzos was the son of a concert pianist and an admiral in the Greek navy. Upon graduation from Athens College, he attended the University of Arkansas on a Fulbright Scholarship and earned a Ph.D. from MIT, joining the faculty in 1968.

Under Dertouzos’ guidance, the MIT Laboratory for Computer Science grew into a thriving research center employing hundreds of people collaborating on innovations like distributed systems, time-sharing computers, the ArpaNet, and RSA encryption, an algorithm used to ensure secure data transmission. Dertouzos worked to make LCS the North American home of the World Wide Web Consortium [W3C], an alliance of companies promoting the Web's evolution and interconnectivity. Dertouzos recruited Sir Timothy John Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, to run it.

As early as 1980, Dertouzos was writing about “The Information Marketplace” a concept that he expanded on in his book 1997 book What Will Be: How the New World of Information Will Change Our Lives. “If we strip the hype away,” he observed, “a simple, crisp and inevitable picture emerges -- of an Information Marketplace where people and their computers will buy, sell and freely exchange information and information work.”

Insisting on the importance of bringing “technology into our lives, and not vice versa,” Dertouzos spurred LCS to head up the 1999 Oxygen project in partnership with MIT's Artificial Intelligence Lab. The goal of this massive project was to make computers "as natural a part of our environment as the air we breathe."

As reflected in the title of his final book, The Unfinished Revolution: Human-Centered Computers and What They Can Do For Us, Dertouzos’ belief in technology was always grounded in his desire to unleash the full potential of humanity.

Happy Birthday Michael Dertouzos!

[9A]

5 November 2017

Hirotugu Akaike’s 90th Birthday


If you've ever conducted a statistical analysis, you might’ve spent hours thinking about which variables to include and the impact each would have on the outcome. But to ensure the model itself is accurate, shouldn’t someone measure the measurers?

In the early 1950s, a young Japanese scientist named Hirotugu Akaike asked this simple but crucial question. More than two decades of research later, he presented the answer as a simple equation known as the Akaike Information Criterion. With AIC, analysts select a model from a set of options by measuring how close the results are to the [hypothetical] truth.

For Dr. Akaike, experience was core to creativity. To get ‘a direct feel of random vibrations,’ for example, he bought a scooter and rode it around Mount Fuji. This first-hand experience helped him differentiate between the vibrations of riding on normal and heavily-trucked roads.

Today’s Doodle portrays Dr. Akaike against a Google-inspired approximation of functions, parameters, and their respective curves.

[9A]

3 Nov 2017

Loy Krathong 2017




On this night of the full moon, lotus baskets adorned with candles and incense float along rivers, lakes, and ponds across Thailand. For centuries, people have gathered on this day of the twelfth lunar month that marks an end to the rainy season. In some provinces, thousands of paper lanterns are released up into the sky. It is believed that floating away one’s bad luck [loy] on these flower baskets [krathong] brings blessings and good luck.

The sight of thousands of softly glowing flower baskets floating up and down the country against the backdrop of a moonlit horizon makes this a picturesque and magical Thai festival.

Doodle by Sophie Diao

[9A]

1 Nov 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]

1 November 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]

1 November 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]

29 Oct 2014

Shin Saimdang's 510th Birthday






With a delicate touch, Korean artist and poet Shin Saimdang captivated audiences with her paintings of flowers, butterflies, and landscapes. In recognition of her contributions to Korean culture, Saimdang was selected to appear on the South Korean 50,000 won note, becoming the first woman to have the honor. Today we celebrate what would have been her 510th birthday.

[9A]

"The eighth child of the Jackson family, Jackson made his professional debut in 1964 with his older brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5 [later known as the Jacksons]. Jackson began his solo career in 1971 while at Motown Records."

Isn't Michael the 7th child and Randy's number 8?

Sans, I guess it depends how you count them. Thanks for catching that.

The Jackson Family Explained
https://www.smoothradio.com/artists/...xplained-list/

1. Rebbie Jackson
2. Jackie Jackson
3. Tito Jackson
4. Germaine Jackson
5. LaToya Jackson
6. Marlon Jackson [twin brother Brandon died at birth]
7. Michael Jackson
8. Randy Jackson
9. Janet Jackson


Half-sister JohVonnie [1974, fathered by Joe]

[sansradio]

"The eighth child of the Jackson family, Jackson made his professional debut in 1964 with his older brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5 [later known as the Jacksons]. Jackson began his solo career in 1971 while at Motown Records."



Sans, I guess it depends how you count them. Thanks for catching that.

The Jackson Family Explained
https://www.smoothradio.com/artists/...xplained-list/

1. Rebbie Jackson
2. Jackie Jackson
3. Tito Jackson
4. Germaine Jackson
5. LaToya Jackson
6. Marlon Jackson [twin brother Brandon died at birth]
7. Michael Jackson
8. Randy Jackson
9. Janet Jackson


Half-sister JohVonnie [1974, fathered by Joe]

Oh, yeahhhhh, Brandon! I stand corrected.

