Google doodles

[9A]

4 February 2013

Last day of the Canadian Penny



In Canada, a penny is a coin worth one cent, or 1⁄100 of a dollar. According to the Royal Canadian Mint, the official national term for the coin is the "one-cent piece", but in practice the terms penny and cent predominate. Penny was likely readily adopted because the previous coinage in Canada [up to 1858] was the British monetary system, where Canada used British pounds, shillings, and pence as coinage alongside U.S. decimal coins and Spanish milled dollars.

In Canadian French, the penny is often known by the loanword cent; in contrast with the heteronymous word meaning "hundred", this keeps the English pronunciation. Slang terms include cenne, cenne noire, or sou noir [black penny], although common Quebec French usage is sou.

Production of the penny ceased in May 2012, and the Royal Canadian Mint ceased distribution of them as of February 4, 2013. However, the coin remains legal tender. Nevertheless, once distribution of the coin ceased, vendors were no longer expected to return pennies as change for cash purchases, and were encouraged to round purchases to the nearest five cents. Non-cash transactions are still denominated to the cent.

[9A]

22 August 2022

Celebrating Cláudia Celeste


Today’s Doodle celebrates the life of Cláudia Celeste, the first trangender actress to appear in Brazilian telenovelas. She won and organized many beauty pageants, and was also a singer, dancer, director, producer and author. Despite the obstacles and challenges she faced, Celeste became an inspiring figure who opened the door for future generations of trangender and LGBTQ+ talent in Brazil. On this day in 1988, was the first time Cláudia appeared in a role as an openly trans woman in the opening episode of "Olho por Olho".

Celeste was born in Brazil in 1952. She started exploring her identity and talents while in the army. After serving, she earned her beauty diploma and became a hairdresser in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro when she was 20. According to her, daily life working at the salon inspired her decision to transition. That same year, she accompanied a friend to a theater audition and was chosen to perform as well. She made her debut as a dancer on the stage of Beco de Garrafas.

In 1973, a theater in Rio de Janeiro called Teatro Rival became the first to obtain a government license to perform “O mundo é das Bonecas”. Celeste was invited as a lead alongside other well-known transgender actors. After the show’s success, other productions recognized her talents and provided opportunities to dance throughout many nightclubs in Brazil.

In 1976, Celeste decided to compete in the Miss Brazil Pop pageant and won the contest. One year later, she was invited to act in a soap opera called "Magic Mirror" after its director saw one of her performances at the Teatro Rival. No one in the cast or crew knew she was transgender, and headlines drew negative attention to the news after her first scene. The show was canceled soon after, and she moved to Europe to pursue other opportunities.

Upon returning to Brazil, Celeste auditioned to star in a soap opera called "Olho por Olho" and won the role over 200 others. Her commitment to the character was unmatched, constantly giving her valuable opinion on the script and narrative. Although she faced discrimination being ousted from the cast when her trans identity was "found out" my management, she pushed forward into new opportunities for the rest of her career, cementing her legacy as a pioneer who fought for the rights of transgender and LGBTQ+ performers everywhere.

[9A]

21 Aug 2022'

Azah Aziz's 94th birthday


Today’s Doodle celebrates what would have been Azah Aziz’s 94th birthday. She spent her life contributing to the preservation of Malaysian art and tradition. Given her legacy, Aziz was named Tokoh Budayawan Melayu or figure of Malaysian culture.

Aziz was born in Singapore in 1928. Her keen interest in language, culture and the arts had been nurtured by her mother, Azizah, who was from a distinguished Johor family and a pioneer in domestic science studies. Aziz inherited a fine collection of early Malay textiles and garments from her mother which fueled her passion for the culture that lasted throughout her life and paved the way to becoming a respected Malay culture expert.

Aziz became a secretary for a newspaper editor-in-chief, eventually moving up the ladder in the field of journalism. She started Akaz, her own publishing company, where she elevated Malaysian arts and contributed to a number of publications including Malaysia's first Malay daily afternoon tabloid Harian Metro and Malaysia’s oldest newspaper New Straits Times.


Aziz also published books as well as children’s songs and poems, becoming the first woman in Malaysia to do so. By the end of her 10 year career as a journalist, she founded the Malaysian Women's Journalists Association and became the president of the National Writers Association of Malaysia.

In addition to her work as a writer, Aziz was a pioneer for women’s rights. She championed salary equality, separate taxes for working wives, Muslim family amendments and later founded the Islamic Women's Action Organization.

Throughout the years, she collected antique garments and fabrics from the old Malay world. With her in-depth knowledge of costume, jewelry and textiles, she lectured about and introduced Malay culture to art festivals and international seminars. Additionally, she wrote a book on the subject titled Rupa dan gaya: Busana Melayu [2006].

She spent her life elevating Malaysian customs so its culture could continue to thrive around the world. For preserving Malay heritage, Aziz was awarded an honorary Doctorate degree of arts and education.

Happy birthday, Azah Aziz! You uplifted the status of Malay traditions and will always be remembered for your contributions as a cultural icon.

[9A]

23 August 2012

Alexander Grin's 132th Birthday



Aleksandr Stepanovich Grinevsky [better known by his pen name, Aleksandr Green] was a Russian writer, notable for his romantic novels and short stories, mostly set in an unnamed fantasy land with a European or Latin American flavor [Grin's fans often refer to this land as Grinlandia]. Most of his writings deal with sea, adventures, and love.

