Ever since Google started its Doodle feature back in 1998, the tech giant has often re-designed its entrance to the internet to mark daily special occasions, from notable days to a famous person’s death-anniversary.
Today is no different. July 14 marks Bastille Day in France, a turning point in the French Revolution in 1789 when the grand fortress, Bastille, that was holding political prisoners was stormed and led to a deathly battle.
In France, the day is marked as a national holiday, complete with fireworks.
As a result, there is a special Google Doodle, showcasing three children watching fireworks and waving a French flag, illustrated by guest artists François Maumont. Maumont says the setting for the doodle is inspired by his mother’s house in the country and wanted to draw on the “recklessness of childhood, when parents let their children stay up late playing”, to capture the spirit of the holiday.
Not only that, if you search “Bastille Day” in Google Search, you will be treated to a virtual fireworks display on the search page to mark the occasion.
Google says the fireworks are one of the platform’s easter eggs. The company has added these effects to the homepage for special searches before, for instance, if you search for The Wizard of Oz and click on the ruby slippers in the knowledge panel there is an easter egg effect, or if you search for “do a barrel roll”, then the search results page does a flip.
It’s a fun effect and can certainly brighten up your Google Searches. Imagine having fireworks on every search page: ‘How to unlock a sink’, cue the fireworks, or ‘How to save a house deposit”, cue house-related fireworks. It would make looking up anything via Google Search extremely rewarding.
For now, you can enjoy the Google fireworks when searching, and learning about, Bastille Day. Vive le 14 Julliet!
