Google is celebrating two occasions in one today with their latest doodle. Not only is it Valentine's Day, but it's also the birthday of George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr., the inventor of the Ferris Wheel. Mashing both occasions together, Google found a way to honor Ferris while also getting into the romantic spirit… with mismatched animals.
Who says a hippo and a bird can't get together? Why can't a bear and an octopus go out on a date? Google imagines such romantic scenarios with their doodle, which is set up like an amusement park, with two Ferris Wheels at the center. Clicking the heart between them rolls the dice to show us which two animals will be paired up.
Two animals' faces appear in the centers of the wheels and then we get to see how their date might play out…
You can play with the doodle over at Google.com, or you can watch the video below to see it in action.
George Ferris was born February 14, 1859 and had an interest in bridge building during his adulthood. He invented the Ferris Wheel in response to a challenge issued by the World's Columbian Exposition, which was being held in Chicago in 1893. The Ferris Wheel he invented had 36 cars, each fitted with 40 revolving chairs and able to hold up to 60 people. The wheel could hold a total of 2,160 people and took 20 minutes to complete 2 revolutions. Unfortunately, it's not around anymore. It was destroyed in 1906.
Ferris' first wheel sounds huge, but it's not the biggest that ever existed. Those who want to ride on the world's tallest ever Ferris wheel need to travel to Singapore, to check out the Singapore Flyer, which "flies" at a height of 541 feet (42 stories high).
Happy birthday George Ferris and Happy Valentine's Day!