[9A]

5 Feb 2013

64th anniversary of Alberto Larraguibel's record setting Puissance jump







Colonel Alberto Larraguibel Morales was a Chilean Army officer born in Angol, Chile. He remains as the record holder for highest jump, one of the longest-running unbroken sport records in history – 72 years as of 2021.

Larraguibel broke the equestrian high jump record at 2.47 metres [8.1 ft], riding Huaso, formerly called "Faithful", at the Official International Event in Viña del Mar, Chile on February 5, 1949.

[9A]

11 Feb 2015

Zdeněk Burian’s 110th Birthday




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

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

[9A]

13 Feb 2015

Ivan Andreyevich Krylov’s 246th Birthday










In Russia, our doodle depicts “The Crow and the Fox,” a fable by Russian fabulist Ivan Andreyevich Krylov for his 246th birthday.

[9A]

16 February 2010

2010 Vancouver Olympic Games - Curling





Curling is a sport in which players slide stones on a sheet of ice toward a target area which is segmented into four concentric circles. It is related to bowls, boules and shuffleboard. Two teams, each with four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite rocks, also called stones, across the ice curling sheet toward the house, a circular target marked on the ice. Each team has eight stones, with each player throwing two. The purpose is to accumulate the highest score for a game; points are scored for the stones resting closest to the centre of the house at the conclusion of each end, which is completed when both teams have thrown all of their stones. A game usually consists of eight or ten ends.

The player can induce a curved path, described as curl, by causing the stone to slowly turn as it slides. The path of the rock may be further influenced by two sweepers with brooms or brushes, who accompany it as it slides down the sheet and sweep the ice in front of the stone. "Sweeping a rock" decreases the friction, which makes the stone travel a straighter path [with less "curl"] and a longer distance. A great deal of strategy and teamwork go into choosing the ideal path and placement of a stone for each situation, and the skills of the curlers determine the degree to which the stone will achieve the desired result. This gives curling its nickname of "chess on ice".

[9A]

17 Feb 2011

Guillermo Gonzalez Camarena's Birthday







Guillermo González Camarenawas a Mexican electrical engineer who was the inventor of a color-wheel type of color television, and who also introduced color television to the world.

[9A]

14 Nov 2016

Doodle 4 Google - Children's Day 2016 [India]






The winner for the 2016 Doodle 4 Google competition in India is Anvita Prashant Telang of Vibgyor High School in Balewadi, Pune. This year the theme was, "If I could teach anyone anything, it would be..." Anvita responded with the following statement and illustration:

Enjoy Every Moment

"In the current stressful times, greatest joys of life are often hidden in simple things, thus I would like to teach everyone to take time to enjoy every moment of life and appreciate the simple things around us."

Congratulations, Anvita! We'll do our best to follow your advice.

[9A]

17 Nov 2016

Elisabeth "Ellis" Kaut's 96th Birthday







Who's that little goblin lighting the birthday cake? The impish Pumuckl, created by Elisabeth "Ellis" Kaut, has been playfully causing mischief since 1962. Pumuckl is a kobold, a kind of sprite based in German folklore. He constantly gets into trouble but never intends any real harm. Kaut, who would be 96 today, wrote more than 100 Pumuckl stories. She received several awards and honors for her work, including the prestigious Bavarian Poetentaler literary award.

Today's Doodle was created by Barbara von Johnson, who became the primary Pumuckl illustrator in Kaut's books after winning a competition at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts in 1963.

Here are some of Mrs. von Johnson’s early sketch ideas for how Pumuckl could have celebrated Ellis Kaut’s birthday:



In this sketch, Pumuckl appears around a birthday candle with seven different expressions.



In true kobold spirit, Pumuckl plays with the Google letters as if they were gymnastics equipment.



Pumuckl opens a Google curtain to present a birthday cake, carefully balanced over his head.



Pumuckl and his friend, master carpenter Eder, celebrate with a cake and several wrapped gifts.



Pumuckl lights an L-shaped birthday candle in honor of the author.



Pumuckl lights a candle on top of a birthday cake amidst several wrapped presents.






Barbara von Johnson at work.

[9A]

15 September 2021

Celebrating Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde





In celebration of U.S. Hispanic Heritage Month, today’s Doodle—illustrated by Riverside, California-based guest artist Loris Lora—honors Panamanian-American nurse and educator Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde. As a foundational figure in the creation of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses [NAHN], Dr. Murillo-Rohde dedicated her life to enhancing the quality of healthcare for underrepresented communities while equipping other Hispanic nurses with the skills to do the same.

Ildaura Murillo was born on September 6, 1920, in Panama into a family of health professionals. In 1945, she immigrated to San Antonio, Texas, where she found that relatively few of the city’s nurses represented the linguistic and ethnic backgrounds of their largely Hispanic patients. Knowing that language barriers and cultural mannerisms often stood in the way of providing patients with the highest quality of care, Murillo-Rohde set out on a lifelong mission to cultivate a nursing workforce that could best serve America’s growing Hispanic community.

After earning her doctorate from New York University in 1971, Dr. Murillo-Rohde took various positions that allowed her to clearly identify the underrepresentation of marginalized groups in the medical community as a national issue. To combat this problem, she helped found the Spanish Speaking/Spanish Surnamed Nurses’ Caucus in 1975—now known as the National Association of Hispanic Nurses [NAHN]—and served as its first president.

