Google doodles

[9A]

November 22, 2017

Celebrating Kimchi





Today we celebrate Kimchi on what is known as “Kimchi Day” in Korea! According to local research, the date is significant in this tasty treat’s creation because salting kimchi today helps the dish reach its full flavor potential.

Packing a powerful punch of napa cabbage, green onion, fish sauce, red pepper flakes, rice flour, salt, ginger, radish, carrot, and garlic, fermented kimchi in onggi [clay pot] is loved by many around the world and is traditionally eaten with chopsticks. Today’s Doodle celebrates each ingredient that goes into making some seriously scrumptious kimchi.

Kimchi was first referenced in Korea about 2,600-3,000 years ago, and in the 18th century, it was first made with chili peppers. Due to varying regional recipes, there are hundreds of different types of kimchi. Many Korean households even have a separate kimchi refrigerator!

The dish is produced in especially large amounts during November and December. This is when kimjang [kimchi curing takes place in preparation for winter. During kimjang, cabbage is pickled by cutting it into smaller pieces, soaking it in brine overnight, and dashing salt. Then, yangnyum [radish coated in chili powder] is mixed with ingredients such as green onions, dropwort, mustard leaves, ginger, garlic, and fermented shrimp or anchovies. To complete the process, the pickled cabbage is stuffed or mixed with the yangnyum and stored away to ferment until eating.

During this time, family members and neighbors gather in each other’s kitchens to cook together, trade recipes, and share stories. Listed by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage, kimjang creates moments of joy and encourages living in harmony with nature.

Happy eating!

[9A]

September 19, 2017

Amalia Hernandez’s 100th Birthday






Today’s Doodle celebrates dancer and choreographer Amalia Hernandez. She founded the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico and used it to share Mexican culture with the world.

Born in 1917, Hernandez developed a passion for performing and dance early in life. She became a choreographer at the Fine Arts National Institute, where she taught modern dance. She then turned her focus to traditional Mexican folk dances. She combined these dances with more choreographed movements from her formal training, helping to create an entirely new style of dance known as baile folklorico.

In 1952, Hernandez founded the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico. Beginning with just eight dancers, the troupe grew to over three hundred in the years to follow. The company performed on television for the first time in 1954, after which they were featured in a weekly broadcast. This success allowed Amalia’s group to tour North America and even represent Mexico in the Pan American Games in 1959.

The Ballet Folklorico de Mexico still performs to this day. Since its inception, the group has danced for more than 22 million people. Hernandez remained involved with the company until her death in 2000, working alongside her daughters and grandson.

Happy 100th birthday to Amalia Hernandez, remembered as an ambassador of Mexican culture whose legacy lives on through the Ballet Folklorico.

[9A]

6 Jul 2012

José María Velasco's 172nd Birthday





José María Tranquilino Francisco de Jesús Velasco Gómez Obregón, generally known as José María Velasco, was a 19th-century Mexican polymath, most famous as a painter who made Mexican geography a symbol of national identity through his paintings. He was both one of the most popular artists of the time and internationally renowned. He received many distinctions such as the gold medal of the Mexican National Expositions of Bellas Artes in 1874 and 1876; the gold medal of the Philadelphia International Exposition in 1876, on the centenary of U.S. independence; and the medal of the Paris Universal Exposition in 1889, on the centenary of the outbreak of the French Revolution. His painting El valle de México is considered Velasco's masterpiece, of which he created seven different renditions. Of all the nineteenth-century painters, Velasco was the "first to be elevated in the post-Revolutionary period as an exemplar of nationalism."

[9A]

20 Jul 2012

Santos Dumont's 139th Birthday





Alberto Santos-Dumont was a Brazilian inventor and aviation pioneer, one of the very 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, Santos-Dumont dedicated himself to aeronautical study and experimentation in Paris, where he spent most of his adult life. In his early career he designed, built, and flew hot air balloons and early dirigibles, culminating in his winning the Deutsch de la Meurthe prize on 19 October 1901 for a flight that rounded the Eiffel Tower. He then turned to heavier-than-air machines, and on 23 October 1906 his 14-bis made the first powered heavier-than-air flight in Europe to be certified by the Aéro-Club de France and the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. It was also the first powered flight to be publicly witnessed by a crowd and takeoff unassisted by an external launch system. His conviction that aviation would usher in an era of worldwide peace and prosperity led him to freely publish his designs and forgo patenting his various innovations.

Santos-Dumont is a national hero in Brazil, where it is popularly held that he preceded the Wright brothers in demonstrating a practical airplane. Countless roads, plazas, schools, monuments, and airports there are dedicated to him, and his name is inscribed on the Tancredo Neves Pantheon of the Fatherland and Freedom. He was a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters from 1931 until his suicide in 1932.

[9A]

15 Aug 2012

Julia Child's 100th Birthday








The scene in our living room in the early ‘60s will be familiar to many. I can picture my dad sitting in hischair, glued to the new black-and-white miracle of technology in our house, watching The French Chef...for the sheer fun of the show. Fast-forward nearly 15 years and I would find myself, as a young student at La Varenne cooking school in Paris, standing in front of Julia Child herself.

At that first meeting, for a moment, I had Julia’s undivided attention and her intent interest in my goals and plans as a cook. [Happily, that encounter would lead to opportunities to work as a member of Julia’s team, to travel with her around the U.S. and in France, and to a treasured friendship until her death in 2004. I would even become executive director of that esteemed cooking school – due, in large measure, to her influence and support.] Countless times throughout the years that’s the scene which would became familiar to me – Julia engaging and encouraging both professional chefs and home cooks. She would rarely leave a restaurant without a visit to the kitchen or exit a book signing without having communed with everyone in line; she was an active mentor to many of us. Julia was so approachable that people felt they knew her – no one hesitated to stride right up and start a conversation – and in fact, they did know her. After all, she’d been in our living rooms taking us by the hand in the kitchen for years. [Ever-embracing of new technologies, I believe Julia would be thrilled to know that she’s now literally in people’s hands, on digital devices.] But more than that, what people saw on camera was what they’d experience in person.

