30 Best Google Doodles of 2011
This year, more than ever, visiting Google’s homepage became a bit of a surprise. Google Doodles have come a long way from the first one, which showed Burning Man’s iconic logo. It’s now become customary to the search engine’s homepage, and last year, we saw many that were colorful, interactive and crazy.
Here are just some of the Google Doodles of 2011. Which is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.
View As Slideshow »1. Martin Luther King Jr.
This Google Doodle, displayed Jan. 17, features a group of children playing hopscotch — an homage to Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
2. Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison, the inventor and scientist, was celebrated this year on his birthday, Feb. 11.
3. Harry Houdini
Legendary illusionist Harry Houdini was honored on Mar. 24, which would have been his 137th birthday.
4. Robert Bunsen
Chemist Robert Bunsen, inventor of the Bunsen burner, and the elements caesium and rubidium, was celebrated on Mar. 31. He would have been 200.
5. Charlie Chaplin
Google celebrated Charlie Chaplin's 122nd birthday with a
short film in Chaplin's own style.
6. Earth Day
Google celebrated an animated, interactive Doodle to raise awareness for Earth Day on April 22.
7. Mother's Day
Since 2000, Google has celebrated Mother's Day with a tribute on its homepage, and this year proved to be no different.
8. Roger Hargreaves
Roger Hargreaves — of the Mr. Men children’s book fame — would have turned 76 this year, and to celebrate, Google released various Doodles featuring the author’s characters.
9. Martha Graham
American dancer and choreographer Martha Graham would have been 117 May 11, so Google celebrated her with this dance-themed doodle.
10. Google Doodle 4 Winner
Matteo Lopez, an aspiring space explorer, won a $15,000 college scholarship and a $25,000 technology grant for his school with this doodle.
11. Les Paul
Famous guitarist Les Paul received an interactive Google Doodle so popular, it lived on in its own web page.
12. Father's Day
Just like Mother's Day, Google has also celebrated dads all over the world with a special doodle for Father's Day since 2000.
13. Summer Solstice
To celebrate the 2011 summer solstice, Google used a colorful modified logo, created by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami.
14. Gregor Mendel
Genetics pioneer Gregor Mendel was celebrated on July 20, for what would have been his 189th birthday.
15. Alexander Calder
Mobile artist Alexander Calder was celebrated July 22 on Google's homepage.
16. Lucile Ball
An interactive Google Doodle displayed on Aug. 6, to commemorate what would have been comedian Lucile Ball's 100th birthday.
17. Pierre de Fermat
Math Pioneer Pierre de Fermat's 410th birthday was celebrated on Google's homepage Aug. 17.
18. Jorge Luis Borges
Google commemorated Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges on Aug. 24, which would have been his 112th birthday.
19. Freddie Mercury
In honor of the birthday of Queen's former front man Freddie Mercury, Google came out with thisinteresting video.
20. Albert Szent-Györgyi
Hungarian scientist and Nobel prize winner Albert Szent-Györgyi, who is credited with discovering vitamin C, was celebrated on Sept. 16.
21. Jim Henson
To honor the 75th birthday of famous puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets, Google created this interactive doodle.
22. Happy Birthday, Google!
Google celebrated its 13th birthday with this retro-themed birthday party pic.
23. Steve Jobs
When tech icon Steve Jobs died, Google put differences aside to pay tribute to the late Apple co-founder.
24. Art Clokey
Stop motion pioneer Art Clokey, best known for his characters Gumby and Pokey, was celebrated on Google's homepage Oct. 12.
25. Marie Curie
Marie Curie, the famous Polish-French physicist and chemist was celebrated Nov. 7.
26. Louis Daguerre
Louis Daguerre, the French physicist who invented daguerreotype, the first commercially successful form of photography, received an honorary Google Doodle Nov. 18.
27. Thanksgiving
Google celebrated Thanksgiving with this child-like drawing of a turkey. Also integrated was the search engine's social network, Google+.
28. Mark Twain
Mark Twain’s 176th birthday was celebrated Nov. 30 with a famous reference from Twain’s “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” where Tom cleverly gets other boys to paint a fence instead of him.
29. Diego Rivera
Mexican painter and communist icon Diego Rivera was celebrated on Google's homepage Dec. 8.
30. Robert Noyce
Robert Noyce, the co-founder of Intel and co-inventor of the microchip, was born Dec. 12. To commemorate him, Google displayed this doodle.