Alongside continued work with the NAHN, Dr. Murillo-Rohde promoted cultural awareness as a psychiatric nurse, faculty member, professor, and dean. The American Academy of Nursing honored her numerous achievements with its prestigious fellowship—one of the highest nursing honors in the nation.

Today, the NAHN provides support for Hispanic nurses through various programs, including the Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde Scholarship. It also honors members who have exhibited outstanding achievements in nursing education, research, and practice with the Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde Award for Education Excellence by a Hispanic Registered Nurse.

Thank you for uplifting the next generation of Hispanic healthcare professionals, Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde!

[9A]

15 September 2017

Guatemala National Day 2017



September 15th is important in Guatemala - it’s Independence Day! Blue and white flags fly proudly and citizens parade through the streets across the country. Once the center of the Maya civilization, Guatemalan culture has become a unique blend of ancient and Spanish influences.

Today’s Doodle showcases the beautiful Santa María Volcano, one of the many volcanic landscapes in Guatemala. The Santa María Volcano is part of the Sierra Madre mountain range and can be seen from the city of Quetzaltenango. It was one of the most active volcanoes in the region centuries ago, but has not erupted since 1902. Many visitors to Guatemala hike across Santa Maria and the mountains to take in the beautiful scenery of the country.

If you’re in Guatemala today, join in on the festivities of dancing, fireworks and feasts to commemorate the country’s history and the patriotism of Guatemalans everywhere!

[9A]

16 Sept 2011

Albert Szent-Gyorgyi's 118th Birthday




To say thanks to the scientist responsible for discovering Vitamin-C, I thought it’d be fun to not only rebrand our logo with a few replaced or redrawn letters, but to rebrand Google the Company, right down to our core product, so to speak. In this case, Google became the distributor of all foods and herbs rich in Vitamin-C content!

I went with the first concept to make it look like the label you might find on a wooden crate or the side of a produce truck. The most enjoyable part of this doodle? The amount of fresh OJ and grapefruit juice I drank as I dove into the... research.
posted by Mike Dutton

[9A]

23 Sept 2011

Jaroslav Seifert's 110th Birthday







Jaroslav Seifert was a Nobel Prize–winning Czechoslovak writer, poet and journalist. In 1984 Jaroslav Seifert won the Nobel Prize in Literature "for his poetry which endowed with freshness, sensuality and rich inventiveness provides a liberating image of the indomitable spirit and versatility of man".

[9A]

24 Sept 2011

Jim Henson's 75th Birthday




We’re thrilled to share this guest post by Brian Henson about his father—puppeteer, director and producer Jim Henson, best known as the creator of the Muppets. For the next 36 hours, we’re honoring Jim’s birthday on our homepage with a special doodle created in tandem withThe Jim Henson Company. -Ed.

When we were kids, my brother and sisters and I were always allowed to stay up late to watch our father’s appearances on The Tonight Show or The Ed Sullivan Show. No matter how late it was or how young we were, my mother would wake us up and trundle us down to the living room television. We’d be giddy—like Christmas. When he came home, he’d head down to the garage where he had a workshop, and repair everything that we broke while he was away—or build a dollhouse for one of my sisters. Jim never stopped making things.

He also loved games—card games, board games, all kinds of games. He was one of those rare parents who was always ready to play again. He loved dogs, particularly goofy ones. And he lived for those moments when everyone laughed so hard they couldn’t talk. I often walked onto the Muppet set to find everyone just laughing hysterically.

Although he loved family, his work was almost never about “traditional” families. The Muppets were a family—a very diverse one. One of his life philosophies was that we should love people not for their similarities, but for their differences.

Jim often had a little lesson about the important things in life: How to be a good person. How to believe in yourself and follow your dreams. And above all, how to forgive. If anything was stolen from one of us—like when the car was broken into—he would always say, “Oh well, they probably needed that stuff more than we did.”

He loved gadgets and technology. Following his lead, The Jim Henson Company continues to develop cutting-edge technology for animatronics and digital animation, like this cool Google doodle celebrating Jim’s 75th birthday. But I think even he would have found it hilarious the way today some people feel that when they’ve got their smartphone, they no longer need their brain.

Jim was clearly a great visionary. But he also wanted everyone around him fully committed creatively. If you asked him how a movie would turn out, he’d say, “It’ll be what this group can make, and if you changed any one of them, it would be a different movie.” Every day for him was joyously filled with the surprises of other people’s ideas. I often think that if we all lived like that, not only would life be more interesting, we’d all be a lot happier.

Posted by Brian Henson, Chairman of The Jim Henson Company

[9A]

23 Nov 2013

Doctor Who's 50th Anniversary








The Doctor Who doodle started life as a request from a huge fan at Google. It seemed daunting- 11 Doctor's, 50 years of adventures, countless enemies and time travel!

But we loved the idea of science fiction, technology and fun coming together, so we set about creating a multiple level game. The game was always a simple premise- those dastardly Daleks have stolen the Google letters and we need Doctor Who to retrieve them.

