Google is one of the world’s most influential tech companies, with worldwide users and countless services including search engines, maps, email, and more. But beyond the products we rely on daily, Google is full of quirky stories and surprises. Here are five fascinating and little-known facts about the tech giant that will change how you see those search results!
- Google Search’s impressive computer power
Whenever you type a query into Google’s search bar, you might not realise that you’re tapping into the same amount of computing power used to land astronauts on the Moon. That’s right, the power used in a single Google search is comparable to the effort it took to make Apollo 11’s historic journey in 1969. This is a testament to how far technology has come in just a few decades and shows the incredible power packed into running Google.
- When Google accidentally broke the internet
In 2009, a small coding error by a Google employee disrupted the internet on a massive scale. The incident occurred when a programmer accidentally added ‘/’ to Google’s blocked website registry. Since almost every website URL contains a ‘/’, this effectively blacklisted the entire internet, meaning pretty much no one could access any sites online through the service. The problem affected internet pages across the world, but luckily, it only lasted for around 40 minutes before engineers were able to fix the problem.
- Google’s April Fool’s mishap
In 2004, Google first announced its email service Gmail. However, there was a slight problem. As they launched the service on April 1, 2004, many people thought it was an April Fool’s Day joke by the company. The announcement promised a free service with a storage capacity of up to “eight billion bits of information”, equivalent to 500,000 pages of email per user, something that was so groundbreaking people didn’t believe it. Now, Gmail has grown to become one of the most popular email platforms in the world, with an estimated 1.8 billion accounts.
- Google goats
Google’s head headquarters, commonly known as the Googleplex, are located in Mountain View, California. What you might not expect to see there, however, is herds of goats maintaining the greenery surrounding its buildings. Eco-friendliness and a commitment to sustainability is a core part of the company’s culture, so instead of relying on lawnmowers, Google hires goats instead. This not only reduces pollution, but the goats help with fertilisation and create a friendly, nature-first environment for employees.
- The Googleplex’s t-rex
Anyone who gets to visit the Googleplex might also come across a giant statue of a T-Rex dinosaur, affectionately nicknamed ‘Stan’. He can be found in the central courtyard of the largest building at the HQ, often adorned with plastic flamingos. It’s said that he’s there as an unconventional reminder for the company’s employees, by encouraging employees not to let Google go extinct by becoming complacent or out-of-touch. In an industry where technology is rapidly evolving, the T-Rex symbolises the importance of innovation and adaptability to avoid becoming obsolete.
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