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James Wong Howe’s 118th Birthday



Today marks the 118th birthday of James Wong Howe (黃宗霑), Chinese American cinematographer who rose to fame for his innovative filming techniques despite racial adversity.

Born in Guangzhou, China, Howe immigrated to the U.S. when he was five years old and grew up in Washington state. He boxed professionally in his teens, worked odd jobs, then finally started in the industry by delivering films and picking up scraps from a studio’s cutting room floor.

Throughout his career, he used lighting, framing, and minimal camera movement to express emotion. He accidentally discovered how to use dark backdrops to create color nuances in black-and-white film. He pioneered using wide-angle lenses, low key lighting, and color lighting. Howe also made early use of the crab dolly, a camera dolly with four wheels and a movable arm supporting the camera.

In contrast to the success of his work life, Howe faced racial discrimination in his private life: he became a U.S. citizen only after the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act; due to anti-miscegenation laws, his marriage was not be legally recognized in the U.S. until 1948.

Despite the barriers he faced, Howe retired with two Oscar awards as one of the most celebrated cinematographers of his time. Happy Birthday, James Wong Howe!

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First Day of School 2017



Today is the first day of school in many countries. And the school of fish in our Doodle is ready to dive into the brainy brine! A whale swims toward the classroom, textbooks in fin. A starfish crams in the remainder of its summer reading, and a turtle and friends embark on their first science project.

Here's hoping our seagoing scholars inspire you to have a great school year!

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Eduard Khil’s 83rd Birthday



On this day in 1934, Eduard Anatolyevich Khil was born in Smolensk, Russia. Though famous in his sunset years for the viral YouTube comeback clip that tickled Western fans with its melodious “tro-lo-lo-ing,” the Soviet-era singer (aka “Mr. Trololo”) had made his mark decades earlier in his homeland.

After training at the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory (now the Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory), Khil earned his bona fides as a pop singer, racking up numerous awards, including the distinguished People’s Artist of Russia in 1974. A 1976 TV performance of “I Am Glad Because I Am Finally Returning Back Home,” featuring Khil’s now-legendary “tro-lo-lo-ing” vocalization, first appeared on YouTube in 2009. It rocketed the baritone crooner to internet (and meme) fame by 2010. Khil discovered that he was an internet sensation after he heard his grandson humming the song!

Today’s Doodle is an animation of that viral “Trololo” clip. Khil takes the stage in a drab brown suit and mustard-colored tie and happily breaks into his signature “tro-lo-lo-ing,” his expressive eyebrows dancing to the beat. A round of applause for “Mr. Trololo” on what would have been his 83rd birthday!

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Celebrating British Sign Language and the Braidwood Academy



As millions of children head back to school for the start of term, today we celebrate one educational institution in particular: the Braidwood Academy. Opened in 1760 in Edinburgh, Braidwood is considered the UK’s first school for deaf children and the first to include sign language in education.

Thomas Braidwood, the school’s founder, had just one deaf student when the school first opened. It turned out that one student was all it took – by 1780, the number had increased to 20 students as Braidwood found success in his teaching methods.

In addition to helping lay the groundwork for deaf education in Great Britain, Braidwood’s work contributed significantly to the development of British Sign Language (BSL). He relied on teaching communication through natural gestures, which differed from the focus on speech and lip-reading elsewhere in Europe. His form of sign language ultimately set the standards for BSL as it is known today.

Today’s Doodle features a group of schoolchildren signing the letters below them. It is a celebration of the Braidwood Academy’s work but also of the importance of education for all students with their diversity of needs. Check out the video below to learn how to sign the alphabet using British Sign Language.

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Sir John Cornforth’s 100th Birthday



Today's Doodle celebrates chemist Sir John Warcup Cornforth, born in Sydney on this date in 1917. During childhood, Cornforth began to lose his hearing, and he was completely deaf by the age of 20. Unable to hear the lectures in his classes at the University of Sydney, he devoured chemistry textbooks on his own.

One fateful day at university, Cornforth met fellow chemist Rita Harradence. She had broken a flask in the lab and asked Cornforth — an accomplished glassblower — to repair it. Thus began a long professional and romantic partnership. In 1939, Cornforth and Harradence both won scholarships to study at Oxford, and they married two years later. Together they wrote more than 40 scientific papers. (Now that's chemistry!)

At Oxford, Conforth joined the team that made great strides in the study of penicillin. He then returned to his earlier research on the three-dimensional structure ("stereochemistry") of various chemical reactions. In 1975, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for this work. Cornforth and co-laureate Vladimir Prelog studied the enzymes that activate changes in organic compounds. Their conclusions opened the door to many discoveries, including the development of cholesterol-lowering drugs.

When the Nobel Prize was announced, the press release admitted, "This subject is difficult to explain to the layman." But it was already clear that millions of people would benefit from Cornforth's lifelong curiosity about the workings and wonder of the natural world.

