Google doodles

[9A]

17 Jun 2013

Henry Lawson's 146th Birthday




Henry Archibald Hertzberg Lawson was an Australian writer and bush poet. Along with his contemporary Banjo Paterson, Lawson is among the best-known Australian poets and fiction writers of the colonial period and is often called Australia's "greatest short story writer".

[9A]

17 June 2009

Igor Stravinsky's Birthday




Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French [from 1934] and American [from 1945] citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential composers of the 20th century and a pivotal figure in modernist music.

[9A]

7 Jul 2009

Anniversary of the publication of Pinocchio



Pinocchio is a fictional character and the protagonist of the children's novel The Adventures of Pinocchio [1883] by Italian writer Carlo Collodi of Florence, Tuscany. Pinocchio was carved by a woodcarver named Geppetto in a Tuscan village. He is created as a wooden puppet, but he dreams of becoming a real boy. He is known for his long nose, which grows when he lies.

Pinocchio is a cultural icon and one of the most reimagined characters in children's literature. His story has been adapted into many other media, notably the 1940 Disney film Pinocchio.

[9A]

10 Jul 2009

Nikola Tesla's Birthday




Nikola Tesla [10 July 1856 – 7 January 1943] was a Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, and futurist best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current [AC] electricity supply system.

[9A]

10 July 2017

Eva Ekeblad’s 293rd Birthday




Today we celebrate Eva Ekeblad’s 293rd birthday. The Swedish scientist brought potatoes, then a greenhouse curiosity, to the people. Eva discovered the starch was humble but mighty – potatoes could be ground into flour or distilled into spirits. Her discovery helped reduce famine in years to come.

For her scientific and delicious work, Eva Ekeblad became the first woman elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1748. She was truly a pioneer - the next woman recognized in those ranks would come 203 years later.

Today we we honor Eva Ekeblad's ingenuity and her scientific achievements. Happy birthday, Eva!

[9A]

20 Jul 2017

Gilberto Bosques Saldívar’s 125th Birthday



Today marks the 125th birthday of Gilberto Bosques Saldívar, the diplomat known as the “Mexican Schindler” who is said to have saved 40,000 lives during WWII while serving as Mexico’s Consul General in France.

Born in Chiautla de Tapia, Puebla, Saldívar made a career of looking after the good of the public from young adulthood: serving as a teacher, government newspaper director, and ultimately, a public servant. In 1939, he was sent to France to serve as Mexico’s Consul General.

After fleeing the Nazi occupation of Paris in 1940, Saldívar received support from the Mexican government to establish a consulate in southern France. He rented a castle and holiday camp in Marseilles at which he hid Jews and Spanish Civil War refugees, maintaining that they were protected under international law in what he considered a Mexican territory. He land his team issued Visas and chartered travel for tens of thousands of wishing to escape to Mexico until he was arrested by Nazi forces. After one year of imprisonment, he continued his career in public service for the remainder of his life.

Today we celebrate Saldívar’s remarkable courage and moral conviction with a Doodle that illustrates the peace his actions made possible for the lives of so many.

[9A]

20 July 2012

Santos Dumont's 139th Birthday




Alberto Santos-Dumont was a Brazilian aeronaut, sportsman, inventor, and one of the few people to have contributed significantly to the early development of both lighter-than-air and heavier-than-air aircraft. The heir of a wealthy family of coffee producers, he dedicated himself to aeronautical study and experimentation in Paris, where he spent most of his adult life. He designed, built, and flew the first powered airships and won the Deutsch Prize in 1901, when he flew around the Eiffel Tower in his airship No. 6, becoming one of the most famous people in the world in the early 20th century.

[9A]

20 July 2014

Colombia Independence Day 2014




Painted by guest artist, Jorge Riveros.

[9A]

31 October 2019

Carlos Drummond de Andrade’s 117th Birthday




“What now, José?” asked Brazilian writer Carlos Drummond de Andrade in a popular poem from his 1942 anthology, Poesias. Today’s Doodle celebrates an individual whom many consider one of the greatest poets in modern Brazilian literature. Born in the mining town of Itabira on this day in 1902, Drummond composed poems that broke formal rules in verse and expressed the stresses of modern life. He also worked as a literary critic and journalist, writing short semi-fictional newspaper essays, known as crônicas, about the lives of ordinary people, including children and the poor.

After co-founding the literary journal A Revista in 1925, Drummond spent years on his poetry collection Alguma Poesia, emerging as a leading figure in Brazilian modernism. Having earned his degree in pharmacy, he went on to work for Brazil’s Ministry of Education as well as the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Service of Brazil. Throughout his career, he published over a dozen volumes of poetry and a handful of collections of crônicas. His 1986 collection Traveling in the Family: Selected Poems includes English translations by prominent poets Elizabeth Bishop and Mark Strand.

Drummond has received many awards—including the Brazilian Union of Writers Prize—and has become a fixture of Brazilian popular culture. His “Canção Amiga” [“Friendly Song”] was printed on Brazilian currency, and a statue of the poet stands near the ocean in Rio de Janeiro.

[9A]

31 October 2010

2500th Anniversary of the Marathon




The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of 42.195 kilometres [26 miles 385 yards], usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair divisions. More than 800 marathons are held throughout the world each year, with the vast majority of competitors being recreational athletes, as larger marathons can have tens of thousands of participants.