[9A]

29 October 2009

Asterix Comic's 50th Anniversary © 2009 Goscinny - Uderzo





Asterix or The Adventures of Asterix is a bande dessinée comic book series about a village of indomitable Gaulish warriors who adventure around the world and fight the Roman Republic, with the aid of a magic potion, during the era of Julius Caesar, in an ahistorical telling of the time after the Gallic Wars. The series first appeared in the Franco-Belgian comic magazine Pilote on 29 October 1959.

[9A]

29 October 2014

Niki de Saint Phalle's 84th Birthday



Niki de Saint Phalle's “Nanas” are taking over our homepage for the French sculptress’s 84th birthday. Inspired by her pregnant friend, the “Nana” sculptures were de Saint Phalle’s artistic rendition of the everyday woman and became a symbol of femininity. After making her first “Nana” house—literally a gigantic figure that people could walk inside–de Saint Phalle described it as a “doll’s house for adults—just big enough to sit and dream in.” Happy 84th birthday to de Saint Phalle!

[9A]

13 September 2019

Mid-Autumn Festival 2019 [Japan]


May we live long and share the beauty of the moon together,
even if we are hundreds of miles apart”

—Mid-Autumn Festival Tune by Su Shi [poet from the Northern Song Dynasty]


Today’s Doodle represents the Mid-Autumn Festival, one of the most important annual holidays in East Asia. The event, also known as the Moon Festival, takes place every year on the first full moon after the fall equinox, traditionally the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. Originally celebrated in China for thousands of years, over time the festival spread from the royal classes to the common folk and eventually all across the region, including Japan, where the local culture developed its own special customs and traditions.

No Moon Festival is complete without mooncakes, traditionally baked or steamed at home, but now sold everywhere in a range of flavors from savory—roast pork, egg—to sweet—red bean paste, fruit, nuts, seeds, even chocolate. They are always round like the full moon, a shape that reflects the concept of a family reunion. When a mooncake is shared after a traditional family meal, it must be cut into a specific number of equal parts. At times a piece or two will be saved for an absent loved one to enjoy when they come home.

In Japan, the Mid-Autumn Festival is called Tsukimi or Otsukimi, which translates to “moon viewing,” or Jugoya, meaning the night of the fifteenth. A solemn occasion, Tsukimi is a time to wear traditional garments and visit temples to burn incense and express thanks for the harvest. Children collect reeds and pampas grass, which was once used to make thatched roofs and feed livestock. Placed in a vase by the front door, pampas grass is said to keep evil spirits away. Families share a meal featuring platters of tsukimi dango, small rice dumplings, and mooncakes, which are known as geppei in Japanese.

[9A]

13 September 2019

Mid-Autumn Festival 2019 [Vietnam]



“A glass of wine, a game of chess
Admiring the beauty of flowers,
waiting for the moon to rise”

—Vietnamese poet Nguyễn Du [1765-1820], "The Tale of Kiều"


Today’s Doodle represents the Mid-Autumn Festival, one of the most important annual holidays in East Asia. The event, also known as the Moon Festival, takes place every year on the first full moon after the fall equinox, traditionally the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. Originally celebrated in China for thousands of years, over time the festival spread from the royal classes to the common folk and eventually all across the region, including Vietnam, where the local culture developed its own special customs and traditions.

No Moon Festival is complete without mooncakes, traditionally baked or steamed at home but now sold everywhere in a range of flavors from savory—roast pork, egg—to sweet—red bean paste, fruit, nuts, seeds, even chocolate. They are usually round like the full moon, a shape that reflects the concept of a family reunion. When a mooncake is shared after a traditional family meal, it must be cut into a specific number of equal parts. At times a piece or two will be saved for an absent loved one to enjoy when they come home.

In Vietnam, the festival is known as Tết Trung Thu and focuses mainly on the children. Much of the population lives in rural areas, many working in agriculture. For them, Tết Trung Thu is all about celebrating the end of the harvest season and spending precious time with family. Preparations for the joyful season begin weeks in advance, as mooncake stalls offer soft sticky bánh dẻo or thicker bánh nướng, often elaborately decorated. During the festival, households make offerings to the God of Earth, while children carry carp-shaped lanterns or go door-to-door performing lion or unicorn dance

[9A]

13 September 2020

Celebrating Terry Fox





“I want to try the impossible to show it can be done.”

—Terry Fox


Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Toronto-based guest artist Lynn Scurfield, celebrates the Canadian athlete and humanitarian Terry Fox. After losing his leg to cancer, Fox embarked on the “Marathon of Hope”—a historic cross-Canada journey to raise awareness and money for cancer research.