It was all pure Julia. Especially on the occasion of what would have been her 100th birthday, it’s clear that Julia Child is simply someone we love to love. For good reason – there are many qualities that endear her to us. She came into her own later in life and helped to redefine age. [One of her secrets to aging, I discovered, is that she never saw herself as old. After attending a Smith College reunion in her late 70s, she told me she’d never go to another. “Too many old people,” she said].

Julia loved hard and worked hard [more than anyone I have ever known] and accomplished great things that endure. [How many authors have a New York Times best seller nearly 50 years after publication?] She was opinionated, utterly authentic, and a self-professed ham. She managed to be both serious and a showman, making things look easy while never compromising her incredibly disciplined approach. She demystified and democratized French cooking [[the gold standard and height of sophistication when she took the stage) and appeared to have a ball doing it. Julia dedicated her support to the organizations and causes that mattered to her most, particularly those related to cooking and the pleasures of the table. In 1995, Julia created the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts [juliachildfoundation.org] for the purpose of continuing that support after she’d “slipped off the raft”, as she would often refer to dying.

The Foundation is proud to help further Julia’s life’s work. Julia believed in all of us. She felt that if she could show us how to cook well, we’d do just that. She wanted us to experience the pleasures – in both life and work – that she had, and to revel in good food. “The thing about food,” she said in a 1966 Time Magazine cover story, “is you’re a much happier person if you eat well and treasure your meals.” So to quote Julia once again – on the occasion of her 100th birthday – “Bon Appétit!”

[9A]

10 December 2019

Anatoly Tarasov’s 101st Birthday







"Even though there is a limit on how fast a hockey player can skate… there is no limit to creative endeavors and progress."
–Anatoly Tarasov

Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Marseille-based guest artist Nadya Mira, celebrates Russian coach Anatoly Tarasov, widely known as the “father of Russian hockey,” on his 101st birthday. Under his leadership, the Russian [then USSR] national team won every Ice Hockey World Championship for 9 consecutive years, won 11 European championships, and took home 3 Olympic gold medals. Tarasov’s visionary tactics and will to win put his opponents on ice.

A proficient bandy player, Tarasov was given the task to implement a Soviet hockey program from the ground up after World War II. The Moscow native developed a unique coaching style, focusing both on the individual player’s mastery while demanding a team-first attitude, as well as integrating modified elements from other sports like bandy, soccer, and even ballet to produce champions.

Rival nations often attempted to mimic Tarasov’s approach. A coach from the U.S. asked Tarasov to reveal his secrets and was met with: “There is no secret in hockey. There is imagination, hard work, discipline, and dedication to achieving whatever the goal is.”

His ingenious methods influenced the game worldwide and left a mark on hockey that is still felt globally to this day. In 1974, Tarasov became the first European coach to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, as well as the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 1997.

[9A]

Dec 22, 2003

Happy Holidays from Google 2003

[9A]

March 4, 2016

42nd Anniversary of Rio-Niteroi Bridge Opening







Completed 42 years ago today, Brazil’s Rio–Niterói Bridge beautifully exemplifies the ingenuity of the human spirit. It met with great international praise when it opened in 1974 as the second-longest bridge in the world, spanning the vast Guanabara Bay. Guest Doodler Patrick Leger has crafted a lovely recreation of the bridge on the bay with the Brazilian coast visible in the background.

At 13.29 km [8.3 mi], it remains the longest bridge in Latin America and one of the longest in the world. On the day it opened it was second only to the near-infinite Lake Pontchartrain Bridge in Louisiana [38.35 km, 28.3 miles long].

But this structure’s greatest accomplishment is connection. Carrying over 100,000 passengers daily, it unites Nieterói and Rio de Janeiro, cities with populations of 487,000 and 6.5 million respectively. With that kind of impact, the Rio–Niterói Bridge reminds us that nothing lies beyond the reaches of the human imagination.

[9A]

Sep 15, 2023

Celebrating Luisa Moreno




In honor of US Hispanic Heritage Month, today’s Doodle celebrates Guatemalan American labor organizer, journalist, and activist Luisa Moreno. The artwork, depicting Moreno linking arms with people from the various communities she tirelessly advocated for, was illustrated by Guatemala City-based guest artist Juliet Menendez.

Moreno was born “Blanca Rosa Lopez Rodrigues” in Guatemala City on August 30, 1907. As a child, her family immigrated to Oakland, California. She moved back to Guatemala as a teenager, but her education was halted as women were not allowed to attend universities at the time. In response, Moreno organized a group to lobby for a woman's right to pursue higher education. Winning this civil rights campaign sparked her lifelong passion for activism.

Moreno pursued her interest in social issues as a journalist in Mexico City for a few years before moving to New York City in 1928. Shortly after her move, a group of Latino protesters were brutalized and killed by police after speaking out against a Warner Brothers film perpetuating anti-Mexican sentiment; She later stated this incident motivated her work to unify Spanish-speaking communities. When the Great Depression struck, she began working as a seamstress at a garment factory to support her family. She immediately saw the need for labor reform as workers were underpaid for long hours and endured dangerous working conditions.

In 1935, Moreno joined the American Federation of Labor as a professional organizer. Within that role, her work with the United Cannery, Agricultural, Packing and Allied Workers of America [UCAPAWA] took her across the country, helping workers such as cigar factory workers in the east, sugar cane laborers and pecan shellers in the South, and beet farmers and tuna packers in the West. She was eventually elected vice president of the UCAPAWA in 1941.