The marathon was one of the original modern Olympic events in 1896. The distance did not become standardized until 1921. The distance is also included in the World Athletics Championships, which began in 1983. It is the only running road race included in both championship competitions [walking races on the roads are also contested in both].

[9A]

2 Nov 2010

Melbourne Cup 2010




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

[9A]

13 Nov 2010

Robert Louis Stevenson's 160th Birthday




Robert Louis Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Kidnapped and A Child's Garden of Verses.

[9A]

9 June 2021

Celebrating Shirley Temple





Today's Doodle honors American actor, singer, dancer, and diplomat Shirley "Little Miss Miracle" Temple. Not only did Temple help millions of Americans through the hardships of the Great Depression as Hollywood's top box office draw, she also later shared her charisma with the world through her work in international relations. On this day in 2015, the Santa Monica History Museum opened “Love, Shirley Temple,” a special exhibit featuring a collection of her rare memorabilia.

Shirley Jane Temple was born on April 23, 1928 in Santa Monica, California, and began dance classes at the tender age of three. With her signature dimples, blonde ringlet curls, and strong work ethic, she captivated the nation when she landed a role in the 1934 toe-tapping musical “Stand Up And Cheer.” Temple starred in a dozen films in 1934 alone, including “Bright Eyes,” where she performed what became one of her most famous routines “On the Good Ship Lollipop.” Before she even reached double digits in age, Temple was one of the most popular actors in American cinema—even becoming the first child star to receive an Academy Award at just six years old!

In 1942, Temple’s unprecedented talent jumped from the silver screen to the airwaves as the star of “Junior Miss,” a radio sitcom about a teenage girl growing up in New York City. She continued to star in films throughout her teenage years, and at 22, she retired from the movie industry as a Hollywood icon. In 1958, Temple narrated the eponymous “Shirley Temple’s Storybook,” a children’s television series which adapted family-friendly stories—sometimes even filmed live. This short-lived anthology marked her final foray in American entertainment before her graceful transition into full-time public service.

With a lifelong devotion to improving the lives of others, Temple was appointed as a representative of the U.S. to the United Nations in 1969. Her career in politics included her dedicated environmentalism, representing her nation in 1972 at the U.N. Conference on the Human Environment. In recognition of her diplomatic achievements, which included an ambassadorship to Ghana and becoming the first female Chief of Protocol to the State Department, she was appointed an Honorary Foreign Service Officer in 1988.

In 2006, the Screen Actors Guild presented Temple with its Lifetime Achievement Award, the organization’s highest honor.

Thank you, Shirley Temple!

[9A]

10 Jun 2021

Portugal National Day 2021





Portugal uniquely observes its national day in remembrance of one of the country’s most influential poets: Luís de Camões. Today’s Doodle commemorates this nation-wide holiday, celebrated annually by the Portuguese community around the world.

Luís de Camões’ magnum opus, the 1572 epic poem “Os Lusíadas” [“The Lusiads”], is widely considered the most significant work of literature in the Portuguese language. This literary masterpiece memorializes Camões’ travels and the Portuguese navigations of an oceanic trade route to India by explorer Vasco de Gama.

Ever since Portugal gained independence in 1640, June 10 has been observed as Dia de Camões. Traditionally on this day, the national Portuguese type of music and song known as fado can be heard echoing into the streets, as revelers celebrate this centuries-long tradition of their shared Portuguese heritage. A symbol of the nation’s culture, fado music features the Portuguese guitar, a 12-stringed chordophone depicted in the Doodle artwork.

Happy Dia de Camões, Portugal!

[9A]

10 June 2016

UEFA Euro 2016





It’s time for UEFA Euro 2016! France plays host to the world’s second-largest football championships from June 10 – July 10. Nearly 2 million fans are expected to travel to France to cheer teams from 24 countries in stadiums across the nation, while over 300 million are expected to tune in from afar. Whether you’re hoping Spain will defend their title or are counting on an upset, here’s to an exciting tournament!

[9A]

13 Jun 2016

Theodosia Okoh’s 94th birthday



Happy Birthday Theodosia Salome Okoh! Affectionately known as “Dosia, Mama Maa” or simply “Maa,” she was a very influential Ghanaian, best known for designing the country’s national flag.

For today's blog post, the Google team collaborated with Okoh's family who shared Okoh’s vision for the flag. From her family: “She always said that the ends of the Black Star must touch the bottom line of the red band and the top line of the green band in the flag.”

Fifty nine years after Okoh first designed the flag, the vibrant stripes of red, yellow, and green behind a black star, remain a strong symbol of national pride and identity for the Ghanaian people.

Okoh, who would have been 94 years old today, was not only an artist but an athlete who led the Ghanaian hockey team to their first ever World Cup appearance. The team also won the Fair Play Award, Ghana's first ever international hockey award, during her tenure. She went on to become the first female chairman of the Ghana Hockey Association and later, served as President of the Ghana Hockey Federation for 20 years. To honor her contributions, the hockey stadium in the center of Accra is named after her.

When the Mayor of Accra sought to change the name, she defended it with the same zeal she showed during games. According to Okoh's family, "Many people in Ghana will remember the infamous cartoon of her pulling the mayor of Accra’s beard in one hand with an oversize pair of scissors in the other, threatening to cut off his beard for having the gall to try and change the name of the hockey stadium."