Artists don't make games, programmers do. I provided the designs and various pieces of animation but without the engineers the game would only exist in another dimension! I was fortunate to work alongside people that genuinely cared:

Engineering Gurus - Rui Lopes, Corrie Scalisi, Mark Ivey
Additional support - Doug Simpkinson, Jonathan Shneier
All things D of 3 - Leon Hong
Deity of rain, lava & lightning - Kevin Laughlin
Additional game ideas - Gregory Capuano
Sounds - The BBC, Tom Tabanao, Manuel Clement and Cody!
Creative consultant - Chris Dibona
User testing - Jennifer Zamora

We thank the BBC for trusting us and also helping us whenever needed. So what are you waiting for?! Jump in your TARDIS [Time and relative "doodle" in space] and become the fastest time lord in the universe!

[9A]

29 June 2021

Pedro Linares López’s 115th birthday





Today’s Doodle celebrates the 115th birthday of a Mexican artist who turned his dreams into reality, Pedro Linares López. His peculiar yet playful animal sculptures known as alebrijes are beloved worldwide as unique products of Mexico’s folk art tradition.

Pedro Linares López was born in Mexico City, Mexico on this day in 1906. His father worked as a papier-mâché sculptor, or cartonero, and he trained Linares to follow in his footsteps. By the time Linares was 12 years old, he had become a skilled craftsman of papier-mâché items like piñatas and the traditional skeletal figures called calaveras which are featured in the annual Day of the Dead celebration.

In 1945, as Linares tells the story, he became very sick and drifted into a fever dream. There he encountered fantastical creatures who shouted in unison a nonsensical phrase “Alebrijes!” Upon his recovery, he set out to represent these mythical beings in sculpture. The jarring sculptures initially met little success, until over time, Linares refined his alebrijes into the colorfully patterned combinations of reptiles, insects, birds, and mammals recognized today in today’s Doodle artwork. As his reputation grew, he attracted the admiration of the iconic Mexican artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, but it was a 1975 documentary about Linares by the filmmaker Judith Bronowski that elevated him to international fame.


In 1990, Linares was honored with the first Mexican National Prize in Arts and Sciences in the category of Popular Art and Traditions.


Thank you, Pedro Linares López, for showing us the power of imagination!

[9A]

29 June 2012

José Pablo Moncayo's 100th Birthday






José Pablo Moncayo García [June 29, 1912 – June 16, 1958] was a Mexican pianist, percussionist, music teacher, composer and conductor. "As composer, José Pablo Moncayo represents one of the most important legacies of the Mexican nationalism in art music, after Silvestre Revueltas and Carlos Chávez." He produced some of the masterworks that best symbolize the essence of the national aspirations and contradictions of Mexico in the 20th century.

[9A]

12 December 2022

Celebrating Mária Telkes



Today’s Doodle celebrates the life and innovative work of Dr. Mária Telkes, one of the first pioneers of solar energy. She believed the power of the sun could change human lives, and she was right! Dr. Telkes was the first to receive The Society of Women Engineers Achievement Award on this day in 1952.

Dr. Telkes was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1900 and studied physical chemistry at the Eötvös Loránd University of Budapest. She graduated with a B.A. in 1920 and received her PhD in 1924. The following year, she moved to the United States and accepted a position as a biophysicist. In 1937, she became a U.S. citizen.

Dr. Telkes continued her career at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology [[MIT) as a member of the Solar Energy Committee. During World War II, she was called upon by the U.S. government to help develop a solar distiller that converted seawater into fresh water. This life-saving invention was used by soldiers stationed in the Pacific theater.

After the war, Dr. Telkes returned to MIT as an associate research professor. She and her MIT colleagues were tasked with creating habitable solar-heated homes. Unfortunately, she proposed and developed a design that failed, and was removed from the committee, but she persisted.

In 1948, after securing private funding from philanthropists, she created the Dover Sun House in partnership with architect Eleanor Raymond. The solar-heated home was a success and the women were featured in the media, popularizing the term ‘solar energy’ among the public.

Dr. Telkes’ inspiring career was filled with success and innovation. She was commissioned by the Ford Foundation and created a solar oven design that’s still used today. She also helped research solar energy at prestigious institutions such as NYU, Princeton University, and the University of Delaware. Dr. Telkes earned more than 20 patents and worked as a consultant for many energy companies. It’s no wonder she’s remembered as The Sun Queen.

[9A]

12 December 2011

Robert Noyce's 84th Birthday




Having earned the nickname "The Mayor of Silicon Valley," it is no wonder why we had to honor Robert Noyce with a Google doodle. He was responsible for the invention of the early microchips and laid the ground work for all the innovative companies to spring from the Bay Area [including Google!]

I knew that I had to celebrate his birthday in a geeky but accurate way-- the problem was that, as I sat down to draw, I realized I had no idea how motherboards and microchips differ.

It wasn't until I visited our own hardware lab at Google and spoke with Noyce's wife, Ann, that I began to understand what I was trying to draw. With their help I was able to both identify a microchip and honor Noyce accurately!

Posted by Jennifer Hom

[9A]

4 Jul 2012

Inauguration of Hartland Bridge







The Hartland Covered Bridge in Hartland, New Brunswick, is the world's longest covered bridge, at 1,282 feet [391 m] long. It crosses the Saint John River from Hartland to Somerville, New Brunswick, Canada. The framework consists of seven small Howe Truss bridges joined together on six piers.