In addition to her labor rights work, Moreno advocated for racial and ethnic equality. In 1938 she founded the National Congress of Spanish-Speaking Peoples — the first national Latino civil rights assembly. The group advocated for the fair treatment of Latino employees and the desegregation of schools and neighborhoods. Notably, in 1942, she established a defense committee who successfully fought for the dismissal of charges against a group of Mexican American teenagers who were arrested without evidence.

Despite Moreno’s tireless efforts to improve the lives of thousands of US workers, her status as a labor leader made her a target for the Immigration and Naturalization Services [INS]. The INS began threatening her with deportation unless she testified against fellow union leaders. Refusing to do so, she was forced to leave the US and returned to Latin America. There, she continued her work by unionizing workers in Mexico, Cuba, and Guatemala.

Thank you for dedicating your life to improving conditions for every community you touched. Here’s to you, Luisa.

[9A]

Mar 29, 2023

Lasminingrat's 169th Birthday




Today’s handsewn Doodle celebrates the 169th birthday of Sundanese author and scholar Lasminingrat who paved the way for future generations of Indonesian women.

Raden Ayu Lasminingrat was born on this day in 1854 in Garut, Indonesia to Raden Ayu Ria and Raden Haji Muhamad Musa, a pioneer of Sundanese printed literature and scholar. In order to pursue her education in Sumedang, she had to be separated from her family and was left under the care of her father’s friend Levyson Norman. He helped to teach her Dutch and contributed to Lasminingrat becoming the first Indonesian woman to be fluent in writing and reading Dutch during her time. After becoming proficient in writing and speaking Dutch, Lasminigrat dreamed of advancing equality for all Indonesian women.

Lasminingrat used her literacy skills to adapt European fairy tales into Sundanese. Under her father’s guidance she started to educate Indonesian children in 1879. She read adapted books aloud, and taught basic moral education and psychology. Her work provided schooling to native Indonesian children and exposed them to international cultures. She continued to translate books into Sundanese, including Warnasari volumes 1 and 2, which were widely celebrated throughout Indonesia.

In 1907, Lasminingrat founded the Sekolaha Keutamaan Istri. The open environment and learning area promoted women’s empowerment, reading, and writing. The school grew to 200 students and 5 classes, and was recognized by the Dutch East Indies government in 1911. With time, the school continued to grow and by 1934 expanded to other cities such as Wetan Garut, Cikajang, and Bayongbong.

Thank you, Lasminingrat for dedicating your life to empowering Indonesian women and being a pioneer in women's education.

[9A]

Aug 31, 2022

Julio Ramón Ribeyro's 93rd Birthday


Today’s Doodle celebrates the 93rd birthday of Peruvian author Julio Ramón Ribeyro. Considered one of the greatest Latin American short-story writers of all time, he provided powerful social criticism through the lens of fantasy.

Ribeyro was born on this day in 1929 in Lima, Peru. He and his three siblings had a middle-class childhood until their father’s untimely death left the family in poverty.

Ribeyro went on to study arts and law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru before publishing his first short story, The Grey Life, in Correo Bolivariano magazine in 1948. A few years later, the Institute of Hispanic Culture awarded him a journalism fellowship in Spain.

Ribeyro published his most famous short story The Featherless Buzzards [Los gallinazos sin plumas] in 1955, which critics praised for capturing the harsh reality of life in Peruvian slums. After that, he briefly studied French literature at Sorbonne University before dropping out to work as a hotel doorman and factory worker to sustain his writing.

In 1958, Ribeyro returned to Peru to become a professor at the National University of San Cristobal de Huamanga. Two years later, he finished his first novel Chronicle of San Gabriel. The book, which explores life in an isolated rural Peruvian community, immediately won a national prize.

After the publication of his book, Ribeyro returned to Paris, where he worked as a journalist, translator and an editor at Agence France Presse over the next 10 years.

In 1970, Ribeyro became a Peruvian cultural advisor and later an ambassador to UNESCO. Despite his busy schedule as a diplomat, Ribeyro continued writing. By the end of his career, he had published eight volumes of short stories and several novels, essays and plays. His work has been translated into multiple languages. In 1994, he won the prestigious Juan Rulfo Prize for Literature.

Happy 93rd birthday, Julio Ramón Ribeyro! Your powerful writing continues to change people’s perceptions of the world.

[9A]

Jun 27, 2023

Celebrating Martin Dibobe


Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Berlin-based guest artist Helene Baum-Owoyele, celebrates Cameroonian train driver Martin Dibobe. On this day in 1919, Dibobe and 17 other African people petitioned the German government for independence and civil rights for all people in Germany’s colonial empire.

Dibobe was born in 1876 in Cameroon, which became a German colony in 1884. The son of a Douala chief, he learned to read and write in a missionary school. In his youth, the German government ordered Dibobe and many other Africans in Berlin to join an ethnographic display designed to teach Germans about daily life in Africa and gather support for colonialism. In 1886, Dibobe and one hundred other Africans were shipped to Berlin on a steamboat.

For six months, Dibobe lived under terrible conditions and appeared as an “exhibit” of African life in Berlin’s Treptower Park. Afterward, he stayed in Germany and worked as a locksmith in a local factory before falling in love with a German woman. Although the registry office refused to document their union, they later married with the support of a clergyman.

Dibobe then earned a job at the Berlin subway system and worked his way up to become the first Black train driver in the city. Unsatisfied with his social mobility, he advocated for African rights across the empire. It’s believed that the German government sent Dibobe back to Cameroon to help build a new railway line around 1907. During this time, he shared his views on equal rights with chiefs in his native country.