We hope today’s Doodle by Alyssa Winans inspires people everywhere to pursue their passions, and Ghanaians to celebrate their magnificent flag and the powerful woman behind it.

This Doodle's Reach

[9A]

20 Jun 2013

Aleksander Fredro's 220th birthday




Aleksander Fredro was a Polish poet, playwright and author active during Polish Romanticism in the period of partitions by neighboring empires. His works including plays written in the octosyllabic verse [Zemsta] and in prose [Damy i Huzary] as well as fables, belong to the canon of Polish literature. Fredro was harshly criticized by some of his contemporaries for light-hearted humor or even alleged immorality [Seweryn Goszczyński, 1835] which led to years of his literary silence. Many of Fredro's dozens of plays were published and popularized only after his death. His best-known works have been translated into English, French, German, Russian, Czech, Romanian, Hungarian and Slovak.

[9A]

20 June 2016

45th Anniversary of The First Broadcast of El Chavo del Ocho



El Chavo made his TV debut 45 years ago today, marking the beginning of a beloved TV institution in Mexico, parts of the United States, and in many other countries in Latin America. At the height of its popularity, El Chavo del Ocho was the most-watched show on Mexican television. The show’s courageous orphan and his friends got themselves into and out of trouble, all the while endearing themselves to generations of fans. Tens of millions of viewers still watch the animated version of the show, El Chavo Animado, every day.

Today’s Doodle pays tribute to the creation by Roberto Gómez Bolaños. Thank you, Chesperito, for forty-five years of laughs.

[9A]

21 March 2018

Guillermo Haro’s 105th Birthday




If you’re stargazing tonight, look for three stars, closely aligned. These are known as the 'Three Sisters', and they are part of the constellation Orion, representing Orion's belt. They belong to an astral region that pivoted Mexican astronomer Guillermo Haro to fame.

Born in Mexico in 1913, Haro grew up during the Mexican revolution and graduated in philosophy before embarking upon a career in astronomy. Amongst his biggest contributions to the science was the discovery of a type of planetary nebulae named Herbig-Haro objects. He also discovered flare stars - red and blue bright stars - in the region of the Orion constellation. These contributions led to Haro becoming the first Mexican elected to the Royal Astronomical Society, in 1959.

Haro's legacy endures to this day through the National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics, and Electronics, which he established to support science students in their professional careers. The institute also runs an observatory named after him in the Mexican state of Sonora.

When you look up at the sky tonight, wish a very happy 105th birthday to Guillermo Haro, a star on his own right.

[9A]

28 Dec 2019

Thanpuying Puangroi Apaiwong's 105th Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates Thai composer Thanpuying Puangroi Apaiwong on her 105th birthday. Of her more than 100 compositions, she is best known for the classic “Bua Kao” [“White Lotus”], which was awarded as “Song of Asia” by UNESCO in 1979 and made her a staple in the national repertoire.

Born Mom Puangroi Sanit Wong in Bangkok on this day in 1914, she learned to play the piano and the guitar at a young age. Composing and playing tunes for her family, she showed an undoubted passion and went on to study music at Trinity College London.

During the first half of the twentieth century, as foreign music like Western classical and jazz gained popularity, a new genre named Phleng Thai sakon [roughly translating to "international-style Thai music"] arose. The genre blended elements from traditional Thai music with instruments of Western classical, and Apaiwong became one of its leading artists. She composed music for plays and movies, for the royal family, and for special national occasions.

Apaiwong devoted her life to music, playing weekly for nearly 22 years with a group of classical musicians to raise funds for various educational institutions. She was also awarded the Performing Arts award by the Board of National Culture in 1986, as well as five royal decorations for her contributions.

สุขสันต์วันเกิด, Thanpuying Puangroi Apaiwong!

[9A]

11 Dec 2019

Noel Rosa’s 109th Birthday



Today’s Doodle celebrates the 109th birthday of the beloved Brazilian singer and songwriter Noel Rosa. Known as the “Poeta da Vila” [Poet from Vila], his observational and comedic style earned him a special place in the history of samba, the popular music of the Brazilian people.

Born in the Vila Isabel neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro on this day in 1910, Rosa grew up in a musical family. He started playing the mandolin at age 13 and soon learned the guitar as well.

A gifted student, he entered medical school in 1931. However, when he had to choose between medicine and music, Rosa’s choice became clear. Rosa devoted his energy to writing music and created his own style of samba by mixing witty lyrics with unpredictable twists and turns of melody and bridging the gap between rural Afro-Brazilian traditions and the sound of urban nightlife.

He had his breakthrough with "Com que roupa?," which became one of the biggest hits in 1931 in Brazil and the first of many memorable songs. With his songwriting partner Vadico, he also wrote a series of popular compositions such as "Feitiço da Vila" ["Witchcraft of the Villa"] and "Feitio de Oração" ["In the Form of a Prayer"].

Composing around 260 songs over a period of eight years, Rosa established a body of work that has remained popular to this day. His legacy lives on in the hearts of cariocas [residents of Rio de Janeiro] and samba lovers around the world.

Parabéns, Noel Rosa!

