Okay, let me guess. You clicked this article because you needed something to do other than streaming shows, playing video games, or wasting hours on social media. Or maybe, you’re flooded with homework and need a study break?
Either way, you’re in the right place! I know exactly what you’re going through, so I’ve compiled a list of interesting things you can do, all through the Google search engine.
Google Easter Eggs
Google Easter Eggs are hidden tricks that show up when you type certain search terms. The origins of these neat little tricks can be traced to the early 2000s, when Google’s co-founder Sergey Brin wanted to add a special graphed heart if the correct mathematical function was typed into Google search. If you’d like to see it, type in “sqrt(cos(x))*cos(300x)+sqrt(abs(x))-0.7)*(4-x*x)^0.01, sqrt(6-x^2), -sqrt(6-x^2) from -4.5 to 4.5” into Google. Since then, Google’s developers have continued to hide these inventive animations and games, giving its users a chance to be their own detectives. If you’d like to bring out your inner Sherlock, here are some search terms you can enter in Google to uncover a hidden surprise:
- “cha cha slide”: Tap the sparkling microphone after searching for this term for a fun nod to this popular party song.
- “DVD screensaver”: After searching for this wait to watch what happens to the Google logo at the top right.
- Drop bear- press the caution button on the right by the Wikipedia definition
- DART asteroid- watch an animation appearing from the left side of your screen
- Google in 1998- press enter when you search this and time travel to the past to see what Google looked like in 1998. Press take me back to the present to return to modern-day Google.
For a full list of almost all the easter eggs in use right now, click here. For a chance to explore easter eggs that have been discontinued by Google, click here.
Google Doodles
Much like the easter eggs mentioned above, there are several mini-games and animations that can be played straight from Google’s search engine. Chances are, you’ve seen one of these on a special day at the top of the search bar on Google’s default home page.
To find some of the most popular Google doodles, simply search “Google doodles” in the search bar or go to this website to view all the doodles made by Google. My personal favorites are Doodle Champion Island Games (which took me a solid 3 hours to complete) and Halloween 2016.
Wikiracing
If you’re looking for a more action-packed sport with the only equipment being your Google homepage, wikiracing might be the perfect thing for you. Two players compete against each other to get from one predetermined Wikipedia page to another solely through the blue hyperlinks. The game works much like golf— the aim is to get to the target page the fastest, whether that is through the least number of clicks or the least amount of time. If you don’t believe me, there is an entire Wikipedia page explaining the rules. If you don’t know where to start, feel free to use a random prompt generator like this one.
As a kid, I remember being amazed at what something as simple as a search engine had to offer beyond the answers to my homework questions. I’ve spent many hours and afternoons delving deeper into the seemingly endless world of easter eggs and Wikipedia articles. Hopefully, these gave you some ideas on how to end up in a Google rabbit hole, or at the very least, how to spend the next 10 minutes before your History class.
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