Image credit: Google

Fire up your browser and get ready for a surprise! Google Doodles are more than just a whimsical change to the search engine's logo.

Image credit: Google

They're interactive portals to fun, historical tidbits, and celebrations of everything from cultural icons to scientific kthroughs.

Image credit: Google

The first Google Doodle wasn't even planned! In 1998, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google's founders, were attending the Burning Man festival

 A Brief History of Doodling Fun

Image credit: Google

They felt a simple message was needed to let users know they were out of the office.

Image credit: Google

Thus, the first Doodle, a rudimentary stick figure behind the second "o" in Google, was born.

Image credit: Google

 However, this simple act sparked a creative tradition.

Image credit: Google

 Soon, Google Doodles became more elaborate, featuring illustrations to mark special occasions and holidays.

Image credit: Google

 The first animated Doodle arrived in 2000, celebrating Halloween with spooky flair.

Image credit: Google

 The interactive revolution began in 2010, with the iconic Pac-Man Doodle that allowed users to play the classic game right within the Google search bar.