Google Doodles

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Google Doodle is St. Patrick's Day 2023



Keep an eye out for some shamrocks because it’s St. Patrick’s Day! Today’s Doodle celebrates the greenest day of the year and honors Irish culture. On this day in 1903, Ireland declared St. Patrick’s Day a national holiday.

Every year, millions of people around the world attend parades and pubs to spend the day and celebrate with loved ones. Families and friends in Ireland gather at ceilidhs and local parades all around the country to celebrate their national day. In the United States, Irish Americans rally to march along with floats in the famous New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The White House even dyes the North Lawn fountain entirely green!

Today’s Doodle artwork was hand-crafted with cut acrylic glass to resemble a traditional stained glass window. The design incorporates Irish elements including a harp and shamrocks!

Wherever you may be, make sure to search for shamrocks, look for leprechauns, and wear lots of green. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Google Doodle is Mario Molina's 80th Birthday



Today’s Doodle celebrates the 80th birthday of Dr. Mario Molina, a Mexican chemist who successfully convinced governments to come together to save the planet’s ozone layer. A co-recipient of the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Dr. Molina was one of the researchers who exposed how chemicals deplete Earth’s ozone shield, which is vital to protecting humans, plants, and wildlife from harmful ultraviolet light.

Dr. Molina was born on this day in 1943 in Mexico City. As a child, he was so passionate about science that he turned his bathroom into a makeshift laboratory. Nothing could compare to the joy of watching tiny organisms glide across his toy microscope.

Dr. Molina went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and an advanced degree from the University of Freiburg in Germany. After completing his studies, he moved to the United States to conduct postdoctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley, and later at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

In the early 1970s, Dr. Molina began researching how synthetic chemicals impact Earth’s atmosphere. He was one of the first to discover that chlorofluorocarbons (a chemical found in air conditioners, aerosol sprays, and more) were breaking down the ozone and causing ultraviolet radiation to reach Earth's surface. He and his co-researchers published their findings in the Nature journal, which later won them the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

The groundbreaking research became the foundation of the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty that successfully banned the production of nearly 100 ozone-depleting chemicals. This international alliance is considered one of the most impactful environmental treaties ever made — a precedent that shows governments can work together effectively to tackle climate change. 

Thanks to Dr. Molina’s critical scientific discoveries, the planet’s ozone layer is on track to fully recover in the next few decades! The Mario Molina Center, a leading research institute in Mexico, carries on his work to create a more sustainable world.

Thank you, Dr. Molina, for your years of research that truly changed the world.

[Jesse]

Interesting and very cool topic Gopher!

[Gopher Gary]

 

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Google Doodle is Marcel Marceau's 100th Birthday



Today’s Doodle celebrates French mime artist Marcel Marceau. The actor and master of silence was born on this day in 1923 in Strasbourg, France with the name Marcel Mangel. During the German occupation of France, he changed his surname to Marceau to avoid being identified as Jewish.

In his childhood, Marceau was introduced to movies and dreamed of starring in silent films. He entertained his friends with impersonations of famous actors and mimes and would later use his silent acting skills to help smuggle Jewish children out of Nazi-occupied France. His pantomimes were used to keep children quiet during dangerous moments on the journey to the Switzerland border. Marceau made three of these trips and liberated at least 70 children during World War II.

After the war, Marceau studied dramatic acting and mime at the School of Dramatic Art of the Sarah Bernhardt Theatre in Paris. In 1947, he began playing his famous character Bip the Clown, a tragicomic figure with a striped shirt, white face paint, and a battered beflowered hat. Bip explored the range of human emotions and his actions spoke louder than words could. Soon after, he founded the Compagnie de Mime Marcel Marceau, the only pantomime company in the world at the time, to develop the art of silence.

Marceau performed in transcontinental tours and introduced people around the world to the art of miming. Millions more would become familiar with Marceau through his television and movie appearances. He played the role of Scrooge in A Christmas Carol in 1973 and earned an Emmy for Best Specialty Act for his 1956 appearance on the Max Liebman Show of Shows. Some of his stand-out performances in the motion picture realm include the 17 roles he played in the film First Class and his silent role in Shanks. Beyond his acting talent, Marceau also directed a mime drama and published two children's books.

Happy birthday, Marcel Marceau, you specialized in silence but continue to leave audiences roaring with laughter.

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Google Doodle is Kitty O'Neil's 77th Birthday



Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Washington DC-based, deaf guest artist Meeya Tjiang, celebrates the 77th birthday of Kitty O’Neil, once crowned the “the fastest woman in the world.” Kitty was a legendary American stunt performer, daredevil, and rocket-powered vehicle driver who was deaf since childhood.