Born on July 28, 1958, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Terry Fox was a natural competitor known for his commitment and fierce work ethic. In 1977, at the age of 18, Fox was diagnosed with bone cancer, resulting in the amputation of his right leg.

During his months of treatment, he was deeply affected by the stories of the patients around him, igniting in him an urgent desire to end the suffering cancer causes. Refusing to allow his amputation to slow him down, Fox decided to run across Canada, raising much-needed research funding to find a cure for cancer.

Three years following his diagnosis, on April 12, 1980, Fox humbly embarked on his “Marathon of Hope” in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Through biting winds and summer heat, he ran close to a marathon a day for over four months, an incredible 5,373 kilometres [approximately 3,339 miles] in all. Although a return of Fox’s cancer prevented him from completing the route, he achieved his goal of raising a dollar for every Canadian citizen, totaling over $24 million for cancer research.

The first Terry Fox Run, held on this day in 1981, united 300,000 people across Canada to walk, run or cycle in Terry’s memory, and raised $3.5 million for cancer research. Today, the Terry Fox Run is held virtually in his honor, and has raised over $800 million since its inception.

Thank you, Terry, for every step you took towards the cancer-free world you bravely envi

[9A]

7 Sept 2020

Kim Sowol’s 118th birthday




Today’s Doodle, illustrated by guest artist Eusong Lee, honors the 118th birthday of Korean poet Kim Sowol, whose beloved 1922 lyric poem “The Azaleas” [“Chindallae kkot”] is widely considered a masterpiece of the form. Celebrated for his contributions to early modern Korean poetry, Sowol composed many poems in the familiar cadence of traditional Korean folk music, which added to the broad popularity of his work.

Kim Sowol was born Kim Jeong-sik on this day in 1902 in present-day North Korea’s North Pyongan Province. As a teenager, Jeong-sik attended the esteemed Osan Middle School, where he became a lifelong protégé of the teacher and poet Kim Eok. In 1920, Jeong-sik published his first poems in a literary magazine, after which he assumed the pen-name Sowol, which translates into “White Moon.”

While still a high school student in 1922, Sowol published his famous work “The Azaleas.” This melancholic poem of love and loss inspired the colorful burst of Azalea flowers that surrounds his portrait in today’s Doodle artwork.

He went on to compose over 150 literary works and in 1925 published his sole collection of poems, also named “The Azaleas.” Sowol’s lifetime of heartfelt compositions cemented his legacy as one of Korea’s most treasured poets, and to this day many Koreans can recite his poems by heart. The annual Sowol Poetry Prize, established in 1987 in Kim Sowol’s honor, is considered one of the most prestigious awards in Korean poetry.

Happy birthday, Kim Sowol!

[9A]

1 Aug 2006

Swiss National Day 2006



The date is inspired by the date of the Federal Charter of 1291, Pacte du Rütli, placed in "early August", when "three Alpine cantons swore the oath of confederation" [Schwyz, Uri and Unterwald], an action which later came to be regarded as the founding of Switzerland."

In Britain it is also Yorkshire Day, celebrating the county of Yorkshire. Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate, founded in 1919 by a Swiss baker, celebrate both of these days in its 6 cafe-tearooms across Yorkshire. For the National celebration, a festival is usually held every year, two Saturdays before the actual 1 August date to allow an opportunity for Swiss families based in the UK to attend prior to the long August summer break. Typically Swiss National Day is held at University College London, organised by the Swiss National Day London Committee, an independent group of volunteers, with the support of the Swiss Embassy London and other Swiss clubs such as City Swiss Club, New Helvetic Society and Unione Ticinese.

Mont Sutton Quebec hosts one of the largest Swiss National Day celebrations outside Switzerland. Each year, it features one canton, with food and products from that canton.

[9A]

1 August 2016

Switzerland National Day 2016


Swiss National Day is celebrated today because it was around this time in the year 1291 that three Alpine states joined to create what would eventually become modern-day Switzerland. Celebrated informally since 1891, Swiss National Day became an official holiday in 1994.

The Google homepage honors this day with a Doodle depicting a cowbell flanked by Alpine flowers. The cowbell was chosen because of its stature as an enduring symbol of the meadows and mountains of Switzerland. The Alpine flowers depicted in the illustration are Enzian and Edelweiss, found in the same region where cows roam, and on the Swiss five franc coin.

As for the celebration, communities and cities in Switzerland will mark the day in many different ways, from brunches with buurezmorgä to bonfires.

Happy Swiss National Day!

[9A]

3 Aug 2016

238th Anniversary of the inauguration of Teatro Alla Scala




Bellini’s Norma. Verdi’s Otello and Falstaff. Puccini’s Turandot. All classics from opera’s golden age - and all works that debuted at the Teatro Alla Scala in Milan, a masterpiece itself since its inauguration in 1778.

