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Hannah Glasse’s 310th Birthday

    If the thought of Yorkshire pudding and gooseberry fool makes your mouth water, you have Hannah Glasse to thank for making these two delectable dishes staples in English cuisine. Born on this day in 1708, Glasse was a pioneering English cook and author of the most popular cookbook of the 18th century. Published in 1747,   The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy   was unique; it was one of the first cookbooks written in a simple and conversational style, which meant that any English speaker and reader – regardless of their class – could learn how to cook. Glasse’s cookbook was popular not only because it was easy to read, but also because of its massive scope. It included a whopping 972 recipes, covering everything from puddings and soups, to what to serve at Lent, to preparing food for the sick. Today’s Doodle features Glasse whipping up a batch of classic Yorkshire puddings. Her recipe for Yorkshire pudding, among many others, is one of the ...

Farouque Shaikh’s 70th Birthday

Born on this day in 1948, actor Farouque Shaikh grew up in Mumbai, in a simple, middle-class household. Though he studied law at college, he continued to dabble in theater on the side, and eventually decided to give acting a go. Starting with  Garam Hawa  in 1973, Farouque Shaikh essayed agonizing heartbreak and light-hearted comedy with equal ease. If moviegoers fell in love with his shy smile in  Chashme Buddoor,  they marveled at his comedic timing in  Kissi Se Na Kehna,  and ached for his helplessness and loss in  Bazaar . Beyond the silver screen, Shaikh was integral to Indian theater, and his epistolary play, ‘Tumhari Amrita’  with Shabana Azmi delighted audiences for over two decades. TV audiences also loved him, be it for his humility in  Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai , or for his comic wit in  Chamatkar . Today’s Doodle by  Nimit Malavia  is a tribute to Farouque Shaikh’s cinematic career in a style evocative of h...

Ustad Bismillah Khan’s 102nd Birthday

Today we celebrate the birthday of Ustad Bismillah Khan, shehnai maestro and one of India’s most beloved musicians. Born in Bhirung Raut Ki Gali, Bihar to a family of court musicians, it is said that his grandfather exclaimed “Bismillah!” upon seeing his grandson, and the name stuck. In subsequent years, as his mastery over the shenai grew, the public added the honorific, Ustad (master) to his name. Both India’s declaration of independence from the ramparts of the Red Fort in 1947 and the creation of the Indian republic three years later in 1950 were heralded by Ustad Bismillah Khan’s shehnai . To this day, Republic Day celebrations are broadcast to the opening notes of his music. Though he started playing in public at the age of 14, Ustad ji ’s performance at the All India Music Conference at Kolkata in 1937 became a defining moment in his career. Three decades later, when he performed at the Edinburgh Music Festival, the shehnai acquired a global audience...

Doodle Snow Games - Day 8 - Lunar New Year

Welcome to Day 8 of the Doodle Snow Games and a very happy Lunar New Year to many around the world! On this brrr-eezy day in PyeongChang, we're joined by athletes from all over the world hoping to prove themselves best in class (or species). Let’s follow Magpie to the slopes for a fluttering glimpse of today’s action… The new moon peeks out over the Doodle Snow Games as our athletes take a much needed break to hot-dog and monkey around, shedding their game-faces to enjoy the sights from the ski lift. After all the action, it’s a pleasant pick-me-up for our doggone tired competitors. Dog, who’s been pawsitively crushing it over the course of the games (some might say it’s as if it’s the year of the Dog!), scouts the fireworks. Talk about a treat to start your year off right. It’s a chilly one tonight. Good thing everyone on the lift has coats. Stop by every day for the next few weeks to keep up with all the action from the Doodle Snow Games!   ...

George Boole’s 200th Birthday

  Here’s an easy, yes-or-no question: Is the universe complex? YES, of course, you could say; it would be crazy to think otherwise! But on the other hand, British mathematician   George Boole   taught us that NO, things can be seen as relatively simple; any values can be pared down to yes or no, true or false, or 0 or 1 (which, here at Google, is our personal favorite). In 1849, Boole was appointed as the first Professor of Mathematics at   University College Cork , where he pioneered developments in logic and mathematics. His beautiful binary “Boolean” system was detailed in   An Investigation of the Laws of Thought   in 1854, which inevitably enabled revolutionary thinking in not just logic and math, but also engineering and computer science. As one of the most important scientists to have ever worked in Ireland, Boole effectively laid the foundations of the entire Information Age while working from UCC. So it’s fair to say that without Geo...

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s 67th Birthday

Imagine an entire genre of music, rooted in antiquity, that lies hidden to most of the world. Its traditions stretch back 700 years, yet few know it exists. Its beautiful melodies dip and soar. But no one is around to listen. Such was the state of   Qawwali   in a not-so-distant past. Then came Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who opened the world’s ears to the rich, hypnotic sounds of the Sufis. Born to a musical family, Khan brought Qawwali from modest origins to international attention. He collaborated with, and influenced, countless musicians. And his endurance was astounding; some performances could last as long as ten hours! Thanks to his legendary voice, Khan helped bring “world music” to the world. To celebrate his 67th birthday, let’s just   listen . Ref : https://www.google.com/doodles/nusrat-fateh-ali-khans-67th-birthday

Evidence of water found on Mars

  Today’s news stirred us like a long, cool drink in the blistering heat. Science has gestured at the presence of water on Mars before, but evidence of   liquid   water--briny, creeping flows that appear in a crater during Martian summers--has tremendous implications in the search for life beyond our planet. We felt compelled to honor such an exciting discovery with a Doodle, and staring at   satellite images of Mars  for inspiration made Doodler Nate Swinehart really, really thirsty. Ref :  https://www.google.com/doodles/evidence-of-water-found-on-mars