O’Neil was born on this day in 1946 to a Cherokee Native American mother and Irish father in Corpus Christi, Texas. When she was just a few months old, she contracted multiple diseases which led to an intense fever that ultimately left her deaf. She learned various communication modes and adapted for different audiences throughout her life, ultimately preferring speaking and lip reading mostly. O’Neil refused to see her deafness as a roadblock, often referring to it as an asset. She later found a love for diving, but a wrist injury and illness ended her chances of competing. However, she remained committed to fulfill her dream of becoming a professional athlete.

O’Neil began experimenting with high-speed sports like water skiing and motorcycle racing. A true action-lover, she also performed dangerous acts such as falling from daunting heights while set on fire and jumping from helicopters. In the late 70s, she made it onto the big screen as a stunt double for films and TV series including The Bionic Woman (1976), Wonder Woman (1977-1979), and The Blues Brothers (1980). She was the first woman to join Stunts Unlimited, an organization for Hollywood’s top stunt performers.

In 1976, O’Neil was crowned “the fastest woman alive” after zooming across the Alvord Desert at 512.76 miles per hour! She drove a rocket-powered car called the Motivator and surpassed the previous women’s land-speed record by almost 200 mph. Once she broke the women’s record by a landslide, it became evident that she could likely beat the men’s mark too. Unfortunately, her sponsors did not allow her to break the overall record as it threatened the status quo — they wanted to reserve the feat for a male driver. Legal action to fight this failed and O’Neil was never given the opportunity to break the overall record. However, this didn’t hold her back from going on to break records piloting jet-powered boats and rocket dragsters.

A biopic about O’Neil’s life, titled Silent Victory: The Kitty O’Neil Story, was released in 1979 and recaps the impressive Alvord Desert feat.

Thank you for inspiring us all to race towards our dreams, Kitty!

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Google Doodle is Celebrating Justine Siegemund



Today’s Doodle celebrates Justine Siegemund, a midwife who dared to challenge patriarchal attitudes in the 17th century. She was the first person in Germany to write a book on obstetrics from a woman’s perspective. On this day in 1690, the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) certified her book, The Court Midwife, as an official medical textbook. During a time when few women had access to formal education, Siegemund became the first woman to publish a seminal medical text in German.

Siegemund was born in 1636 in Rohnstock, Lower Silesia. As a young woman, she had a prolapsed uterus that ill-informed midwives misdiagnosed as pregnancy. This frustrating experience inspired her to become a midwife herself and improve obstetrical education.

After an apprenticeship, Siegemund began her career in midwifery by offering free services to underprivileged women. She soon became known for her ability to safely guide women through difficult births, and word spread quickly to expecting women across the country.

Siegemund accepted an official position as the City Midwife of Lignitz in 1683 and later became the Court Midwife in Berlin, where she delivered children for the royal family. She also published The Court Midwife during this time and greatly improved maternal and infant health in Germany.

Up until then, German midwives largely passed down their knowledge through oral traditions. There wasn’t a standardized way to document safe birth practices. The Court Midwife was the first to offer a comprehensive guide on childbirth in Germany.

Thank you Justine Siegemund for setting the foundation for modern childbirth education! Your legacy still inspires physicians to take a page out of your book — to make labor and delivery safer for all.

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Google Doodle is Earth Day 2023



Today’s annual Earth Day Doodle highlights how individuals and communities can work together in big and small ways to take action against climate change. On this day, people all over the globe honor the achievements of the environmental movement and consider areas where further climate justice is needed.

As depicted today’s Doodle (which is made from real leaves) there’s a spectrum of actions we can take in our day-to-day that can add up to make a real difference. This includes:

at home: opting to air dry laundry instead of using the dryer
how/what we consume: practicing a plant-based diet or opting for plant-based options when possible
how we get around: walking or riding a bike instead of driving, when possible
Acting now and together to live more sustainably is necessary to avoid the worst effects of climate change. Go here to learn more about climate change and other ways you can take action.

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Google Doodle is Celebrating Alan Rickman



Today’s Doodle celebrates English actor Alan Rickman. With a deep, magnetic voice and endless charm, he’s known for his magical performances in films like Harry Potter and Die Hard. On this day in 1987, Rickman performed in 'Les Liaisons Dangereuses', a Broadway play that was instrumental in launching his career.

Alan Rickman was born on February 21, 1946 in West London, England. A natural painter, Rickman became interested in different art forms after being encouraged by his teachers and family. He was especially taken with acting. After starring in school plays, he earned a scholarship to continue pursuing this interest at Latymer Upper School in London.