Today’s Doodle honors La Scala’s legendary stage, known both for its size and the distinction of its players. The opera house’s treasured halls have hosted some of the world’s most inspirational opera, ballet, and classical performances over its long existence. Seating more than 2,000 people, its theater has survived both a WWII bombing and restorative construction, continuing to pack houses and delight audiences for some 238 years.

[9A]

6 Aug 2016

Bolivia Independence Day 2016



Today Bolivians come together for carnivals, marches and other patriotic festivities to celebrate “Dia de la Patria” or Independence Day. The country’s Declaration of Independence was signed on August 6th,1825 following centuries of Spanish occupation and 16 years of conflict. It was at this time that Bolivia was officially named in honor of Venezuelan resistance leader Simón Bolívar for his role in leading the fight for independence.

Today’s Doodle features an illustration of Bolivia’s ancient Incallajta ruins, once an Incan fortress, located in a remote site surrounded by mountains to the east of Cochabamba city.

[9A]

6 August 2015

Adoniran Barbosa’s 105th Birthday



Versão em português veja abaixo

Music tells stories, stirs emotions, and inspires change, all while getting us to nod our heads along or burst into wild swings. The right mix of melody and message is a language all its own.

Adoniran Barbosa spoke that language fluently. In Brazil, he’s known as one of the most influential samba singers the genre’s ever seen. But he did more than craft toe-tapping tunes. Adoniran uplifted the working men and women of São Paulo with his expressive storytelling, bringing the city’s malocas and cortiços to life through iconic songs like Saudosa Maloca ["Shanty of Fond Memories"].

In his time, other artists and composers criticized Adoniran for using “wrong” Portuguese, the vernacular of the common people. Like most of history’s influencers, his unique musical identity resonated with his listeners through its brand of honesty and authenticity, vindicating his art as a musical milestone and a cherished relic of Brazilian samba. Adoniran’s drive to be different is why his music continues to inspire generations of samba composers.

[9A]

15 January 2014

The 255th anniversary of the British Museum




The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It documents the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present. The British Museum was the first public national museum in the world.

[9A]

15 January 2010

Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture




The European Union chose Istanbul, Turkey's and Europe's largest city, as one of the three European Capitals of Culture for 2010 in 2006, along with Pécs in Hungary, and Essen in Germany. With its rich heritage and urban life, Istanbul is already recognized as one of the world's great cultural capitals.

[9A]

15 January 2021

Celebrating Dr James Naismith




Today’s Doodle celebrates Canadian-American physical educator, professor, doctor, and coach Dr. James Naismith, who invented the game of basketball in 1891. On this day of the following year, Naismith announced the new game and its original rules in the pages of “The Triangle,” a Springfield College school newspaper. From its humble beginnings in a school gymnasium, the sport has grown into an international colossus played in over 200 countries today.

James Naismith was born on November 6, 1861, near the town of Almonte in Ontario, Canada. He earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from McGill University, and in 1890 took a job as an instructor at the YMCA International Training College in Springfield, Massachusetts. Here, he was tasked to develop an indoor game that could occupy students during the unforgiving New England winters. With two peach baskets, a soccer ball, and just ten rules, the game of “basket ball” was born.

Introduced to Naismith’s class on December 21, 1891, the game initially featured teams of nine players and combined elements of outdoor sports such as American football, soccer, and field hockey. Despite initial skepticism, the sport exploded in popularity over the following years, and in 1936, basketball made its Olympic debut in Berlin, Germany. None other than the sport’s founder—James Naismith—threw the ball for the tip-off to commence the first game.

Naismith envisioned basketball as a way for all students to better themselves physically and mentally. The sport was introduced in a time when schools were segregated, but Naismith saw everyone as someone with potential for the game. In his lifetime, he took steps to help basketball reach more young people, and it has since evolved into a global phenomenon that crosses racial and gender barriers.

In 1959, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame was incorporated in Springfield, Massachusetts, and this mecca of basketball history carries on Naismith’s legacy to this day.

[9A]

29 April 2011

Royal Wedding



Admittedly, this was one a bit challenging as far as doodles go. We usually replace a letter or two, but in this case, the entire logo was replaced with scenery, hidden in the form of buildings, bridges and fairy tale-esque castles, not to mention that huge crowd! If you found the logo a little difficult to read, that’s okay, we did it on purpose — we just didn’t want our logo to steal any attention away from the bride and groom’s big day!







posted by Mike Dutton

[9A]

29 April 2014

Gerard Oury's 95th Birthday



If you're not a French film buff, it may look like we have some explaining to do... and you'd be right! While the uniforms seem to indicate these are members of a dark and sinister army, they are in fact the famous comedic duo, Louis de Funes and Bourvil, cast as ordinary Frenchmen disguised in German uniforms in Gerard Oury's best-known work, La Grande Vadrouille.