[9A]

11 December 2010

Carlos Gardel's Birthday



Carlos Gardel was a French-born Argentine singer, songwriter, composer and actor, and the most prominent figure in the history of tango. He was one of the most influential interpreters of world popular music in the first half of the 20th century. Gardel is the most famous popular tango singer of all time and is recognized throughout the world. He was notable for his baritone voice and the dramatic phrasing of his lyrics. Together with lyricist and long-time collaborator Alfredo Le Pera, Gardel wrote several classic tangos.

[9A]

6 Dec 2010

St Nicolas' Day 2010




Saint Nicholas Day, also called the Feast of Saint Nicholas, observed on 5 December or on 6 December in Western Christian countries, and on 19 December in Eastern Christian countries using the old church Calendar, is the feast day of Saint Nicholas of Myra; it falls within the season of Advent. It is celebrated as a Christian festival with particular regard to Saint Nicholas' reputation as a bringer of gifts, as well as through the attendance of church services.

The American Santa Claus, as well as the British Father Christmas, derive from Saint Nicholas. "Santa Claus" is itself derived in part from the Dutch Sinterklaas, the saint's name in that language. However, the gift giving associated with these descendant figures is associated with Christmas Day rather than Saint Nicholas Day itself.

[9A]

3 Dec 2011

Nino Rota's 100th Birthday




Giovanni Rota Rinaldi better known as Nino Rota was an Italian composer, pianist, conductor and academic who is best known for his film scores, notably for the films of Federico Fellini and Luchino Visconti. He also composed the music for two of Franco Zeffirelli's Shakespeare films, and for the first two films of Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather trilogy, earning the Academy Award for Best Original Score for The Godfather Part II [1974].

[9A]

1 Dec 2011

Romanian National Day

[9A]

10 January 2020

Vicente Huidobro's 127th Birthday



Today’s Doodle, illustrated by London-based guest artist Luisa Rivera, celebrates avant-garde Chilean poet and writer Vicente Huidobro on his 127th birthday. Widely known as the “father of the Creacionismo [Creationism] literary movement,” Huidobro refused to be confined by literary orthodoxy. Instead, he used the written word to push the limits of creativity.

Vicente García-Huidobro Fernández was born in 1893 in Santiago, Chile. He became a poet like his mother, first published at the early age of 12, and went on to study literature at the University of Chile.

Gradually, he began to feel confined by traditional poetic standards, and in 1914 he rejected them in his manifesto, Non Serviam [“I Will Not Serve”].

Huidobro moved to Paris to collaborate with surrealist poets Guillaume Apollinaire and Pierre Reverdy on the literary magazine they founded, Nord-sud [North-South]. In Paris, he invented Creacionismo, the idea that poets should create their own imaginary worlds instead of writing about nature in traditional styles with traditional language. Poemas árticos [“Arctic Poems,” 1918] and Saisons Choisies [“Chosen Seasons,” 1921] are some examples, but the 1931 long-form poem Altazor is Huidobro’s definitive Creacionismo work.


His well-known lines from his poem Arte Poetica [Poetic Art], “Let the verse be like a key / That opens a thousand doors,” represents his style and inspired today’s Doodle art, which infuses different images that appear in his poetry.

Huidobro wrote over 40 books, including plays, novels, manifestos, and poetry. He constantly encouraged literary experimentation and influenced many Latin American poets who succeeded him.

¡Feliz cumpleaños, Vicente Huidobro!

[9A]

3 Jan 2020

Nabil Ali Mohamed’s 82nd Birthday


Today’s Doodle celebrates Egyptian pioneer of Arabic language computing, Dr. Nabil Ali, on his 82nd birthday. Dr. Nabil Ali’s innovations in the field of computational linguistics propelled the Arab world into the Information Age by creating programs that enabled computers to understand Arabic in digital form.

Dr. Nabil Ali was born in Cairo on this day in 1938. Expressing an interest in art at a young age, Mohamed was inspired to apply his creative passion for visual aesthetics to the world of engineering. After obtaining his PhD in Aeronautical Engineering at Cairo University, he spent over 20 years working as an engineer with the Egyptian Air Force, as well as with various computer and electronics companies throughout the world.

For Dr. Nabil Ali, digitization of Arabic, with its complex linguistic rules and morphology, was a way to connect Arabic speakers with the world.

Over the course of his career, Dr. Nabil Ali published a number of papers, books, and technical reports in support of the developments he was making in the field of computational linguistics. His work won him several awards, including the prestigious Saudi Arabian award, the King Faisal Prize, in 2012—recognizing his pioneering contributions to the Arabic Language and Literature.

Happy birthday, Dr. Nabil Ali!

[9A]

30 Nov 2019

St Andrew's Day 2019




St. Andrew’s Day is a celebration of Scotland’s people, culture, and charity highlighted in today's Doodle, illustrated by Scotland-based guest artist Scott Balmer. The holiday marks the officially unofficial start of winter in Scotland.

As the religious feast day of St. Andrew, November 30th has been observed in Scotland for centuries. St. Andrew’s Day as a national holiday did not take shape until an unexpected connection to the USA in the 18th century.

In 1729, the Scottish residents of Charleston, South Carolina, formed the first St. Andrew’s Society as a charitable organization. Choosing the feast day of St. Andrew to celebrate their homeland, the news of their philanthropic efforts spread quickly. The members of the organization embodied the message of the holiday by giving back to those in need, and continue to do so around the world to this day.