After the 1919 Treaty of Versailles, Germany ceded its colonies to France and Britain. Dibobe rallied fellow advocates to appeal to Germany’s National Assembly. The Dibobe petition included 32 demands supporting equal rights for the country’s African migrants, but it was ignored by the government.

Cameroon fell under French rule and when Dibobe tried to return in 1922, they denied his entry. He then traveled to Liberia where he most likely died. Today, a plaque commemorates Martin Dibobe’s efforts at his old address in Berlin. In the face of blatant racism, Dibobe always championed African rights and paved the way for future activists.

Thanks, Martin Dibobe for serving as a role model for future advocates of Black independence.

[9A]

Mar 18, 2019

Celebrating Seiichi Miyake





Today’s animated Doodle celebrates Japanese inventor Seiichi Miyake, whose desire to help a close friend turned into an innovation that drastically improved the way those who are visually impaired navigate public spaces around the globe.

In 1965, Miyake spent his own money to invent tactile blocks [or Tenji blocks as they were originally known] to help a friend whose vision was becoming impaired. The blocks come in two predominant types: one with dots, and the other with bars. The dotted blocks alert the visually impaired when they are approaching danger, and can often be found at the edges of crosswalks and railway platforms. The barred blocks provide directional cues, letting users know that they are following a safe path.

Aside from identifying tactile tiles via a support or white cane, individuals also do so with the help of guide dogs or feeling them through their shoes, as portrayed in other drafts of the Doodle below:





Miyake’s tactile blocks were first introduced on a street near the Okayama School for the Blind in Okayama City, Japan on this day in 1967. Their use gradually spread before they and sound guides were made mandatory in the Japanese National Railways a decade later. Since then, tactile paving is now used around the world.

Today’s Doodle depicts the Google logo rendered in the style of Miyake’s tactile blocks, embossed against the familiar yellow background.

[9A]

Dec 16, 2023

Celebrating Arthur Beetson




This Doodle, illustrated by NSW-based guest artist Blak Douglas, one of the greatest rugby league players of all time: Arthur Beetson. Beetson was known for his exceptional ball-handling skills that redefined rugby league standards and changed how athletes today play the game.

Beetson was born in Roma, Queensland in 1945 which is traditionally known as Gubbi Gubbi Country. His mother, a survivor of the Stolen Generation, was taken from her parents at 11 years old and forced to work as a domestic servant. Fearing that her children would suffer the same fate, she often hid Beetson and his siblings whenever a stranger’s car came close to their home.

Beetson fell in love with football as a child, and at 19, he was recruited to play for the Redcliffe Dolphins. Soon after, Redcliffe won the Brisbane premiership and Beetson was named club player of the year in 1965.

In 1973, when Beetson was appointed captain of the Kangaroos, the Australia National Rugby League team, it was a watershed moment for Indigenous representation: The government had only begun to recognize Indigenous people as Australian citizens six years earlier. Up until then, Indigenous communities were largely excluded from Australian society.

Beetson captained the Kangaroos to victory at the 1975 World Series, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players and leaders in Australian rugby league history. He continued to break new grounds throughout his four-decade career by playing in 14 test matches, four victorious World Club campaigns, 20 interstate matches, and 222 New South Wales Rugby League first-grade games. He also went on to coach for the Eastern Suburbs, Australia, Queensland, the Redcliffe Dolphins, and the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. In 2003, Beetson was inducted into the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame and added to the list of Immortals.

Thank you, Arthur Beetson, for helping level the playing field for Indigenous representation and being a sporting icon for all Australians.

[9A]

Feb 02, 2015


110th Anniversary of first publication of Bécassine





Bécassine is a French comic strip and the name of its heroine, appearing for the first time in the first issue of La Semaine de Suzette on February 2, 1905. She is considered one of the first female protagonists in the history of French comics.

Bécassine is one of the most enduring French comics of all time, iconic in its home country, and with a long history in syndication and publication.

[9A]

Dec 17, 2018

80th Anniversary of “The Rapid Arrows”



A group of five boys with a thirst for adventure, the Rapid Arrows [or Rychlé šípy in the original Czechoslovakian] premiered as an action-packed comics series 80 years ago. Mirek Dušín, Jarka Metelka, Jindra Hojer, Červenáček [aka "Red Cap"], Rychlonožka [aka "Speedy"], and their trusty dog Bublina [aka "Bubble"] were an instant hit with young readers—and remain popular in the Czech Republic and Slovakia today.

Created by the Czech writer Jaroslav Foglar, the Rapid Arrows comic quickly became a household name in families with young children. The group leader’s name, Mirek Dušín, has become a figure of speech for someone who is exemplary in every way—now used in a humorous way. Adapted into audio, film, and stage versions, the Rapid Arrows left a strong impact on pop culture in Eastern Europe and even inspired a wave of real-life youth clubs with many thousands of readers.

The comic ran from 1938 to 1989, with two breaks in production caused by war and political changes. All the original comics were collected into one book in 1998, which has been reprinted several times since. The Rapid Arrows also appear in Foglar’s novel Mystery of the Conundrum, which was adapted into a 1969 TV series and later into a 1993 film.

The boys’ search for the mechanical puzzle known as “Hedgehog in a Cage,” the Tleskač flying bicycle, and the sinister region of Stínadla continue to be loved by generations of readers and viewers.

Doodle illustrated by Czech artist, Marek Rubec

[9A]

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.

In 1937, Vargas began drawing La Familia Burrón as a separate piece which documented parents, Regino Burrón and Borola Tacuche de Burrón, their two teenage children, Regino and Macuca Burrón, and Foforito Cantarranas, a younger kid who was adopted by the Burróns. La Familia Burrón profiled a lower class family's daily comedic struggles in an impoverished Mexican barrio

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.