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Doodle 4 Google 2017 - Malaysia Winner



The winner of the 2017 Doodle 4 Google competition in Malaysia is Kai Wei Ch’ng of Nexus International School in Putrajaya. Kai Wei and numerous contestants from around the country produced amazing works in response to this year’s theme of “Celebrating Malaysia’s Diversity.”

Kai Wei won among the very talented 4 age group finalists with her Doodle “United, We Shine.” She writes:

“In my Doodle, I demonstrated my understanding of Malaysia’s diversity by including people from different ethnicities unique to Malaysia. However, I believe that Malaysia became the vibrant country that it is today because we are united as one regardless of race, color, and ethnicity. To convey my idea, I drew 6 people representing each main ethnicity, with a banner featuring the main colors of the Malaysian flag to show that we are all united (carefully arranged to also represent each letter in the Google logo)."

A huge thank you to everyone who took part in this year’s Doodle 4 Google competition, and congratulations to all age group finalists, age group winners, and the national winner, Kai Wei!

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Emilia Pardo Bazán’s 166th Birthday



A 19th-century novelist, professor, and women’s rights activist, Emilia Pardo Bazán was a trailblazer in more ways than one. Born in A Coruña, Spain to a family who believed in the power of education, she took an early interest in literature – and her academic pursuits didn’t stop there. Despite women being forbidden to study science and philosophy, Pardo Bazán became well versed in both by seeking out information on her own.

She went on to write a number of novels, short stories, and essays, winning her first literary prize in 1876. Her affinity for science also came through in her writing, where her reality-driven descriptions introduced the naturalist movement to Spain. Her signature style was on full display in her two most famous novels, Los pazos de Ulloa (1886) and La madre naturaleza (1887). In her published works and beyond, Pardo Bazán endlessly championed women’s rights. She also taught at the University of Madrid, where she became the first woman to occupy a chair of literature.

Inspired by the statue of Pardo Bazán that stands in her hometown, today’s Doodle pays tribute to the prolific author on what would’ve been her 166th birthday.

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Mexico National Day 2017



Happy National Day, Mexico!

Not far from the modern metropolis of Mexico City lies another important city—one that’s at least 1,300 years old. Today’s Doodle by guest artist Luis Pinto pays tribute to the ancient city Teotihuacan, constructed between the 1st and 7th centuries. Who actually built the ancient city remains a mystery.

Visitors to Teotihuacan stand in the shadows of the towering Pyramids of the Sun and Moon, and the detailed Temple of Quetzalcoatl. At night, a spectacular light and sound show brings the pyramid carvings to life in brilliant colors. You can also view the city from above in a hot air balloon; just keep an eye out for Quetzalcoatl, the “feathered serpent” responsible for the wind.

Many Mexicans today are descendants of its indigenous people, and the country is a rich mosaic of old and new. On September 16th, people of all ancestries come together to remember the famous Grito de Dolores, or “Cry of Dolores,” that set Mexico on the path to a united country for all.

¡Viva México!

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Samuel Johnson’s 308th Birthday



If you wanted to know what the word 'lexicographer' means today, you might Google it. If you fancy a throwback however, you might grab a dictionary. Today’s Doodle celebrates the 308th birthday of British lexicographer – a person who compiles dictionaries – Samuel Johnson.

Samuel Johnson published A Dictionary of the English Language in 1755 after 9 years of work. It was described as “one of the greatest single achievements of scholarship,” and had a far-reaching effect on modern English. It was “colossal” at nearly 18 inches tall! Johnson’s was the premier English dictionary until the publication of the Oxford English Dictionary 150 years later.

Johnson was also a poet, essayist, critic, biographer and editor. Johnson’s dictionary was more than just a word list: his work provided a vast understanding of 18th century's language and culture. His lasting contributions guaranteed him a place in literary history.

Today we pay homage to this pioneer lexicographer who dedicated years to his craft.

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55th Anniversary of Khao Yai National Park



Today we celebrate the 55th anniversary of one of Thailand’s treasures, Khao Yai National Park. Khao Yai is the oldest national Park in Thailand, nestled in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, about 3 hours outside of Bangkok. With the help of renowned Thai conservationist, Boonsong Lekakul, the Thai government declared the park protected land on September 18, 1962. The sprawling 837 square mile park is a treasure to visitors from around the world.

Today’s slideshow Doodle will take you on a journey through the park to catch a glimpse of wildlife unique to Thailand, such as gaurs, ottors, and gibbons. Khao Yai is a sanctuary for over 70 types of mammals, including elephants, bears, and deer, as well as hundreds of species of birds. Visitors are even known to come across macaque monkeys in the winding roads as they venture into the park! Khao Yai is also home to magnificent waterfalls, hiking trails, and even white water rafting.

If you’re planning a visit to the park, you’re not alone – Khao Yai welcomes over a million visitors each year to take in nature, seek out wildlife sightings, and sleep under the stars. As a place with so many natural wonders to behold, we celebrate the 55 years of Khao Yai and hope for many more to come.