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Loy Krathong 2017



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

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

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Hirotugu Akaike’s 90th Birthday



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

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

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

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

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Jackie Forster’s 91st Birthday



It is quite an achievement to leave a lasting legacy. Jackie Forster is known for two: first, for her charismatic TV news reporting; second, for her trailblazing gay rights activism.

Born on this day in 1926, Jackie launched her famed career first in acting, appearing in various West End productions and films in the 1940s. She moved to television news under her maiden name, Jackie Mackenzie, and became a favorite of producers and the public with her sharp, lively, and quirky delivery. Her coverage of the wedding of Prince Rainier to Princess Grace in 1956 won her the Prix d’Italia.

Thirteen years later, Jackie made history by publicly coming out as gay, paving the way for many other women of the time. Soon after, she appeared on a host of television programs, speaking openly about her identity and helping viewers find the strength to accept themselves. She walked proudly in the first gay rights march in the UK and co-founded Sappho, an English lesbian magazine and social club.

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Celebrating Pad Thai



Soak rice noodles in water for a few hours. Fry some eggs with tofu. Throw in lots of vegetables. Toss everything around in a sauce of tamarind, fish, and shrimp. Top it all off with roasted peanuts. Stick a fork in, make it messy, and slurp it all up!

These are the basics of Pad Thai, the uniquely sweet-salty noodle dish that is a signature street food of Thailand, and a heartwarming favorite for foodies around the world. In fact, it was today in 1945 that the tasty dish was announced the national cuisine of Thailand!

During the Second World War, Thailand faced an acute shortage of rice, a staple for the Thai people until that point. Rice noodles however happened to be cheap, filling, and plentiful. Coupled with vegetables and cheap sources of protein such as shrimp and prawns, rice noodles could provide a well-balanced, nutritious meal. An age-old recipe (thought to be introduced by Chinese traders) was popularized amongst vendors and began to be hawked widely on the streets. Overnight, a national favorite was born.

The recipe might be simple but each chef adds their own signature taste to the sauce, making it sweeter, spicier, or something in between. As with all street food, the messier and more social a meal, the better it tastes!

Today’s Doodle was inspired by Doodler Juliana's own research into cooking up Pad Thai with a friend. She wanted to be able to show all the delicious ingredients up close and invented some small pea-sized characters to be our culinary guides. Her lovely creation celebrates the process of cooking this unique dish and eating it with friends — warm, colorful, messy, social, and wonderfully Thai.

Kob khun mak, Pad Thai!

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Nellie Campobello’s 117th Birthday



The early part of the 20th century was a time of great political and cultural change in Mexico. Nellie Campobello (born María Francisca Moya Luna) bore witness to the Revolution as it overtook every aspect of ordinary life in her native Chihuahua and across the country.

She also did something almost no other woman had done or would do about those tumultuous times: she remembered. In 1931, she published the Spanish novella Cartucho, a collection of 56 keenly observant vignettes about the Revolution. The book captured her experiences as a young girl caught up in a revolution, the stories told to her by her mother, the collective memories of strangers and friends impacted by the war, and the corridos (ballads) of her hometown.

Cartucho was among the very few accounts of this important period of Mexican history narrated from a woman's perspective. It was also unique in its lyrical, almost poetic tone of voice.

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Sitara Devi’s 97th Birthday



Today’s Doodle pays homage to Sitara Devi, the legendary Kathak dancer who was described as Nritya Samragini (“Empress of Dance”) for her vibrant energy, effortless footwork, and unparalleled ability to bring a story to life.

Her performances on and off the silver screen revived popular interest in the classical dance of Kathak. Showcases at international venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, London and Carnegie Hall, New York brought the dance form a global audience.

Her significant achievements over a career spanning six decades were recognized by several awards, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Padma Shree. Her legacy continues to inspire young talent in dance.

Thanks to guest artist Ranganath Krishnamani, and happy 97th birthday to Sitara Devi, Empress of Dance!

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Sabah’s 90th Birthday



In the early 1940’s a young singer from Lebanon traveled from the plum-laden slopes of Bdadoun to the city of Cairo in search of a better life. Her first film ‘El Qalb Louh Wahid’ took the Arab world by storm, and the golden-haired, honey-voiced star became an overnight star. She named herself ‘Sabah’, after the morning. The public nicknamed her ‘Shahroura’ after a singing bird.