Throughout the country, you’ll find the Saltire flag proudly flying, parades through city thoroughfares, fireworks, and lots of Cèilidh dances. Evolving from couples dances in rural villages, Cèilidh dances are meant to welcome all those who wish to join.

If you’re a Scot abroad, in the Highlands, or just Scottish at heart, get ready to dance the night away, and make sure to have some haggis before the night is over.

Happy St. Andrew’s Day!​

[9A]

30 November 2016

St. Andrew's Day 2016



St. Andrew’s Day is Scotland’s official national day, celebrating the feast day of St. Andrew—the nation’s patron saint since the 10th century. The Scottish government mandates that the flag, also known as the Saltire or St. Andrew’s Cross, is flown today on every building with a flagpole. Festivities will include traditional Scottish foods like haggis, neeps, and tatties, as well as parades, music, and dancing. The celebrations kick off Scotland’s winter festival season.

Today’s Doodle features the Scottish flag proudly waving against the backdrop of famed locations throughout the country, including Cuillin Hills, Ben Nevis, Broch of Mousa, Isle of Skye, and Loch Lomond.

[9A]

30 November 2021

St. Andrew's Day 2021





Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Glasgow, Scotland-based guest artist Fran Caballero, celebrates St. Andrew’s Day, the official national day of Scotland. The artwork pays homage to this annual holiday with symbols that illustrate key aspects of Scottish culture and heritage.

Although the existence of a brontosaurus-esque monster in its waters is the stuff of fantasy and folklore, the Loch [Gaelic for “lake”] Ness in the Scottish Highlands is very real. The upper left of the Doodle artwork reflects these dramatic depths and the ancient legend surrounding them. Reaching over 800 feet in some spots, Loch Ness is among the deepest bodies of water in the United Kingdom!

The lower left depicts a red squirrel, part of Scotland’s most beloved wildlife. The national flower of Scotland for over 500 years, the thistle, is illustrated in the artwork’s center as an enduring symbol of St. Andrew and Scottish pride. A medieval castle is depicted on the far right panel, showcasing definitive architecture from Celtic history.

Happy St. Andrew’s Day!

[9A]

28 Nov 2021

35th anniversary of Taroko National Park





In the language of Taiwan’s indigenous Truku people, taroko means magnificent or beautiful. Taroko Park—the Truku people’s ancestral home—reflects the grandiosity of its title as one of Taiwan’s nine national parks. Today’s Doodle celebrates this protected park on the 35th anniversary of the day it was established to formally conserve the nation’s natural beauty and biodiversity. The Doodle artwork depicts the Taroko Gorge Waterfalls and the Eternal Spring Shrine.

From the precipitous white marble walls of Taroko Gorge to the active steam vents of Taiwan’s tallest volcano Mount Qixing, Taroko Park serves as an epicenter of scientific research and environmental education. The reserve spans over 350 square miles, ranging across an expansive Pacific shoreline to 140 rugged mountain peaks—27 of which stand among the nation’s 100 tallest mountains! These peaks were formed by the collision of two massive tectonic plates over millions of years, and the Central Mountain Range continues to be elevated by several millimeters annually.

As a gathering place for outdoor adventurists and wildlife enthusiasts alike, Taroko’s widely varied geography creates several climate zones that provide habitats for hundreds of species of flora and fauna. The alpine forests of the park’s higher elevations support tree-dwelling mammals like the Formosan rock macaque, Taiwan’s only indigenous primate. Its lower regions harbor an exceptional collection of plant and animal life, including over 300 butterfly species.

Happy 35th Anniversary, Taroko National Park!

[9A]

25 Nov 2021

Thanksgiving 2021



The classic Thanksgiving spread depicted in today’s Doodle aims to capture why there is much to be thankful for this year. Marching to the beat—it’s all gravy for the yam, yellow potato, pumpkin pie, corn, and cranberry!

In the spirit of togetherness, take a moment to pass around a favorite dish and express gratitude to a loved one. It’s bound to be a fulfilling feast.

Happy Thanksgiving!

[9A]

20 Nov 2021

Edmond Dédé's 194th birthday






Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Brooklyn, NY-based guest artist Lyne Lucien, celebrates Creole classical musician and composer Edmond Dédé. The melody to his 1851 composition “Mon Pauvre Cœur” [My Poor Heart] remains one of the oldest surviving pieces of sheet music by a Black Creole composer in New Orleans.

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. on this day in 1827, Dédé picked up the clarinet from his father, a bandmaster in a local military band. He switched to the violin, which soon became Dédé’s instrument of choice as he developed into a musical prodigy. Apprenticing under prominent New Orleans musicians, Dédé left home for Mexico to escape the increasing racial prejudice in the American South.

He returned home in 1851 and published “Mon Pauvre Cœur.” He worked briefly to save money before leaving again to continue his classical studies in France. In the late 1850s, he landed a position at the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux, where his creativity thrived. He also worked at the Théâtre de l'Alcazar and the Folies Bordelaises. His ballets, operettas, overtures, and over 250 songs achieved massive success in France yet gained little traction in the U.S. In 1893, en route to his only musical appearance back in New Orleans, Dédé lost his favorite Cremona violin in a shipwreck but managed to find a replacement just in time for his performance!