[9A]

7 Jul 2013

Vladimir Durov's 150th Birthday






The Durov Animal Theater or Grandpa Durov's Corner is a circus/theatre in Moscow, Russia. It was founded on January 8, 1912 by Vladimir Durov , who also founded the famous Durov's circus dynasty. Durov was a well-known animal trainer and zoologist who developed his own system of training, that did not involve any punishment of the animals. His theatre also included a natural history museum and a science laboratory.

The theatre building was designed in 1894 by the architect August Weber. The theatre is currently located in the same facility; the street had been renamed in Durov's honour in 1927.

[9A]

7 July 2011

Miroslav Krleza's 118th Birthday





For this doodle, I worked closely with a Googler in our Hungary office to learn more about Miroslav Krleza and his works. His most iconic character is the folk ballad musician, Petrica Kerempuh, who I ended up depicting in the final artwork. The style itself is based on my personal admiration of Eastern European illustration. This style has often been used to depict Kerempuh in bright, cheerful costume, in some ways to contrast the complex, multi-layered, [and sometimes darker] themes in Krleza’s exploration of Croatia’s historical experience.

Posted by Mike Dutton

[9A]

7 July 2015

Eiji Tsuburaya’s 114th Birthday




The lights dim. Cameras start to roll. A film crew silently watches. Suddenly! From behind a hand-built skyline, a towering beast appears! Shaking off a layer of dust, the massive foam-and-rubber monster leans back to act out an amazing roar [the sound effect will be added in later]. Then, stomping towards the camera, the giant moves closer, and closer, until…”Cut!”

“Director Eiji Tsuburaya is best known for the famous characters he brought to life, like Ultraman. After many years in the ‘monster business,’ he set up his own practical effects studio, Tsuburaya Productions, which we were lucky enough to visit for this project! Having grown up as a film fan, I’ve always had a deep love for Tokusatsu, so I was eager to find a way to bring attention to Tsuburaya’s art. It’s fascinating to me how long-lasting the results of his work has been – it’s easy to see remnants of the Tokusatsu style in Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim, Evangelion, and even the Power Rangers.”

[9A]

13 July 2011

Sir George Gilbert Scott's 200th Birthday





Sir George Gilbert Scott RA [13 July 1811 – 27 March 1878], known as Sir Gilbert Scott, was a prolific English Gothic revival architect, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches and cathedrals, although he started his career as a leading designer of workhouses. Over 800 buildings were designed or altered by him.

Scott was the architect of many iconic buildings, including the Midland Grand Hotel at St Pancras Station, the Albert Memorial, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, all in London, St Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow, the main building of the University of Glasgow, St Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh and King's College Chapel, London.

[9A]

18 Nov 2017

Morocco Independence Day 2017






Happy Independence Day, Morocco!

Today’s Doodle features the outstanding architecture of Ksar Aït-Ben-Haddou — a historic fortified village in the passage between the Sahara Desert and the city of Marrakech that is surrounded by traditional earthen wall defences.

The Ksar of Aït-Ben-Haddou is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visitors can glimpse the ancient culture of southern Morocco as they visit local souks or tour a few remaining homes inside the walls. If this impressive site looks familiar, it may be because the Ksar of Aït-Ben-Haddou has been featured on many popular television shows and movies in the past few decades!

In celebration of the holiday, you’ll find Moroccan flags flying along streets across the country. Red and green will adorn homes and sidewalks across bustling cities and little villages as everyone proudly celebrates Morocco’s past and future.

Doodle by Cynthia Yuan Cheng

[9A]

23 Nov 2017

José Clemente Orozco’s 134th Birthday







Celebrated Mexican muralist José Clemente Orozco was born in Ciudad Guzmán in central Mexico 134 years ago today.

After his family moved to Mexico City, the young Orozco would often cross paths with satirical caricaturist José Guadalupe Posada on his way to school. These meetings awakened in the young boy a keen political consciousness and a deep love for art, a powerful medium in the aftermath of the Mexican Revolution. Orozco would later document the social and political change of the era as one of Los Tres Grandes [The Three Greats] of Mexican mural art.

His sprawling, emotive frescos were initially often commissioned by the government. Dissatisfied with the condition of ordinary Mexicans however, he started to contradict his own sponsors - sometimes subtly [Maternidad [Maternity], 1924] and sometimes visibly [La Trinchera [The Trench], 1926]. This paradoxical relationship caused him to leave the country for seven long years, living in the US and earning international renown for works such as Prometeo [Prometheus] [1930] and The Epic of American Civilization [1934]. When he returned to Mexico, Orozco began work on the frescos of Hospicio Cabañas, murals sketching the span of Mexican history from indigenous civilizations to the Revolution.

Today’s Doodle—by Mexico City-based artist Santiago Solis—depicts Orozco in front of the jaguar featured in Las Riquezas Nacionales [The National Riches], his mural at La Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación in downtown Mexico City.

Feliz cumpleaños, Señor Orozco!

[9A]

24 Nov 2017

Celebrating Mensch ärgere dich nicht







Mensch ärgere dich nicht, or “Do not get angry,” is a game whose very title tackles the ire that board games can provoke. The premise is simple: the first player to move all of their pieces to the other side of the board wins. But don’t trust the dice — they’ll inevitably force soon-to-be winners back to square one.