Our colleagues and Oury experts in the Google France office felt it was best to focus on the best known work in a way that could convey Oury's sense of humor through a single moment – so La Grande Vadrouille it was. In the chase scene below, the two main characters are trying to help downed English pilots escape arrest by the German army. They ride in a horse cart pulled by a nun, who seems unaffected by the gravity of the situation.

posted by Mike Dutton, Doodler

[9A]

29 April 2022

Toots Thielemans' 100th birthday




A small instrument delivered soulful sounds when it was in the hands of Belgian musician and composer Toots Thielemans. Known for his chromatic harmonica skills, he made a name for himself in the genre of jazz. He also played guitar and professionally whistled his way up international charts throughout his musical career. Today’s Doodle—illustrated by guest artist Melissa Crowton—hits all the right notes by celebrating Toots Thielemans’ contributions to the jazz world on what would be his 100th birthday.

Toots picked up the accordion at three years old and quickly found himself entertaining people at an early age. He would eventually grow up and become a performing musician at his parents’ cafe. As a teenager, he got his hands on a harmonica, but it wasn’t until he heard Louis Armstrong on record that he discovered jazz. In the early 1940s, he picked up the guitar and began performing and touring with other talented musicians. Playing next to jazz and blues figures like Quincy Jones, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder and Frank Sinatra, Toots made himself a staple on radio and television. He recorded 21 records, was featured in Old Spice and Firestone commercials as well as motion-picture soundtracks. One of his most recognizable harmonica solos was for the theme song on PBS-TV’s Sesame Street.

Toots is widely considered an unrivaled harmonica player and a true Jazz Master. He continued recording with other artists and performing publicly late into his life. After his passing, many collected and showcased his records, ticket stubs and autographs while museums displayed donated items and instruments from his personal collection.

Happy birthday, Toots Thielemans!

[9A]

15 Sept 2000

2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney - Opening Ceremony

[9A]

15 September 2010

El Salvador Independence Day 2010

[9A]

14 Sept 2010

Akatsuka Fujio's 75th Birthday



Fujio Akatsuka was a pioneer Japanese artist of comical manga known as the Gag Manga King. He started his career as a shōjo artist, but in 1958, his Nama-chan became a hit, so he became a specialist in comic manga. He won the Shogakukan Manga Award in 1964 for Osomatsu-kun and the Bungeishunjū Manga Award in 1971 for Tensai Bakabon. He is said to have been influenced by Buster Keaton and MAD magazine.

[9A]

5 Sept 2008

Teachers' Day 2008

[9A]

5 September 2011

Freddie Mercury's 65th Birthday




From time to time we invite guests to post about items of interest and are thrilled to have Brian May join us to talk about friend and bandmate Freddie Mercury. Our doodle celebrating Freddie's birthday can be seen around the world on September 5 and, out of respect for Labor Day, in the U.S. on September 6. A guitarist and songwriter, Brian May is a founding member of Queen and wrote many of the band’s hits, including “We Will Rock You,” “The Show Must Go On” and “I Want It All.” Brian is also a respected solo artist and one of the founders of Freddie for a Day [www.freddieforaday.com], an organization helping to fight HIV/AIDS globally. - Ed.


I was first introduced to Freddie Mercury—a paradoxically shy yet flamboyant young man—at the side of the stage at one of our early gigs as the group “SMILE.” He told me he was excited by how we played, he had some ideas—and he could sing! I'm not sure we took him very seriously, but he did have the air of someone who knew he was right. He was a frail but energised dandy, with seemingly impossible dreams and a wicked twinkle in his eye. A while later we had the opportunity to actually see him sing ... and it was scary! He was wild and untutored, but massively charismatic. Soon, he began his evolution into a world-class vocal talent, right in front of our eyes.

Freddie was fully focused, never allowing anything or anyone to get in the way of his vision for the future. He was truly a free spirit. There are not many of these in the world. To achieve this, you have to be, like Freddie, fearless—unafraid of upsetting anyone's apple cart.

Some people imagine Freddie as the fiery, difficult diva who required everyone around him to compromise. No. In our world, as four artists attempting to paint on the same canvas, Freddie was always the one who could find the compromise—the way to pull it through. If he found himself at odds with any one of us, he would quickly dispel the cloud with a generous gesture, a wisecrack or an impromptu present. I remember one morning after a particularly tense discussion he presented me with a cassette. He had been up most of the night compiling a collage of my guitar solos. "I wanted you to hear them as I hear them, dear," he said. "They're all fab, so I made them into a symphony!"