After secondary school, Rickman studied graphic design at Chelsea College of Art and Design and the Royal College of Art. After graduating, he started a design company with close college friends while participating in the amateur Group Court Drama Club. At age 26, Rickman left his company and decided to seriously pursue acting, earning a spot at RADA, one of the most prestigious acting schools in the world.

A few years later, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he appeared in The Tempest and Love’s Labour’s Lost. He struck gold in 1985 when he starred as anti-hero Le Vicomte de Valmont in the play Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons). After earning a Tony nomination for his performance, he began receiving offers to act in films.

In 1988, Rickman starred as criminal mastermind Hans Gruber in the film Die Hard. The character is now considered one of the most iconic villains in cinematic history. The film’s success led to Rickman playing similar antagonist roles in films like Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. His career trajectory continued throughout the 1990s with roles in Sense and Sensibility (1995) and Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny (1996), the latter of which he received an Emmy and Golden Globe Award for.

In 2001, Rickman starred in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as the scene-stealing Severus Snape. His intimidating, scary, and captivating performance saw him star in the following seven Harry Potter films, becoming an international sensation.

Over the course of his career, Rickman received numerous acting nominations and awards and even directed three plays and two films. He’s remembered for his iconic roles on-screen, his philanthropy, and his kind and sensitive nature off-screen.

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Google Doodle is Celebrating Corky Lee



In honor of US Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, today's Doodle celebrates the life and work of Corky Lee, Chinese American photographer, journalist, and activist whose photos recorded the diversity and nuances of the Asian Pacific American community often overlooked by mainstream media. On this day in 1988, May 5th was proclaimed to be “Corky Lee Day” in honor of his lifelong contributions to New York City’s communities.

Lee was born in Queens, New York City to Chinese immigrant parents on September 5th, 1947. When he was in school as a young boy, he learned about the transcontinental railroad in social studies class. During the lesson, he saw a photo that celebrated the completion of the railroad—but noticed a lack of representation for the thousands of Chinese laborers who helped build it. Lee later shared that this event inspired his life’s work. He went on to teach himself photography and attended Queens College to study history.

Throughout his career, Lee attended protests, rallies, and demonstrations where he captured powerful moments that depicted the struggles and achievements of the Asian Pacific American community. Notably, in 1975, he snapped a photo of young Chinese American Peter Yew as he was dragged away by police. Yew had intervened upon witnessing a 15-year old boy being beaten by police for an alleged traffic violation. Yew was also severely beaten on the spot and at the station before being charged with resisting arrest and assaulting an officer. A week after the photo was taken, thousands of Chinatown residents gathered to protest the rampant police brutality in their neighborhoods.

Across his life, Lee’s photos were included in countless publications like Time Magazine, The New York Times, New York Post, and more. He also won many awards for his works, and his life has been covered in movies like Not on the Menu: Corky Lee’s Life and Work (2013) and Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story (2022).

Later in life, Lee often visited Promontory Summit in Utah to recreate the photo that had been taken when the transcontinental railroad was completed. He invited several descendants of the Chinese laborers who were not pictured back in 1869 in an effort to show that Asian American history is American history.

Thank you for your dedication to preserving the stories of so many, Corky. Yours, too, is not forgotten.

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Google Doodle is Johannes Brahms's 190th Birthday



Today’s Doodle celebrates the 190th birthday of German composer and pianist Johannes Brahms who is widely considered one of his era’s most important artists.

Brahms was born on this day in 1833, in Hamburg, Germany. The son of a horn and double-bass player, Brahms began studying music with his father at seven years old. Just a few years later, Brahm composed his first piece. He spent his adolescence playing in dance halls and inns across Hamburg to help support his family financially.

In 1853, a mutual friend introduced Brahms to renowned composer Robert Schumann. He praised Brahms’ compositions in the periodical Neue Zeitschrift für Musik, and soon after a German music publishing house began to circulate his work. With his newfound recognition in the field, Brahms taught piano and became the conductor of a women’s choir in Hamburg in 1860.

Brahms then led the Singakademie, a choral society in Vienna. In his free time, he developed popular compositions like Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor and String Sextet in B-flat Major. His success earned him a conductor position at Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde (Society of Friends of Music). He simultaneously directed the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra for three seasons.

In 1868, Brahms debuted Ein deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) in Bremen. The composition became his most famous choral work, and many consider it one of the most significant music pieces of the 19th-century.

The Symphony No. 1 in C Minor was one of Brahms’ first orchestral compositions and received widespread praise. Brahms earned new fans around the world and continued to create more ambitious compositions, such as his famous Hungarian Dances (Danzas Húngaras), as he toured Switzerland, Hungary, and Poland. In 1875, he retired from his director position and focused on composing for the rest of his life.