Despite living in a time of severe racial discrimination, Dédé’s talent led him to become a world-class composer. Most of Dédé’s sheet music is preserved in the National Library of France and several American universities. His story continues to inspire contemporary classical musicians to take pride in their heritage and honor the contributions of musicians from historically overlooked communities.

[9A]

20 November 2022

2022 World Cup - Opening Day!







Let the 2022 World Cup games begin! The tournament takes place every four years and attracts football [or “soccer”] fans from all over the globe. This is the first-ever World Cup to take place in the Middle East.

Over the next month, players from the national teams of 32 countries will compete in a series of elimination games, culminating on December 18, when one national team will be crowned the 2022 World Cup Champion.

Want to get in on the action yourself? Google “world cup qatar 2022” on your mobile device to compete with fans in our multiplayer online game. People from around the world can work together to help their favorite team score the most goals. Once a real-life match is set in the World Cup schedule, it will appear in the game menu. Pick the game and team you want to support and work with other fans to score the most virtual GOAAAAALLLLS. When the final buzzer sounds in the real-life match, the virtual match will also end and name a winner!



Good luck to all the teams! See you on the [real and virtual ] pitch.

[9A]

20 November 2013

Children's Day 2013 [Multiple Countries]

[9A]

20 November 2014

Corita Kent's 96th Birthday




American nun and artist Corita Kent said it best with her quote, “To understand is to stand under which is to look up to which is a good way to understand.” Kent gained popularity in the 1960s and 1970s with her artwork that featured messages of love and peace. Today, we mark her 96th birthday.

[9A]

20 November 2019

Teachers' Day 2019 [Vietnam]

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20 November 2015

Nadine Gordimer’s 92nd Birthday



Today's Doodle features Nobel Prize winning author Nadine Gordimer laboring in her study, where she typically worked from early morning into the late afternoon. A dear friend of Nelson Mandela’s and a powerful voice for change in South African politics, Gordimer moved untold thousands with the pathos of her sparse, penetrating narratives.

In a style befitting Gordimer’s prose, Doodler Lydia Nichols exercised restraint by using only three colors, which she has layered to create texture and subtle variation. Gordimer, who attended just one year of university, died in July of last year. She was once asked how she developed such a sophisticated command of the language in the absence of any formal training. “From reading,” she said. “And living, of course.” Today marks her 92nd birthday.

[9A]

20 November 2013

Selma Lagerlöf's 155th Birthday



Selma Ottilia Lovisa Lagerlöf was a Swedish author. She published her first novel, Gösta Berling's Saga, at the age of 33. She was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, which she was awarded in 1909. Additionally, she was the first woman to be granted a membership in the Swedish Academy in 1914.

[9A]

20 November 2012

Otto von Guericke's 410th Birthday




Otto von Guericke was a German scientist, inventor, and politician. His pioneering scientific work, the development of experimental methods and repeatable demonstrations on the physics of the vacuum, atmospheric pressure, electrostatic repulsion, his advocacy for the reality of "action at a distance" and of "absolute space" were noteworthy contributions for the advancement of the Scientific Revolution.

[9A]

13 May 2021

Zofia Stryjeńska's 130th birthday



Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Poland-based guest artist Dixie Leota, celebrates the 130th birthday of Polish painter, graphic designer, illustrator, and stage designer Zofia Stryjeńska, who is widely regarded as one of the most significant Polish art deco artists of the early 1900s. Across its countless mediums, Stryjeńska’s bold and adventurous work mirrors her personality as an uncompromising heroine of creativity and artistic expression.

Born Zofia Lubańska on this day in 1891 in Kraków, Poland, Zofia Stryjeńska began painting caricatures of her father’s customers in his glove shop, developing a talent that became her life’s passion. But gender barriers stood in the way of her artistic pursuits; barriers she was determined to break. As the Munich Academy of Fine Arts—her top choice of schools—was a traditionally all-male institution, Stryjeńska cut her hair and attended the university disguised as a man. But after a year in Munich, the pressure of keeping her identity hidden pushed her to return home to Kraków.

Inspired by the history of her national identity, Stryjeńska began her career at 21 with a series of paintings based on Polish folklore. This modern take on a traditional art form became her hallmark; a style that gained popularity as Poland had recently regained its independence in 1911 and its citizens cherished their historical iconography. Her 1917 series of surrealist lithographs entitled “Bożki Słowiańskie” [“Slavic Idols”] saw massive success and was printed on everything from postcards to chocolates.

An expert of folk costumes and Slavic mythology, Stryjeńska expressed the love of her heritage in work that ranged from wooden chess pieces to ballet costumes, like those designed for the 1930s Polish ballet “Harnasie.”

Happy birthday, Zofia Stryjeńska!

[9A]

21 August 2018

Ismat Chughtai's 107th Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates Ismat Chughtai, the Indian author who championed free speech, social liberation, and gender equality through her writing. The grande dame of Urdu fiction would have been 107 today.

According to Chughtai’s family, she was born August 21, 1911[contrary to most published reports, which cite her birthdate being four years later, in 1915]. The ninth of ten children, Chughtai grew up in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. She began writing at an early age, inspired by her elder brother Mirza Azim Beg Chughtai, a novelist known for his playful humorous works.