To create with Freddie was always stimulating to the max. He was daring, always sensing a way to get outside the box. Sometimes he was too far out ... and he'd usually be the first to realise it. With a conspiratorial smile he would say "Oh ... did I lose it, dears?!" But usually there was sense in his nonsense—art in his madness. It was liberating. I think he encouraged us all in his way, to believe in our own madness, and the collective mad power of the group Queen.

Freddie would have been 65 this year, and even though physically he is not here, his presence seems more potent than ever. Freddie made the last person at the back of the furthest stand in a stadium feel that he was connected. He gave people proof that a man could achieve his dreams—made them feel that through him they were overcoming their own shyness, and becoming the powerful figure of their ambitions. And he lived life to the full. He devoured life. He celebrated every minute. And, like a great comet, he left a luminous trail which will sparkle for many a generation to come.

Happy birthday, Freddie!

Posted by Dr. Brian May, CBE. Guitarist.

[9A]

1 Sept 2011

Tarsila do Amaral's 125th Birthday



Tarsila de Aguiar do Amaral was a Brazilian painter, draftswoman, and translator. She is considered one of the leading Latin American modernist artists, and is regarded as the painter who best achieved Brazilian aspirations for nationalistic expression in a modern style.

[9A]

1 September 2007

Knowledge Day 2007





Knowledge Day, often simply called 1 September, is the day when the school year traditionally starts in Russia and many other former Soviet republics as well as other countries in the former Eastern Bloc [excluding Romania which falls on September 11 and the former East Germany varies in a coordinated fashion and Azerbaijan which falls on September 15] and Israel.






Logo from a stamped envelope
issued for Knowledge Day in the USSR
in 1986

[9A]

1 September 2016

37th Anniversary of The Neverending Story's First Publishing





Every once in a blue moon a book captures the imagination, providing a portal into magical places unknown. So it was with The Neverending Story, a children’s fantasy novel by Michael Ende, which topped best-seller lists in the author’s native Germany following its release on September 1st, 1979. Illustrator Roswitha Quadflieg captured the story’s mythical feel by emblazoning each chapter with a decorative initial inspired by medieval scripts. And today’s Doodle adds a 3D dimension, with an artwork-packed slideshow that uses parallax scrolling—a Doodle first!

At the heart of this book-within-a-book is Bastian Balthazar Bux, a lonely boy who steals a copy of The Neverending Story from an antiques store—and leaps into its pages. Bastian is tapped by a hunter named Atreyu to help save the enchanted but ill-omened world of Fantastica by doing something only a human can do: giving Fantastica’s ruler, the Childlike Empress, a new name. Their companion, Falkor, a luckdragon, remains ever-optimistic that they’ll prevail over wicked creatures and destructive forces to reach the Childlike Empress’s Ivory Tower. In time, Bastian’s journey becomes one of self discovery, in which the words “Do what thou wilt!” inscribed on Atreyu’s talisman, take on personal meaning.

Today’s Doodle takes us along on Bastian’s odyssey in honor of the 37th anniversary of the book’s publication.

Doodle by Sophie Diao

[9A]

1 Sept 2016

34th Anniversary of Similan Islands National Park



Today’s Doodle takes you under the stunning waters of Thailand’s Similan Islands. Located northwest of Phuket in the Andaman Sea, the archipelago of 11 islands is famous for its breathtaking dives. Sea turtles, zebra sharks, and blue-spotted stingrays are just a few of the species an underwater adventurer might encounter.

Equally as inviting as the coral reefs are the park’s white sandy beaches. From there, long-tail boats can be spotted navigating the waters against a backdrop of ironwood and gum trees. Also fluttering above sea level, a number of feathered species call the islands home — everything from white-bellied eagles to yellow-browed warblers.

Rich in both wildlife and natural beauty, the Similan Islands were named a national park 34 years ago today. Now it’s time to dive in and celebrate!

[9A]

2 Sept 2016

Vietnam National Day 2016



Crowds gathered in Ba Đình Square on September 2nd, 1945, as revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh, delivered his historic speech to announce Vietnam’s Declaration of Independence from colonial French rule. Every year, Vietnamese people celebrate National Day by displaying the distinctive red and yellow national flag and with colorful patriotic marches and fireworks.

Today’s Doodle depicts a lotus, which is Vietnam’s national flower. To many people, including Buddhists, it’s a symbol of perfection and purity. During its flowering season, you can easily spot, and often smell, the colorful blooms on ponds across Vietnam. Much of the plant, such as the stem, seeds, and leaves can be used in cooking, plus some parts are also used for natural remedies.

Happy National Day, Vietnam.

[9A]

6 Sept 2016

Fouad el-Mohandes’ 92nd birthday



Today marks the 92nd birthday of legendary Egyptian actor and comedian Fouad el-Mohandes. The son of esteemed Egyptian linguist Zaki Mohandes, el-Mohandes got an early start performing on stage as a child. He later decided to leave business school to follow in the footsteps of his idol, actor Naguib el-Rihani, launching his professional career on the radio program “Sa’a li-Qalbak.”