[9A]

2 May 2022

Celebrating Elijah McCoy


Today’s Doodle celebrates the birthday of Elijah McCoy, a Black Canadian-American engineer and inventor who revolutionized train efficiency with his inventions. He held 57 patents in his lifetime, most of which were related to locomotives and railways.

In 1837, McCoy’s parents bravely escaped a life of enslavement in Kentucky through the Underground Railroad and sought freedom in Canada. Elijah was born in Colchester, Ontario and returned to the U.S. with his family at a young age. He grew up with a passion for problem-solving, mechanics, and trains. At age 15, he decided to further his education in the field and moved to Edinburgh, Scotland to become a mechanical engineer apprentice.

Upon his return, McCoy settled in Michigan as opportunities to find work in Canada were very limited. In 1866, Black Americans faced rampant racial discrimination, which made finding a job that aligned with his level of experience in mechanical engineering extremely difficult. He joined the Michigan Central Railroad as a fireman and oiler, and quickly identified how inefficient it was to have to stop trains every few miles in order to manually lubricate their engines.

Six years into his role, McCoy addressed this issue by inventing what was colloquially known as an “oil-drip cup.” The cup caused oil to steadily flow around the engine without needing to stop the train. Consequently, McCoy obtained his first patent, “Improvement in Lubricators for Steam Engines.” Future variations of his invention were later used to revolutionize oil-drilling and mining equipment along with construction and factory tools.

McCoy continued to design new inventions while working as a consultant to engineering companies, including patents for a lawn sprinkler and ironing board. He eventually founded the Elijah McCoy Manufacturing Company in 1920, which produced lubrication devices displaying his name.

In 2001, Elijah McCoy was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Akron, Ohio and has a dedicated exhibit in the Detroit Historical Museum. McCoy’s innovations and ingenuity kept trains chugging and have laid the tracks for the well-oiled machines of today.

Happy birthday, Elijah McCoy!

[9A]

Dec 17, 2023

Celebrating Ha Long Bay




This Doodle celebrates Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, one of the seven new natural wonders of the world. Ha Long Bay is located in the Gulf of Tonkin and was formed some 3 million years ago. Its name in Vietnamese, Vinh Ha Long, means “where the dragon descends to the sea.”

Ha Long Bay is located in the Gulf of Tonkin within the Quang Ninh province and was formed some 3 million years ago. Legend has it that a mythical dragon stomped down hard into the earth to create giant valleys that were filled with water, and only a few jagged mountain peaks stayed undisturbed above the surface. The breathtaking seascape now consists of almost 2,000 islands and islets, and is home to hundreds of different species from fish to monkeys to hawks to frogs.

Its limestone pillars and emerald green waters attract millions of bucket-list visitors each year, making it one of Vietnam’s national treasures. Many delve down into the depths of Sung Sot Cave, the largest cave in the bay, while others enjoy more nautical adventures like fishing, snorkeling, kayaking, and scuba diving.

Ha Long Bay was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a new age wonder of the world. It’s an invaluable cultural phenomenon that has helped scientists understand the movement of geologic plates and the history of climate change on earth.

[9A]

Sep 17, 2023

Celebrating Picos de Europa


Today’s Doodle celebrates Picos de Europa National Park. Spread across 11 villages in northern Spain, the park is home to meadows, lakes, and a steep, sloping mountain range. On this day in 2001, the Bulnes cable car was inaugurated, which ended the isolation of the town of Bulnes which is located in the Picos de Europa. The Bulnes train station can be spotted within the second “G” in today’s Doodle artwork!

The park’s natural beauty and abundant resources attract more than millions of visitors annually. From flourishing grasslands to dense forests, its 67,127 hectares provide ideal dwelling places for protected species like bearded vultures, brown bears, and Iberian wolves. The Cantabrian chamois has become the unofficial mascot of the park. Statues of the mountain goat antelope decorate trail signs and lodging throughout. Picos De Europa is also a flower enthusiast's paradise with over 40 orchid species and rare fauna like the pulsatilla rubra — known for its vibrant red petals with golden yellow stamens.

In 2003, UNESCO approved Biosphere Reserve status for the park, establishing it as a site for scientific work. Nearly a decade later, Spain extended the park’s boundaries to its current size. Today, Picos de Europa remains one of nature’s wonders and reminds us why we should protect it.

[9A]

Dec 18, 2020

26th Anniversary of the Grotte Chauvet Discovery




On this day in 1994, three speleologists [cave specialists] by the name of Jean-Marie Chauvet, Éliette Brunel, and Christian Hillaire were exploring in the Ardèche region of southern France when they happened upon something remarkable: an enormous display of what turned out to be some of the earliest-known and best-preserved figurative drawings ever made by humankind. Today’s Doodle celebrates this groundbreaking discovery–now known as Grotte Chauvet [French for Chauvet Cave]–which forever altered the archaeological understanding of prehistoric man’s artistic expression and creative development.

Through carbon dating, the extraordinary drawings have been traced back to the Aurignacian period over 30,000 years ago. Thanks to a rock fall that sealed the entrance more than 10,000 years later, the Chauvet Cave–and the more than 1,000 drawings documented on its limestone walls–then remained untouched, preserved for millennia in pristine quality.

As illustrated in today’s Doodle, the cave features depictions of 14 different species— from horses and lions to dangerous prehistoric creatures like the long-extinct wooly rhinoceros and mammoth. The deepest gallery features representations of the human body, while other walls display abstract series of red dots. The images demonstrate great artistic vision and technique through their anatomical accuracy, illusion of depth and movement, masterful use of colors, and skillful combination of both painting and engraving. In addition to the paintings, the cave is also home to human footprints and some 4,000 prehistoric animal fossils.