In the 1930s, Chughtai attended a meeting of the Progressive Writers Association and became interested in using her talents to advocate for human rights. Raised in a Muslim household, Chughtai’s best-known works questioned double standards and encouraged liberation.Her short story “Lihaf” [The Quilt], narrated in the voice of a young girl, was viewed as controversial given its portrayal of a relationship between an upper class woman and her servant. This was also the case for another of her famous stories, “Gainda” [Marigold], which told the tale of a domestic worker who falls in love outside the caste system. Chughtai’s character violated the rules prohibiting different castes from associating with one another, as well as the social custom forbidding widows from pursuing a second love.

Chughtai was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1976 In recognition of her literary accomplishments and her fearless dedication to her beliefs.In 1980s and 1990s, a new generation of Indian writers picked up where Chughtai left off. Today, she continues to be regarded as a national feminist icon.

Happy Birthday, Ismat Chughtai!

[9A]

20 November 2019

Maude ‘Lores’ Bonney’s 122nd Birthday





Today’s Doodle celebrates Australian aviator Maude Rose ‘Lores’ Bonney, who was the first woman to fly solo from Australia to England. A pioneer for women in aviation, she completed the 1933 journey in 157 hours of flight time, surviving a groundbreaking voyage fraught with peril as she flew through heavy storms, survived two crashes, and had an encounter with a herd of water buffalo.

A flight with her husband’s cousin in 1928 sparked her desire to become a pilot. By 1931, Lores had dedicated herself to flying, embarking on her first solo flight in a Gipsy Moth biplane named My Little Ship. A record-breaking first flight, it took Lores nearly 15 hours to fly south from Brisbane, Queensland, to meet her father for dinner in Wangaratta, Victoria.

Lores continued to push the boundaries for aviators with each successive flight, and in 1937, Lores became the first person to fly solo from Australia to her birthplace of South Africa.

With her honorary doctorate from Griffith University, confirmation as a Member of the Order of the British Empire [MBE] and a Member of the Order of Australia [AM], as well as a Queensland electoral district named after her, Lores’ achievements serve to inspire pilots of the future. Unlike Lores, however, today’s pilots have access to a radio and won’t have to do their own maintenance to get to their destination.

[9A]

21 November 2010

Loy Krathong Festival 2010





Loy Krathong is a Thai festival celebrated annually throughout Thailand and in nearby countries with significant South Western Tai cultures [Laos, Shan, Mon, Tanintharyi, Kelantan, Kedah, and Xishuangbanna]. The name could be translated as "to float ritual vessel or lamp," and comes from the tradition of making krathong or buoyant, decorated baskets, which are then floated on a river. Many Thais use the krathong to thank the Goddess of Water, Phra Mae Khongkha or to worship the Buddha's hair pagoda in heaven. This festival can see the traces of its origin back to both India and China.

Loy Krathong takes place on the evening of the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar, thus the exact date of the festival changes every year. In the Western calendar this usually falls in the month of November. In Chiang Mai, the festival lasts three days, and in 2018, the dates were 21–23 November.

In Thailand, the festival is known as Loi Krathong. Outside Thailand, this festival is celebrated under different names, including Myanmar as the "Tazaungdaing festival", Sri Lanka as "Il Full Moon Poya", China as "Lantern Festival" and Cambodia as Bon Om Touk".

[9A]

23 Nov 2010

Labour Thanksgiving Day 2010




Labor Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in Japan. It takes place annually on November 23. The law establishing the holiday, which was adopted during the American occupation after World War II, cites it as an occasion for commemorating labor and production and giving each other thanks.

[9A]

23 November 2018

Nikolai Nosov’s 110th Birthday





Blending fairy tales, fantasy, and science fiction, Nikolai Nosov wrote children’s literature whose playful prose delivered powerful insights into human nature. His short stories like “Alive Hat,” “Cucumbers,” and “Miraculous Trousers,” and a humorous trilogy of novels about the misadventures of a very small boy named Neznaika [whose name translates as “Know-Nothing” in English] made Nosov a favorite of young readers all over Russia and beyond.

Born on this day in 1908 in Kiev, Ukraine, Nosov attended the Moscow Institute of Cinematography and worked as a producer of animated educational films before he began publishing fiction, often in popular children’s magazines like Murzilka. In 1952 his endearing novel Vitya Maleev at School and at Home was awarded the Stalin Prize, the Soviet Union’s state award, elevating his profile as a writer considerably. The book was later adapted into a comic film called Two Friends.

In 1954 he published the first volume of the Neznaika trilogy—in both Russian and Ukrainian—with two subsequent novels in the series appearing in 1958 and 1967. Set within a town in fairyland populated by tiny people called “Mites” who are “no bigger than a pine cone,” the action centers around an impulsive and easily distracted boy whose belief that he knows everything is always getting him into trouble. In 1969, Nosov won a new literary prize for his trilogy, which has since been adapted into numerous film versions, endearing his characters to countless generations of readers as parents who grew up on Neznaika grow up and the books to their own children.

Happy Birthday, Nikolai Nosov!

[9A]

23 November 2010

Thanksgiving 2010 by Ina Garten, part 1

[9A]

21 November 2022

Virgínia Leone Bicudo's 112th birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates Brazilian psychoanalyst Virgínia Leone Bicudo’s 112th birthday. As a psychoanalyst who pioneered race studies in Brazil, she made sure Black perspectives were heard in academia.