The game was invented between 1907 and 1908 by Josef Friedrich Schmidt. Born on this day in 1871, Schmidt was a Munich resident who worked in the city. Inspiration struck when he decided to create an engaging pastime for his three young children. He devised a game similar to others across the globe, including the Indian game Pachisi and the English game Ludo. Today's Doodle, featuring game piece characters made of clay playing the game, was created by stop-motion animator Max Mörtl, with assistance from 2D animator Robert Loebel.

The timelessness of this game is a huge part of what lends it its status as one of the most beloved forms of entertainment in Germany. If today’s Doodle inspires you to give Mensch ärgere dich nicht a shot and your opponent snatches away your victory at the eleventh hour, don’t get angry with us!

[9A]

30 November 2015

Lucy Maud Montgomery’s 141st Birthday






Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote her first novel in 1905. It was rejected by every single publishing house that received it. A few years later, Montgomery tried shopping it again and succeeded. Her story about the adventures of a red-headed girl in Prince Edward Island became a smash hit. That novel ultimately became one of Canada’s most all-time popular books, being translated into around 20 languages and selling more than 50 million copies to date. Anne of Green Gables and its many sequels made Montgomery a wildly successful author and turned PEI into a destination for the book’s thousands of fans.

One of Canada’s most celebrated writers, Montgomery also wrote hundreds of poems and short stories as well as a number of novels apart from the Anne series. She was the first Canadian woman to be made a member of the British Royal Society of Arts and was also appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. Today, on what would have been her 141st birthday, we salute Lucy Maud Montgomery with a Doodle that pays tribute to her most iconic book.

Doodler Olivia When, herself an Anne of Green Gables fan, wanted to honor Montgomery by illustrating several scenes from the beloved novel, including a particularly memorable one in which Anne mistakenly bakes a cake with liniment [a medicated oil] instead of vanilla. Here’s to Anne with an “e” Shirley and her revered creator, Lucy Maud Montgomery.

[9A]

30 Nov 2015


Saint Andrew's Day 2015







Every 30th of November, Scottish pride, ever-present and known worldwide for its fervor and zeal, culminates in glorious fashion.


Saint Andrew’s Day is a time to celebrate all things Scottish, with parties, kilts, and of course, the flying of the iconic blue-and-white Saltire. We went in search of one of Scotland's most reclusive citizens this year and even they have come out to play today, as seen in our animated Doodle by Sophie Diao.

[9A]

8 Dec 2009

E.C. Segar's Birthday



Elzie Crisler Segar [December 8, 1894 – October 13, 1938], known by the pen name E. C. Segar, was an American cartoonist best known as the creator of Popeye, a pop culture character who first appeared in 1929 in Segar's comic strip Thimble Theatre.

Segar is among the first to combine humor with long-running adventures. A revival of interest in Segar's creations began with Woody Gelman's Nostalgia Press. Robert Altman's live-action film Popeye [1980] is adapted from E. C. Segar's Thimble Theatre comic strip. The screenplay by Jules Feiffer was based directly on Gelman's Thimble Theatre Starring Popeye the Sailor, a hardcover reprint collection of 1936-37 Segar strips published in 1971 by Nostalgia Press. In 2006, Fantagraphics published the first of a six-volume book set reprinting all Thimble Theatre daily and Sunday strips from 1928 to 1938, beginning with the adventure that introduced Popeye.

In 1971, the National Cartoonists Society created the Elzie Segar Award in his honor. According to the Society's website, the award was "presented to a person who has made a unique and outstanding contribution to the profession of cartooning." The NCS board of directors chose the first winners, while King Features selected recipients in later years. Honorees have included Charles Schulz, Bil Keane, Al Capp, Bill Gallo and Mort Walker. The award was discontinued in 1999.

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18 December 2009

Jan Evangelista Purkyne's Birthday






Jan Evangelista Purkyně [also written Johann Evangelist Purkinje] was a Czech anatomist and physiologist. In 1839, he coined the term protoplasm for the fluid substance of a cell. He was one of the best known scientists of his time. Such was his fame that when people from outside Europe wrote letters to him, all that they needed to put as the address was "Purkyně, Europe".

The crater Purkyně on the Moon is named after him, as is the asteroid 3701 Purkyně.

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16 December 2015

Remedios Varo’s 107th Birthday





One of the most accomplished surrealist painters of the 20th century, Remedios Varo is best known for striking oil paintings that blended together elements of science, magic and mysticism.

Varo was born in Spain and moved around a bit before ultimately settling in Mexico, where she created her finest works, including “La Llamada” [The Call], which is replicated in today’s celebratory Google Doodle. Varo lived during a time when male painters viewed their female counterparts as inferior, but she didn’t hesitate to make women the powerful centerpieces of her paintings. Today’s Google Doodle honors Varo on what would have been her 107th birthday, for her extraordinary imagination and complex paintings that allow her rare talent to live on.

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9 Jan 2016

41st Anniversary of the discovery of the Mountain of the Butterflies







In 1975, after a decades long search that involved thousands of volunteers and spanned an entire continent, Ken Brugger and Catalina Trail unlocked one of nature’s most beautiful mysteries: the overwintering place of the monarch butterfly. Led by a team of Canadian Zoologists under Fred Urquhart, the couple followed clues left by tagged butterflies that had strayed or fallen on their migratory journeys south. The scene, in which millions of monarchs cling to oyamel trees in Mexico’s easternmost Sierra Madre Mountains, would have been overwhelming. “They swirled through the air like autumn leaves,” said Urquhart after his first visit, “carpet[ing] the ground in their flaming myriads on the Mexican mountainside.”