In recognition of the site's vast significance to the human story, UNESCO inscribed the Chauvet Cave onto the World Heritage List in 2014.

[9A]

May 26, 2019

65th Anniversary of the Khufu Ship Discovery



On this day in 1954, one of the oldest and largest boats on earth was found buried near Egypt’s biggest pyramid. Today’s Doodle celebrates the discovery of the Khufu Ship, which has survived more than 4,600 years, although its true purpose remains a mystery.

Digging under a stone wall on the south side of the Great Pyramid of Giza, archaeologist Kamal el-Mallakh unearthed a row of massive limestone blocks covering a rectangular pit. Inside the airtight enclosure were neat piles of cedar planks, along with the ropes and matting needed to rebuild the vessel.

The painstaking process of reassembling over 1,200 pieces was overseen by Haj Ahmed Youssef, a restorer from the Egyptian Department of Antiquities, who studied models found in ancient tombs as well as visiting modern shipyards along the Nile. Over a decade later, the ingeniously designed vessel, measuring 143 feet long and 19.6 feet wide [[44.6m, 6m), was fully restored without using a single nail.

Experts agree that the ship was built for Khufu [known to the Greeks as Cheops], the second pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, who is entombed inside the pyramid. Some say the ship was used to ferry the pharaoh’s body to his final resting place. Others think it was placed in the location to help transport his soul to heaven, similar to “Atet,” the barge that carried Ra, the Egyptian god of the sun across the sky.

Still others believe the ship is a sort of “black box” containing clues to the construction of the pyramids. These scholars argue that the asymmetrical ship was designed to be used as a floating crane capable of lifting large stone blocks. Wear and tear on the wood suggests that the boat had more than a symbolic purpose. While the mystery is still up for debate, the ancient ship can now be viewed at the Giza Solar Boat Museum, located just a few meters away from where it was found 65 years ago.

[9A]

Feb 12, 2016

475 Anniversary of Santiago City Foundation


A lot can happen in the 475 years of a city’s existence. Since its foundation on February 12th, 1541 by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia, Santiago de Chile has emerged as a cultural icon and landmark city of South America. It's now the sixth largest city on the continent, with just over 5.5 million people.

The city was originally named after St. James, the patron saint of Spain. The name Santiago actually derives from a colloquial Latin pronunciation of St. James: Sanctu Iacobu. That’s why St. James in English is Santiago in Spanish. Write that one down for your next trivia night.

Today, we honor all the people who have called Santiago their home over the years. Doodler Mark Holmes chose to portray the varied architecture of the city, layered against the august backdrop of Chile’s astounding Andes mountain range. WIth deep admiration, we wish you a happy birthday, Santiago!

[9A]

May 26, 2016

Frankie Manning’s 102nd birthday





One morning in 1929, Frankie Manning--then only fifteen--was walking through Harlem on his way to Sunday school. Passing the Alhambra Ballroom, he made a decision to take dance classes that would change swing forever. Known as the Ambassador of the Lindy Hop--the exuberant style born in Harlem--Frankie Manning is remembered as the first person to take swing from the dancefloor to the air above it. Today’s doodle by Nate Swinehart celebrates Frankie Manning’s acrobatic, powerful style, in which his partners were flipped and spun to the emphatic horns of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and others.

The Lindy Hop and Manning’s aerial flourishes became wildly popular, and Manning himself performed the dance in several 40’s era movies. He also served in WWII, toured South America and the UK with his troupe, The Congaroos, performed the Lindy for King George VI, and won a Tony Award for his choreographic work on the Broadway musical Black and Blue.

Frankie Manning often described the dance as a “series of three-minute romances.” Here’s to the Ambassador on what would have been his 102nd birthday, and his role in creating for countless people--even if it lasted only three minutes--a moment that transcended the world around them.

[9A]

April 30, 2022

Celebrating Route 66




Today’s video Doodle takes you on the ultimate American road trip, a journey along the historic Route 66. The iconic highway—known for its retro diners, quirky motels, eclectic art installations and extraordinary landscapes—connects Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California. On this day in 1926, the name “U.S. 66” was first proposed for the cross-country route.

Built during the start of mass car ownership in 1926, U.S. Highway 66 made cross-country travel affordable for the first time ever. It also served as an escape route for displaced families during the Dust Bowl. When severe dust storms ravaged the Great Plains in the 1930s, more than 200,000 refugees got on Route 66 to pursue a better life out West. Among these drivers was John Steinbeck, who traveled along Route 66 during this time to seek inspiration for The Grapes of Wrath.

When the American economy stabilized after World War II, Route 66’s popularity surged. Millions of travelers drove through the highway to witness awe-inspiring sites—like a 50,000-year-old meteor crater in northern Arizona, and graffiti-laden Cadillacs buried nose-down in Amarillo, Texas.

Although Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985, after five new interstate highways replaced it, many organizations campaigned to preserve the road to honor its historical significance. As a result, parts of Route 66 were preserved as State or National Scenic Byways. Travelers today can still find many original establishments from the heyday of the historic highway.

Today’s artwork celebrates the cultural significance of one of America’s first national highways, and how it became a symbol of a changing nation.
Honk if you love Route 66!

[9A]

Feb 06, 2021

Celebrating the Vernadsky Research Base





What do magnetometers, snowmobiles, and penguins all have in common? Each can be found in full-swing at the Ukrainian Akademik Vernadsky Research Base, an Antarctic scientific center widely acclaimed for its climate change research studies. Today’s Doodle celebrates this historic station, which officially transferred from British to Ukrainian control on this day in 1996.