Over the next five decades, el-Mohandes performed in dozens of plays, TV shows, and motion pictures. He co-starred with then-wife Shwikar in many of his most popular films, and gained fame for his role as “Mr. X” in two movies about “the most dangerous man in the world.” El-Mohandes was also famous for his trademark black-rimmed glasses.

[9A]

6 September 2021

Carmen Laforet’s 100th birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates the centennial birthday of Spanish writer Carmen Laforet, best known for her no-frills, realist prose. Carmen Laforet Díaz was born on this day in 1921 in Barcelona, Spain. Her 1945 novel Nada [Nothing] is still widely considered one of Spain’s most significant contemporary novels.

She spent her early years in the Canary Islands—a safe haven from the turmoil of the Spanish Civil War [1936–1939]. At 18, she returned with her family to Barcelona to study philosophy before moving to Madrid where she found a city scrambling to recover from domestic unrest.

It was in this tumultuous climate that Laforet wrote the manuscript for Nada--the story of an 18-year-old orphan’s struggle in post-war Barcelona. The story's candid existentialist narration portrayed the era’s harsh realities from a fresh perspective with a simple writing style, contrasting the convoluted prose that characterized many Spanish works at the time. Laforet’s innovative novel won her the first Nadal Prize, an award for unpublished authors that is today regarded as one of Spanish literature’s most prestigious honors. In addition to celebrating Laforet’s work, the prize included the publication of Nada, which immediately became a national sensation.

Laforet’s frank, realist prose reinvigorated the literary arts of a war-torn country while inspiring a new generation of women novelists. Along with several collections of short stories, a novella and travel books, Laforet published three additional novels into the late 1960s. Nada has never gone out of print, retaining its place in the nation's literary life.

Happy Birthday, Carmen Laforet!

[9A]

10 Sept 2021

Tránsito Amaguaña's 112th birthday




Today’s Doodle honors Ecuadorian Quechua activist Tránsito Amaguaña on her 112th birthday. She was an advocate who fought to secure legal rights for Ecuador’s farm workers, Indigenous communities, and women.

Rosa Elena Tránsito Amaguaña Alba or “Mama Tránsito” was born on this day in 1909 in San Miguel de Pesillo, Ecuador. Her family were huasipungueros—farmers who labored seven days a week on a hacienda with no pay except a small plot of land for growing food. Although Amaguaña’s mother hoped she could attend school long enough to become literate, her education was cut short when she was forced into domestic work on the hacienda at a young age. In 1930, Amaguaña walked barefoot for several days to Quito with her small children in tow over 25 times to join protesters in demanding a salary and a day of rest each week for hacienda workers like her family and neighbors.

This event marked the start of Amaguaña’s tireless lifelong activism. She fulfilled her mother’s wish on trips to Cuba where she learned to read and write; and how to organize land collectives and labor unions. She helped organize Ecuador’s first farm worker unions and in 1931, she participated in the unions’ first strike in Olmedo. Amaguaña continued traveling throughout the region but returned to Quito often, where she developed a close friendship with fellow activist Dolores Cacuango. Alongside other Indigenous leaders, they co-founded the Federación Ecuatoriana de Indios [Ecuadorian Indian Federation] in 1944 which advocated for terminating hacienda ownership and returning the land to the local workers.

After years of struggle, labor laws were eventually passed to protect farm workers. Not wanting Indigenous children to face the same education restrictions she experienced, Amaguaña helped found four schools with classes taught in Spanish and Quechua. A school in Guayaquil, Ecuador that bears her name preserves her multifaceted legacy.

Happy Birthday, Tránsito Amaguaña!

[9A]

10 September 2012

Teachers' Day 2012 [China]

[9A]

10 September 2005

Teachers' Day 2005 - China

[9A]

10 September 2010

1000th Anniversary of Yaroslavl




Yaroslavl is a city and the administrative center of Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located 250 kilometers [160 mi] northeast of Moscow. The historic part of the city is a World Heritage Site, and is located at the confluence of the Volga and the Kotorosl rivers. It is part of the Golden Ring, a group of historic cities northeast of Moscow that have played an important role in Russian history. In 2020, the city had a population of 608,353.

[9A]

23 April 2018

St George's Day 2018



Each year on April 23, England celebrates St. George’s Day, in recognition of the life and lore of the country’s patron saint.

According to legend, St George was born in present-day Turkey around 280 A.D.. He served as a soldier in the Roman army, rising to the rank of legatus, but was executed by the Emperor Diocletian for his Christian faith.