Throughout his career, Brahms paid homage to traditionalist compositions with innovative techniques that evolved the Romantic moment. His work continues to influence modern-day musicians and composers.

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Google Doodle is US Teacher Appreciation Week 2023 Begins!



Happy U.S. Teacher Appreciation Week 2023!

Today’s Doodle honors educators across the nation who nurture students to become the best version of themselves.

To educators across America: Thank you for all that you do to help your students grow by instilling a love for learning.

 

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Google Doodle is Mother's Day 2023

It's an interactive doodle, so here's a link to interact. https://www.google.com/doodles/mothers-day-2023-may-14



Happy Mother’s Day! Click today’s Doodle to browse some animal family throwback pics with mom over the years!

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Google Doodle is Celebrating Lake Xochimilco

It's an interactive doodle, so here's a link to interact. https://www.google.com/doodles/celebrating-lake-xochimilco



Today’s interactive Doodle celebrates Lake Xochimilco, a natural lake near Mexico City that is the last remaining native habitat for axolotls in the world (cousins of the salamander). The lake was once home to the ancient Aztec civilization during the 15th century, and eventually landowners in the colonial period took over occupation of the lake. On this day in 1920, the Mexican government returned Lake Xochimilco back to the locals. Lake Xochimilco  now serves as a recreational site, cultural attraction, and home to the rare axolotl species. 

Due to Lake Xochimilco’s unique landscape, local farmers adopted the ancient chinampa farming method, which involves artificial floating gardens. These chinamperos (or farmers) grow hundreds of different aquatic plants, from common vegetables to medicinal herbs, in the nutrient-rich soil. It’s also a popular destination for rowing and kayaking — cruising on colorful, wooden boats called trajineras is an essential pastime on the lake.

Lake Xochimilco is also currently the last remaining native habitat on Earth for axolotls, fresh-water salamanders that live in the water instead of on land. Their mouths are permanently upturned into a slight smile, and they can regenerate limbs, gills, and even parts of their eyes and brains! Unfortunately, these delicate creatures were listed as a critically endangered species in 2008.

Legend has it that their namesake — the Aztec god of fire and lightning, Xolotl — disguised himself as a salamander to avoid sacrifice. The axolotl is so culturally revered in Mexico that the Bank of Mexico added the salamander to the country’s 50-peso bill in 2021.

Today, many are working to protect Lake Xochimilco after years of pollution, invasive species, man-made disturbances, and other obstacles have harmed the axolotl ecosystem. Local chinamperos have been actively restoring their lands with better fertilizers and water filters to preserve these creatures that have become an integral part of their identity and way of life.

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Google Doodle is Barbara May Cameron's 69th Birthday



Today’s Doodle celebrates Barbara May Cameron, a Native American photographer, poet, writer, and human rights activist. The Doodle artwork is illustrated by queer Mexican and Chitimachan artist Sienna Gonzales. On this day in 1954, Barbara Cameron was born in Fort Yates, North Dakota.

Cameron was born a member of the Hunkpapa group, one of the seven council fires of the Lakota tribe, and raised on the Standing Rock Reservation by her grandparents. After graduating high school, she studied photography and film at the American Indian Art Institute in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was here that Cameron began winning awards in theater and media arts.

After coming out as a lesbian, Cameron moved to San Francisco in 1973 and advocated for LGBTQIA+ acceptance in the Native American community and addressed racism in queer spaces. In 1975, she co-founded Gay American Indians — the first ever dedicated Native American LGBTQIA+ group — with her friend and fellow activist Randy Burns.

Cameron took part in various programs to promote human welfare. From 1980 through 1985, she organized the Lesbian Gay Freedom Day Parade and Celebration. She also co-led a lawsuit against the Immigration & Naturalization Service which had a policy of turning away gay people. The case went before the Supreme Court and ruled in favor of Barbara and her co-plaintiffs who made persuasive arguments for change.

A few years later, she became an executive director at Community United Against Violence, where she supported people affected by hate crimes and domestic violence. The San Francisco Mayor appointed Cameron to both the Citizens Committee on Community Development and the San Francisco Human Rights Commission in 1988, and the next mayor appointed her to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

HIV/AIDS disproportionately impacted Native people in the early 1990s, so Cameron stepped up to lead the charge. She was active within the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, the American Indian AIDS Institute, and served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control, helping with AIDS and childhood immunization programs.

Cameron is remembered for her passionate writing and speeches, many of which are housed at the San Francisco Public Library. Her words live on through her essay, No Apologies: A Lakota Lesbian Perspective which is featured in Our Right To Love: A Lesbian Resource Book.

Happy birthday Barbara May Cameron, thank you for working tirelessly to improve human rights and for giving queer Indigenous people a place to feel safe and belong.