Located on the tiny island of Galindez in the Antarctic Circle, the Vernadsky station is the direct successor to the British Faraday base, which was first established as a meteorological observatory in 1947. Today, the Vernadsky station is operated by a rotating staff of a dozen winterers. For about ten months at a time, each winterer endures extreme isolation [there isn’t a town within 1,000 nautical miles!] and sub-zero temperatures, all in the name of scientific progress. When they aren’t busy preparing for expeditions into the Antarctic wilderness, the base’s personnel work year-round to maintain the station and conduct research on everything from penguin populations to the atmospheric effects of ultraviolet radiation.

Cheers to everyone who keeps their cool at the Vernadsky base, thank you for helping to provide a better understanding of our changing planet!





The Research Team at the Ukrainian Akademik Vernadsky Research Base

[9A]

Jul 01, 2020


Celebrating the Litfaßsäule





Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Hamburg-based guest artists Rocket & Wink, celebrates the Litfaßsäule. These iconic advertising pillars were named after the man who first suggested them, Ernst Litfaß [pronounced Lit-fass]. On this date in 1855, to the fanfare of a live orchestra, Berlin’s very first Litfaßsäule was dedicated at the intersection of Münzstraße and what is today Almstadtstraße.

Before the creation of Litfaßsäule, Berlin had a problem with advertisements—they were scattered all over the city, from walls to fences and everywhere in between. The widespread clutter irked Litfaß, and so the clever printer and publisher proposed these dedicated advertising pillars to be placed on Berlin’s busiest corners and plazas as a more organized alternative.

The city agreed to commission 150 pillars as an official system for paid advertisements, and before long the columns were lined cleanly with eye-catching notices for cultural institutions like theaters and dance halls. The unusual, three-meter-tall fixtures were met with huge popularity among Berlin’s residents. Over the decades, the Litfaßsäule came to serve as a symbol of Berlin, and booklovers may even recognize one from the famous cover of Erich Kästner's 1929 children’s book “Emil and the Detectives.”

Today, there are over 50,000 Litfaßsäule—many like those depicted in the Doodle artwork—in use throughout Germany, and they still serve as a popular and practical advertising channel for local events and small organizations. While many of Berlin’s original pillars have since been removed or replaced by newer models, it’s clear that the Litfaßsäule continue to hold a special place in the hearts of the city’s residents.

Danke to all the Litfaßsäulen that have helped make Berlin such a special place!

[9A]

Sep 12, 2016

Takizo Iwasaki’s 121st birthday


Most of us are familiar with the wax and plastic replica foods that help you decide what to order at a restaurant, but did you know that the practice dates back to the 1920s?

Takizo Iwasaki re-invented a practice that had been around for over a decade, of creating sampuru [or samples] of food served by restaurants. He started with a perfectly 'cooked' omelet made of wax. Reportedly, upon showing it to his wife, she couldn't even tell the difference between the sampuru and the real thing! The omelet was once open for public viewing in his home prefecture of Gifu, where most of the world's replica food is still made.

Although replica foods are now more often made of plastic than wax, the practice is still done by hand and rarely mass-produced. This is to maintain the quality of the sampuru and the unique dishes that each restaurant requests.

Today's doodle celebrates Takizo Iwasaki on what would be his 121st birthday, with an homage to that original omelet that changed the landscape of sampuru forever.

[9A]

Dec 24, 2019

Happy Holidays 2019 [Day 2]


No matter how you choose to celebrate, ‘tis the season to enjoy the holiday festivities during the most wonderful time of the year!

Happy holidays!

[9A]

Dec 25, 2018

Holidays 2018




It’s that festive time of year again! Sending along holiday cheer to you & your loved ones during this merry time.

Happy Holidays!

[9A]

Dec 24, 2018

Holidays 2018




Reported sightings of an unidentified flying object near the North Pole can now be confirmed. Radar scopes are picking up a large jolly blip accompanied by eight tiny blips, and a bright red light has been spotted throughout the polar vortex. Children are advised to be nice, not naughty and remain in bed until further notice. Be advised that this UFO may contain candy canes and good tidings for all!

Happy Holidays!

[9A]

Dec 25, 2019

Happy Holidays 2019



No matter how you choose to celebrate, ‘tis the season to enjoy the holiday festivities during the most wonderful time of the year!

Happy holidays!

[9A]

Dec 23, 2018

Holidays 2018



With his bags packed and reindeers well fed, Santa departs for his adventure around the world. Keep an eye out for a blinking red nose or visit our Santa Tracker to follow along the way.

Happy Holidays!

[9A]

Dec 18, 2017

Holidays 2017 [Day 1]


https://doodles.google/doodle/holidays-2017-day-1/ [slide show]


The festive season is here and this pair of slippery-footed siblings are excited to spend time with their warm-weather relatives! Stay tuned over the next couple of weeks to see what kind of fun this feathery family has in store.

[9A]

Dec 25, 2017

Holidays 2017 [Day 2]




https://doodles.google/doodle/holidays-2017-day-2/ [slide show]

Our favorite penguins couldn’t be more excited to reunite with their loved ones. Happy to be together for the season of cheer, this colorfully feathered family can’t wait to sink their beaks into a delicious feast.


Check back next week to see how this avian crew rings in the new year!

[9A]

Dec 23, 2016

Holidays 2016 [Day 1] Warm Climates





Warm up your singing voice and get ready to bring some summer cheer! Today's Doodle celebrates the season with our festive chorus of melody-makers. What better spot to set up than under a shady palm tree with your loved ones? From this family of letters to you, happy holidays!