Bicudo was born on this day in 1910 in São Paulo. Her mother was an Italian immigrant and housemaid, and her father, a Black man, dreamed of becoming a doctor. After Medical schools denied his application on the basis of his skin color, her father decided to invest in his children’s education.

Bicudo inherited her parent’s ambitions and prioritized studying at a young age. In 1930, she graduated from Escola Caetano de Campos. She completed a course in public health education before taking a job as a psychiatric attendant. Bicudo quickly earned a promotion and worked as a supervisor in the Infant Oriented Clinic in São Paulo.

In 1936, Bicudo enrolled in the Free School of Sociology and Politics, Brazil’s first higher education institution that taught social sciences. She was the only woman in the program. During her time at this school, she learned about Sigmund Freud.

She graduated two years later with a bachelor’s degree. Bicudo believed she could use psychoanalysis to better understand racial tensions in Brazil, which had significantly impacted both her and her father’s lives.

Bicudo also pursued graduate studies at the same school. Her dissertation was the first postgraduate work in Brazil that focused on race relations. This earned her an invitation to participate in a UNESCO research project analyzing race in different countries. Her research concluded Brazil was not a racial democracy, which contradicted her advisor’s beliefs, and caused her work to go unpublished.


After returning to Brazil, Bicudo was treated like an imposter in academic circles because she did not have a medical degree. In 1959, she moved to London and studied with some of the most prominent psychoanalysts of the time. She transmitted lectures to Brazil through the BBC to publicize her work.

After returning to Brazil in 1959, Bicudo founded the Institute of Psychoanalysis of the Brasília Society of Psychoanalysis. She also hosted “Our Mental World,” one of Brazil’s most popular radio programs, while writing a column in the newspaper under the same title. Bicudo’s efforts and resilience laid the groundwork for generations of women psychoanalysts to come. You can find her thesis online if you’d like to learn more!

Happy birthday, Virgínia Leone Bicudo!

[9A]

21 Nov 2022

Celebrating Marie Tharp




Today’s Doodle celebrates the life of Marie Tharp, an American geologist and oceanographic cartographer who helped prove the theories of continental drift. She co-published the first world map of the ocean floors. On this day in 1998, the Library of Congress named Tharp one of the greatest cartographers of the 20th century.

Marie Tharp was an only child born on July 30, 1920, in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Tharp’s father, who worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, gave her an early introduction to mapmaking. She attended the University of Michigan for her master’s degree in petroleum geology—this was particularly impressive given so few women worked in science during this period. She moved to New York City in 1948 and became the first woman to work at the Lamont Geological Observatory where she met geologist Bruce Heezen.

Heezen gathered ocean-depth data in the Atlantic Ocean, which Tharp used to create maps of the mysterious ocean floor. New findings from echo sounders [sonars used to find water depth] helped her discover the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. She brought these findings to Heezen, who infamously dismissed this as “girl talk”.

However, when they compared these V-shaped rifts with earthquake epicenter maps, Heezen could not ignore the facts. Plate tectonics and continental drift were no longer just theories—the seafloor was undoubtedly spreading. In 1957, Tharp and Heezen co-published the first map of the ocean floor in the North Atlantic. Twenty years later, National Geographic published the first world map of the entire ocean floor penned by Tharp and Heezen, titled “The World Ocean Floor.”

Tharp donated her entire map collection to the Library of Congress in 1995. On the 100th anniversary celebration of its Geography and Map Division, the Library of Congress named her one of the most important cartographers in the 20th century. In 2001, the same observatory where she started her career awarded her with its first annual Lamont-Doherty Heritage Award.

Click on today’s Doodle to begin your journey through Tharp’s extraordinary life and scientific contributions!

[9A]

21 November 2019

Celebrating Matilde Hidalgo de Procel



Today’s Doodle celebrates Ecuadorian physician, poet, and activist Matilde Hidalgo de Procel, who was born on September 29th, 1889 in the city of Loja and became the first woman to vote in Latin America in 1924. Inspiring her native Ecuador to become the first Latin American state to grant suffrage to all women, this trailblazing pioneer for women’s rights smashed through glass ceilings throughout her entire lifetime, also becoming the first female Ecuadorian doctor on this day in 1921.

The youngest of six children raised by a widowed seamstress, Procel aspired to continue her education past sixth grade. Her older brother Antonio requested that his sister be allowed to attend high school with him, and the Director of Bernardo Valdivieso School granted their wish. Despite being ostracized by her peers, Procel persevered, graduating with honors in 1913.

She went on to study medicine at the Universidad del Azuay [now known as University of Cuenca], and the Central University, becoming the first female doctor in Ecuadorian history.

By signing the register of voters in 1924, Procel set the stage for yet another “first.” When the State Council questioned her right to vote, she pointed out that Ecuador’s Constitution makes no mention of gender as a requirement for voting—only citizenship, age, and literacy. Her argument was affirmed by unanimous vote, ensuring that both Procel and Ecuador would go down in history.

After a lifetime of leadership, Procel eventually ran for public office, becoming Ecuador’s first female elected official in 1941. The Ecuadorian government awarded her the Medal of Merit and the Medal of Public Health, while her hometown of Loja established a museum in her honor.