With today’s homepage, Artist Kevin Laughlin recognizes the 41st anniversary of an incredible discovery and the singularly awesome beauty of the monarch butterfly.

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9 December 2013

Grace Hopper's 107th Birthday




Grace Brewster Hopper [née Murray; December 9, 1906 – January 1, 1992] was an American computer scientist, mathematician, and United States Navy rear admiral. One of the first programmers of the Harvard Mark I computer, she was a pioneer of computer programming who invented one of the first linkers. Hopper was the first to devise the theory of machine-independent programming languages, and the FLOW-MATIC programming language she created using this theory was later extended to create COBOL, an early high-level programming language still in use today.

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9 December 2001

Google celebrates the Nobel Prize Centennial Award Ceremony




The Nobel Prizes are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfred Nobel was a Swedish chemist, engineer, and industrialist most famously known for the invention of dynamite. He died in 1896. In his will, he bequeathed all of his "remaining realisable assets" to be used to establish five prizes which became known as "Nobel Prizes." Nobel Prizes were first awarded in 1901.

Nobel Prizes are awarded in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace [Nobel characterized the Peace Prize as "to the person who has done the most or best to advance fellowship among nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and the establishment and promotion of peace congresses"]. In 1968, Sveriges Riksbank [Sweden's central bank] funded the establishment of the Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, to also be administered by the Nobel Foundation. Nobel Prizes are widely regarded as the most prestigious awards available in their respective fields.

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5 Feb 2015

Gabriel Vargas’ 100th Birthday





Gabriel Bernal Vargas was a Mexican cartoonist, whose comic strip La Familia Burrón was created in 1937. This cartoon has been described as one of the most important in Mexican popular culture. Vargas won Mexico's "Premio Nacional de Periodismo" [National Journalism Prize] in 1983 and the "Premio Nacional de Ciencias y Artes en el área de Tradiciones Populares" [National Sciences and Arts Prize] in 2003.

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16 Sept 2021

Mexico Independence Day 2021



Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Mexico-based guest artist Magdiel Herrerra, depicts a collection of elements symbolizing Mexico’s rich, cultural heritage in honor of its Independence Day. This year’s holiday holds special significance for the international Mexican community as it commemorates the 200th anniversary of the nation’s step toward independence—officially declared on September 27, 1821.

On the left of the Doodle artwork, a folklórico [folkloric] dancer is dressed in the emblematic red, green, and white of the Mexican flag. A common meal prepared to celebrate this holiday is pozole, a spiced soup traditionally made with hominy and pork that is depicted in the red bowl with radishes and lime. In the center, the artwork recreates a bell that rang before El Grito de la Independencia [The Cry for Independence], a famous speech considered the spark of the Mexican independence movement. A sombrero follows with a handwoven rebozo scarf, next to a cactus standing tall.

On the far right of the artwork, an Indigenous musician [known as a quiquizoani in the Uto-Aztecan language of Nahuatl] blows into a conch shell—a scene similar to an image found in the ancient Aztec Codex Magliabechi—filling the air with the sounds of celebration.

Happy Independence Day, Mexico!

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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.

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20 December 2020

Remembering Sudan, the last male northern white rhino





Today’s Doodle remembers the last surviving male northern white rhinoceros, Sudan, who was known as an affectionate “gentle giant.” On this day in 2009, Sudan and three other northern white rhinos arrived at their new home in Ol Pejeta Conservancy, a wildlife sanctuary in Kenya. Sudan, who passed away in 2018 at the age of 45 [the equivalent of 90 in human years], serves as a cherished symbol of ongoing rhino conservation efforts and a stark reminder of the danger of extinction that so many species face today.

Sudan was born in Shambe, in what is today, South Sudan in 1973 and is believed to be the last northern white rhino born in the wild. In 1976, he was taken to Dvůr Králové Zoo in then Czechoslovakia, where he grew to be 6 feet tall and a whopping 5,000 lbs [roughly the weight of a midsize car] and fathered two daughters.

In 2009, after the northern white rhino was declared extinct in the wild, four rhinos including Sudan, his daughter Najin, and his granddaughter Fatu were transferred back to their native African habitat. Conservationists hoped that the natural Kenyan environment of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy would encourage breeding among the rhinos, but within several years, veterinarians came to the conclusion that natural reproduction would most likely not be possible.

Yet there is still hope, as scientists work to develop in vitro fertilization techniques to save the subspecies from the brink of extinction. For now, Sudan’s legacy rests with Najin and Fatu, the world’s final two northern white rhinoceros.

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20 November 2013

Children's Day 2013 [Multiple Countries]

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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.

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20 November 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.

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Mar 28, 2018

Hannah Glasse’s 310th Birthday







If the thought of Yorkshire pudding and gooseberry fool makes your mouth water, you have Hannah Glasse to thank for making these two delectable dishes staples in English cuisine. Born on this day in 1708, Glasse was a pioneering English cook and author of the most popular cookbook of the 18th century. Published in 1747, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy was unique; it was one of the first cookbooks written in a simple and conversational style, which meant that any English speaker and reader – regardless of their class – could learn how to cook.