Doodle by Gerben Steenks

[9A]

Dec 25, 2016

Holidays 2016 [Day 3]



‘Tis the season! During this festive time of year, there’s nothing quite like cozying up in front of the fireplace with family and friends. Here’s to a day filled with love, warmth, and mugs of hot cocoa.


Doodle by Gerben Steenks

[9A]

Dec 24, 2016

Holidays 2016 [Day 2]





Happy holidays! This is the perfect time of year to cozy up to the window with your favorite blanket or mug, and watch the snow fall. While you’re there, sketch a foggy doodle or two [or five] of your own.

Doodle by Gerben Steenks

[9A]

Dec 24, 2014

Holidays 2014 [Day 2]

[9A]

Dec 23, 2019

Happy Holidays 2019 [Day 1]




No matter how you choose to celebrate, ‘tis the season to enjoy the holiday festivities during the most wonderful time of the year!

Happy holidays!

[9A]

Dec 25, 2014

Holidays 2014 [Day 3]




Holidays almost always involve travel and transport, and I wanted to celebrate the variety of ways we do this. Choosing a suitcase/backpack motif, I set about creating multiple people that transform and adapt to their surroundings. It's a "door to door journey" seen through many eyes. Whatever our destination this holiday- a snowy mountain, a perfect wave or a crackling fire, we hope you enjoy the ride!


The music is "Seabird" by Matt Saxton.

[9A]

Dec 24, 2013

Holiday Series 2013 #1

[9A]

Dec 25, 2012

Holiday Series 2012 #2

[9A]

Dec 23, 2011

Happy Holidays 2011


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scbMV_bKhbA [animated]

My parents live near a married couple in Iowa, both in their eighties. Each December, they take the time to decorate the trees lining the highway. Some years, they've decorated as many as 150 trees. And it does a tremendous amount to brighten up an otherwise cold, dark, and snowy prairie landscape.

Winters everywhere can be cold and dark with short days and long nights. It's no coincidence, then, that many cultures incorporate lights and decoration into their winter holidays that fall around the winter solstice. And that theme inspired our holiday doodle this year.

Happy holidays, and we will see you in the new year.

Posted by Nathan Naze, Software Engineer

[9A]

10 May 2019

Minarni Soedarjanto’s 75th Birthday











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

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

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

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

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

[9A]

10 May 2011

Zhang Daqian's 112th Birthday





Chang Dai-chien or Zhang Daqianwas one of the best-known and most prodigious Chinese artists of the twentieth century. Originally known as a guohua [traditionalist] painter, by the 1960s he was also renowned as a modern impressionist and expressionist painter. In addition, he is regarded as one of the most gifted master forgers of the twentieth century.

[9A]

5 Jun 2011

Richard Scarry's 92nd Birthday









I had a lot of fun working with the folks at Random House — including one of Richard Scarry's actual art directors, as well as his son, Huck — to create an original pencil and watercolor piece depicting Busytown.

Scarry's technique allowed him to work pretty loosely with his watercolors, and he'd frequently paint off-register, that is, not quite up to [or way beyond] the line drawing. This gave his illustrations an even more lighthearted quality. In our case, it's Richard Scarry's Best Google Doodle Ever!

posted by Mike Dutton

[9A]

5 June 2013

Thomas Chippendale's 295th Birthday




Thomas Chippendale [1718–1779] was a cabinet-maker in London, designing furniture in the mid-Georgian, English Rococo, and Neoclassical styles. In 1754 he published a book of his designs in a trade catalogue titled The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director, upon which success he became renowned. The designs are regarded as representing the current British fashion for furniture of that period and are now reproduced globally. He was buried 16 November 1779, according to the records of St Martin-in-the-Fields, in the cemetery since built upon by the National Gallery. Chippendale furniture is much valued; a padouk cabinet that was offered for auction during 2008 sold for £2,729,250 [$3,775,914.65].

[9A]

5 March 2012

Heitor Vila Lobos' 125th Birthday





Heitor Villa-Lobos [March 5, 1887 – November 17, 1959] was a Brazilian composer, conductor, cellist, and classical guitarist described as "the single most significant creative figure in 20th-century Brazilian art music". Villa-Lobos has become the best-known South American composer of all time. A prolific composer, he wrote numerous orchestral, chamber, instrumental and vocal works, totaling over 2000 works by his death in 1959. His music was influenced by both Brazilian folk music and by stylistic elements from the European classical tradition, as exemplified by his Bachianas Brasileiras [Brazilian Bachian-pieces] and his Chôros. His Etudes for classical guitar [1929] were dedicated to Andrés Segovia, while his 5 Preludes [1940] were dedicated to his spouse Arminda Neves d'Almeida, a.k.a. "Mindinha". Both are important works in the classical guitar repertory.

[9A]

Dec 20, 2023

Sedad Hakkı Eldem's 115th Birthday



This Doodle celebrates Turkish architect Sedad Hakki Eldem, who is widely remembered for modernizing architecture in Türkiye.

Eldem’s passion for art, design, and architecture developed from an early age. He attended the Istanbul Academy of Fine Arts and graduated in 1928 before traveling to Europe on a state scholarship. In 1931, he designed the Turkish Pavilion for the Budapest International Fair as an example of modern Turkish architecture, which was greatly appreciated by those who visited the exhibition.


Over the course of the next few decades, Eldem became a prominent member of the architectural community. He led more than 20 significant building projects and published architectural researches including the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Topkapi Palace. His distinct style, which blended both modern and traditional characteristics, earned him widespread acclaim. His keen eye and expertise of Ottoman designs gave his modern constructions an authentic, historical twist.

He was also a revered educator and writer who greatly influenced Turkey’s national style through both architectural progress and preservation.

Happy birthday, Sedad Hakki Eldem!