h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://g.co/doodle/wx5x9k

Today's doodle celebrates the 503rd birthday of Gerardus Mercator, creator of the system for accurate flat-mapping. Should be visible throughout Europe, if not worldwide.

Not worldwide.

In the US, it commemorates Momofuku Ando's 105th birthday, the inventor of instant ramen.

http://g.co/doodle/qdvfxh

(Refresh the page as there are three separate animated doodles.)

His story is rather interesting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momofuku_Ando#Development_of_instant_noodles

Hmmm... Here's another link that has more Momofuko Ando animations, quotes and facts. And it shows that this doodle is featured in the US, Australia, Japan, much of South America and other countries around the world.
http://www.google.com/doodles/momofuku-andos-105th-birthday

In China and Taiwan, the doodle commemorates Lantern Day. https://www.google.com/doodles/lantern-festival-2015

Ripley friendly Lantern Day: http://www.google.com/doodles/lantern-festival-2015

Mercatur: http://www.google.com/doodles/gerardus-mercators-503rd-birthday

Available in most of Europe, Canada, parts of Africa and S. Korea.

Happy Holi! Today's doodle is an animated splash of colours celebrating Lath mar Holi, the Hindu festival of colour. The doodle is visible in Canada, UK, India, South Africa and Kenya.

Nothing here.

In Ghana, they have a doodle for Ghana Day.
http://www.google.com/doodles/ghana-national-day-2015

The Holi Festival doodle "reach" is interesting. Canada, UK, S. Africa, Kenya and India.

http://www.google.com/doodles/holi-festival-2015

Looking at the doodle archive, they seem to do a doodle for Ghana's independence day every year.

I know that doodles are chosen for relevance to people who live in the area of the doodle's 'reach'. That's fair enough. It would be nice to have doodles that aren't relevant to the UK, though, just to see what other cultures celebrate.

Yeah, that's one of the fun things about looking at the archive at

http://www.google.com/doodles

Speaking of which, by checking that link I got to see today's doodle for International Women's Day a couple of hours early.


http://www.google.com/doodles/international-womens-day-2015

I really like today's doodle. Women of all ethnicities, some doing what are traditionally "men's jobs". My favourite is the one bottom right -a disabled woman at a laptop surrounded by books. I'm not wheelchair-bound, but otherwise that's so me!

http://www.google.co.uk/

Mothering Sunday.

PP.

Here's a direct permanent link.

http://www.google.com/doodles/mothers-day-2015-uk-ie-ng

Much of the world is seeing a doodle for Anna Atkins' 216th Birthday.


http://www.googl.com/doodles/anna-atkins-216th-birthday

http://www.google.com/doodles/st-patricks-day-2015

Notably celebrated in Columbia and Russia.

Solar eclipse on the first day of Spring 2015

https://g.co/doodle/hvnk4n

Interesting. Those of us not in under the eclipse get a bee buzzing a yellow flower instead.

http://www.google.com/doodles/first-day-of-spring-2015-cy-fi-gr-jp-kr-tr-cn-hk-tw

Oh, and for the antipodeans there was a cute little squirrel for the first day of fall.

http://www.google.com/doodles/first-day-of-fall-2015-southern-hemisphere



Today they're featuring a math and science pioneer.
http://www.google.com/doodles/emmy-noethers-133rd-birthday

In the UK we have the 126th anniversary of the public opening of the Eiffel tower. It's reach is interesting: all of Europe, Russia, Japan, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, parts of Africa and South America, the USA but NOT Canada. Here's a link: https://www.google.com/doodles/126th-anniversary-of-the-public-opening-of-the-eiffel-tower

Also celebrated today is Seif Wanly's 109th birthday, but that doodle is only visible in the North African states (aka the Maghrib). https://www.google.com/doodles/seif-wanlys-109th-birthday

April Fool EASTER EGG!


You can play Pac-Man on http://maps.google.com/

Today's doodle celebrates 81 years since the famous photograph of the Loch Ness Monster. 'Google' is so artfully concealed in the arrangement of the cogs that it's hard to make it out.

https://www.google.com/doodles/81st-anniversary-of-the-loch-ness-monsters-most-famous-photograph

The doodle's range is most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, some of South America, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, Philippines and South Korea. The only part of Africa that gets it is Kenya. Who decides the countries each doodle is relevant to?