Popular legend also celebrates St George’s chivalry and bravery. A fearsome dragon, Ascalon, terrorized the people of a small town and demanded a daily sacrifice to allow them water for their families. One day, it was the turn of the king’s daughter to be sacrificed to the dragon, but St. George rode in on horseback, drew his sword and slayed the dragon — saving the town and the princess’s life.

Today’s Doodle depicts a group of adorable English children reenacting the legend of St. George and the dragon. The cast of characters are beloved in English folklore. You can spot St. George and his dragon, Robin Hood, and a child dressed as a lion, the symbol of bravery in medieval English heraldry. You can even see Titania and Nick Bottom, a tribute to Shakespeare whose birthday is also today!

If you find yourself in England, feast on a traditional English meal, and take in the sight of Saint George's Cross flags flying on every street. Happy St. George’s Day!

Doodle by guest artist Luke Pearson

[9A]

16 Jan 2014

Dian Fossey's 82nd Birthday



One of the most amazing humans ever to have lived: Dian Fossey. I was incredibly honored to create a Google Doodle for her.




A very early concept sketch

Here's a fun fact though: I used to think her name was spelled Diane Fossy. It was an honest mistake, misplacing one little "e". Similarly, quite a few of our doodles start out with us knowing very little about the subject matter. And it's understandable to a degree, considering we create doodles for people, occasions, and things around the world. But I knew Dian was someone for whom I really needed to do my homework, so after correcting my spelling error and reading through her Wikipedia page, I ordered a copy of Gorillas in the Mist and dug in.

I thought I was in for a dry, scientific journal, full of charts, data, and the inevitable bits of Latin. There's some of all of those things in there to be sure, but it is all perfectly woven into an engaging story, with the same range of emotional ups and downs of a classic novel. I laughed. I cried. I became angry. I was filled with hope. I cried some more. I was almost immediately drawn not just to the basis of her field work, but her greater cause to save the critically endangered mountain gorilla.

I also engaged The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International for their guidance. It never hurts to get the real experts involved. Dr. Erika Archibald provided some invaluable bits of advice, and by the end of our phone call, I had a pretty firm grasp on what to illustrate. The challenge was focusing on the importance of her work while managing to weave a narrative thread throughout the piece.

breaking down the google letters

The big 'g' is based on the first time Fossey was flown over the Virunga mountains. At the time, there were only something like 200 mountain gorillas, all living in one mountain range, so this image juxtaposes the idea of a wide-open space with what is actually a very limited area for an entire species.

The double 'o's show the family structure of the gorillas, which was something Fossey really focused on: The family dynamic, how the group interacted with each other ... I really wanted to build that sense of family, so here you see juvenile gorillas, mature females, one with infant, and a silverback male."

The lowercase 'g' is based on the first time she actually saw a mountain gorilla face-to-face – she could barely see it peering through the foliage. Although the moment wasn't an encounter with Digit, the gorilla that Fossey's most famously known for being attached to – I chose to make the gorilla resemble him, a nod to one of her dearest friends.

The 'l' is the moment where a gorilla reached out and touched her hair. It may not have been the first or only moment of contact – she writes in the book about how one actually snatched her journal away at one point – but it's an iconic moment captured on film and demonstrates her effectiveness in "habituating" with mountain gorillas. That is, being accepted into their group and to be able to roam among them.

I wanted to leave the 'e' a little more spacious and open-ended, because first of all, there's already a lot going on in the illustration, but also because there's a lot of ambiguity left in the tale of the mountain gorilla. Their future at best continues to be uncertain. So you can look at it from a place of hope or worry. If 'e' were to stand for something, it could stand for 'endangered,' or it could stand for 'enduring.' It's up to us to place the right 'E' in the right place.

posted by Mike Dutton, Doodler

[9A]

15 May 2012

Teachers' Day 2012

[9A]

17 Jan 2014

Tomás Carrasquilla's 155th Birthday



Tomás Carrasquilla Naranjo was a Colombian writer who lived in the Antioquia region. He dedicated himself to very simple jobs: tailor, secretary of a judge, storekeeper in a mine, and worker at the Ministry of Public Works. He was an avid reader, and one of the most original Colombian literary writers, greatly influencing the younger generation of his time and later generations. It was only after 1936, when he was already 78 years old, when he was awarded with the National Prize of Literature, that Carrasquilla got a national recognition. Tomás Carrasquilla Library Park is named in his honor.

[9A]

27 Jan 2014

Eugène Viollet-le-Duc's 200th Birthday




Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc was a French architect and author who restored many prominent medieval landmarks in France, including those which had been damaged or abandoned during the French Revolution. His major restoration projects included Notre-Dame de Paris, the Basilica of Saint Denis, Mont Saint-Michel, Sainte-Chapelle, and the medieval walls of the city of Carcassonne, and he planned much of the physical construction of the Statue of Liberty [Liberty Enlightening the World].