Glasse’s cookbook was popular not only because it was easy to read, but also because of its massive scope. It included a whopping 972 recipes, covering everything from puddings and soups, to what to serve at Lent, to preparing food for the sick.

Today’s Doodle features Glasse whipping up a batch of classic Yorkshire puddings. Her recipe for Yorkshire pudding, among many others, is one of the earliest known ever published.

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Mar 5, 2018

Celebrating the Edelweiss Flower







Today's Doodle celebrates Leontopodium nivale – more commonly known as the edelweiss flower – which for centuries has beckoned soldiers, hikers, and other adventurers from the slopes of the highest mountains of Europe. The name edelweiss was first found in writing on this date in 1784, and is a direct German translation of the words ‘noble’ and ‘white’.

The flower only blooms in the summer months of June through September. Its characteristic double-star shape and wooly-white texture make it highly recognizable both in nature and in folklore.

Embarking on a quest to find the edelweiss requires bravery, determination, and a little bit of luck. Romance is also a central theme in the story of this flower because its white blooms are thought to represent deep love and devotion. In fact, the gift of an edelweiss was once the equivalent of giving an engagement ring, a true sign of adoration and faithfulness.

Once on the brink of extinction, the edelweiss is no longer at risk, and blooms more and more across the mountainous landscape of Europe.

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May 11, 2017

80th Anniversary of Los Glaciares National Park





Argentina’s stunning Los Glaciares National Park was established on May 11, 1937. Although the park is only 80 years old, its biggest attractions have been shaping the landscape for millennia.

The park’s northern boundary is a cluster of soaring, sharp-toothed peaks, including the forbidding Mt. Fitz Roy. Dominating the southern stretch is the awe-inspiring Perito Moreno Glacier, a towering wall of ice grinding a path through the Patagonian Andes. Its terminus, where the glacier flows into Argentina’s largest freshwater lake, is 5 km wide at an average height of 74 m above the lake’s surface.

As the powdery blue glacier advances, the ice often gives way with a resounding crack, plunging into the chilly lake and calving enormous icebergs. This dramatic icefall makes it one of the park’s most popular tourist attractions. Visitors can also hike across the rippled surface of the glacier.

Los Glaciares National Park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1981, as an area of outstanding natural beauty and an important example of the geological processes of glaciation.

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Mar 15, 2017

140th Anniversary of the First Cricket Test Match







The first officially-recognized test cricket match took place 140 years ago today. It was a contest between the established English side and the newly-formed Australian team. Australia won the first match, but England won the second match to draw the series 1:1. The rivalry between the English and Australian teams, forged on the field, endures to this day.

Today’s Doodle hits the deck with a lighthearted rendering that captures the spirit of sportsmanship and the inaugural test match. Mustachioed and musclebound, the batsmen, bowlers and opposition fielders spring into action, never losing sight of the red ball.

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July 24, 2012

Amelia Earhart's 115th Birthday







The name Amelia Earhart conjures up feelings of admiration and respect in the minds of millions of people. But personally, Amelia Earhart is more than just a name in the footnotes of history. Her enduring legacy as one of the world’s most celebrated aviatrices embodies the true spirit of American adventure. This legend, born 115 years ago in Atchison, Kansas, is an American heroine and one of my favorite icons.

Representing Amelia Earhart’s family for the past 25 years has grown my appreciation for their beloved relative, who is a beacon of hope and a symbol of courage in our society. Today’s Google Doodle, celebrating her 115th birthday, is the perfect tribute to the woman who is remembered for her groundbreaking achievements in aviation and her fight for gender equality. She is truly an admirable role model. As the first female pilot to cross the Atlantic Ocean, she was awarded the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross. Nicknamed “Lady Lindy”, Earhart set numerous aviation records before her disappearance over the Pacific Ocean on her final flight in 1937.

While her aviation achievements are legendary, her commitment to women’s rights is also noteworthy. Throughout her remarkable career she focused on proving that women were equal to men in “jobs requiring intelligence, coordination, speed, coolness, and willpower.”

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Dec 4, 2019

Celebrating Lorentz National Park




Today’s Doodle celebrates the anniversary of Indonesia’s Lorentz National Park, the largest protected area in Southeast Asia. This massive nature sanctuary, spanning over 9,600 square miles [about 24,864 square kilometers], is located in the Papua province, right at the intersection of two colliding continental plates.

The Lorentz National Park contains several ecosystems, including grasslands, swamps, ocean beaches, rainforests, and alpine mountains topped by rare tropical glaciers. Its most famous mountain, Puncak Jaya, is the tallest peak in Southeast Asia.

Renowned for biodiversity, its various climates are home to an abundance of animals, including tree kangaroos and tigers, many species of rare birds like the Pesquet’s parrot seen in today’s Doodle, and outliers like the echidna – a “spiny anteater” mammal that lays eggs. It’s also home to at least seven indigenous human ethnic groups, all living according to traditions dating back thousands of years.

Named after Hendrikus Albertus Lorentz, a Dutch explorer who visited the area in 1909, the park was established by the Indonesian government in 1997. While threatened by logging, poaching, and pollution, the Lorentz National Park is rigorously protected by the World Wildlife Federation and UNESCO, which has designated it a World Heritage Site. It’s an unofficial wonder of the world, containing many more wonders within.