In a career that spanned six decades, Sabah performed in over a hundred films and plays and sang over 3000 songs. Her voice evoked sweet nostalgia, and her performances sparkled with joy and life. Her signature music was the folkloristic 'mawwal,’ a heritage she proudly presented to the world on the bright stages of Carnegie Hall, the Sydney Opera House, and the Piccadilly Theatre. In the war years, her humanitarian works brought hope to millions.

On what would have been her 90th birthday, today’s Doodle pays homage to the woman who with her voice, strength, and joie de vivre brought so much joy to Lebanon and the world. Salut and merci, Sabah!

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Anasuya Sarabhai’s 132nd Birthday



Born on this day in 1885, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, pioneering feminist and activist Anasuya Sarabhai was instrumental in altering the course of India’s labor history.

Briefly married as an adolescent, Sarabhai fought social convention and left in 1912 to study at the London School of Economics. There she was swept up in the suffragette movement and newly discovered ideas of social equality that laid the foundation for her life’s work.

Back home in Ahmedabad, Sarabhai started to work with disempowered women, particularly taking on the cause of local mill workers after learning of their 36-hour work shifts. In 1914 she helped Ahmedabad's weavers successfully organize their first strike for higher wages. In the years that followed, she went on to become their most vocal supporter, negotiating with mill owners (including her brother) for better working conditions. She was affectionately called “Motaben,” Gujarati for “elder sister.”

She was supported in her work by Mahatma Gandhi, with whom she set up Gujarat’s oldest labor union. It later paved the way for the founding of the Self-Employed Women’s Association of India (SEWA).

Today’s Doodle was created by Maria Qamar, a Pakistani-Canadian artist and author of the book Trust No Aunty. “Anasuya’s dedication to justice and equality is something I can relate to,” says Qamar. In drawing the activist, she took inspiration from the Indian textile industry. “I portrayed delicate fabrics and traditional patterns found in our homes and our closets,” explains Qamar. “I am honored to have the opportunity to share Anasuya’s legacy with the world.”

Happy Birthday, Anasuya Sarabhai!

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Veterans Day 2017



In 1954, President Eisenhower changed Armistice Day - a holiday honoring WWI veterans - to Veterans Day, a day to honor all American Veterans. The day, which celebrates living U.S. Veterans as opposed to Memorial Day which honors Veterans who have passed, marks a special time of reflection, gratitude, and remembrance.

Today's Doodle, developed in collaboration with VetNet (a network of Googler Veterans and Veteran family members and friends), incorporates silhouettes referencing the various uniforms and ranks throughout each branch of the military. From left to right these include: the Marines, Coast Guard, Air Force, Navy, and Army.

In celebration of the day, feel free to explore some of the ways in which Google is honoring our Veterans:

-Visit the Google Arts & Culture Veterans Day page to explore the National WWI Museum, works from the U.S. National Archives, and more.

-Watch YouTube’s tribute to Veterans for their service.

-Learn more about the recently launched Grow with Google initiative, which awarded Student Veterans of America with a Google.org grant to provide full scholarships for Veterans wishing to participate in a first-of-its-kind IT Support Certificate program.

-Check out “Bravo Tango,” the newly released meditation app specifically geared toward vets, created in partnership between Google, National Geographic, and 360i.

Today we honor and thank both Veterans and their families for their bravery and sacrifice for the Red, White and Blue.

Happy Veterans Day from Google!

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Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz’s 366th Birthday



In 17th century Mexico (then New Spain), access to education and learning was intensely guarded by male clergy who excluded women. But a lone woman chose to challenge this. Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was a self-taught Mexican scholar who became one of the most prolific authors, poets, philosophers, and playwrights of the Spanish Golden Age. She is considered the first published feminist of the New World, and her face is depicted on the 200 peso Mexican note.

Sor Juana entered the service of the Church at the age of twenty, and for over a decade learned alongside her male counterparts. Her style of writing ranged from the philosophically serious to irreverently comic to borderline profane. But as her influence grew so did her competition.

In 1690, her writings were deemed too worldly and she was advised to focus on religion - namely by the then Bishop of Puebla Manuel Fernández de Santa Cruz - and leave secular matters to men. In response to him, Sor Juana wrote La Respuesta a Sor Filotea de la Cruz (A Response to Sor Filotea de la Cruz), a manifesto defending a woman’s right to education. In it, she famously quoted an Aragonese poet: “one can perfectly well philosophize while cooking supper.”

Today’s Doodle celebrates this icon of feminism and knowledge who persevered no matter the obstacle.

¡Feliz Cumpleaños, Sor Juana!