Google's 25th Birthday: Origins and 10 Fascinating Facts You Should Know

Google celebrates its 25th birthday today, reflecting on its journey from a small search engine prototype to a global tech giant.

Today, September 27, marks a momentous occasion for Google as it celebrates its 25th birthday. In this article, we will delve into the extraordinary journey of this American multinational tech giant, from its humble beginnings to becoming a global powerhouse.

The story of Google began in January 1997 when two bright minds, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, crossed paths at Stanford University. As fate would have it, Sergey Brin, a Ph.D. candidate at the time, took on the responsibility of showing Larry Page around the campus. Little did they know that this chance encounter would plant the seeds for what would later become Google.

A year later, Brin and Page joined forces and worked tirelessly from their dorm rooms to create a prototype for a search engine. Their hard work paid off when influential investors in Silicon Valley took notice. In August 1998, Google Inc. was born when Andy Bechtolsheim, a co-founder of Sun Microsystems, wrote a check for $100,000 to support their venture. This crucial investment led them to their first office, a modest garage in Menlo Park, California.

From these humble beginnings, Google experienced incredible growth, eventually establishing its current headquarters in Mountain View, California, famously known as the "Googleplex."

Reflecting on its journey, Google stated, "A chance encounter between two computer scientists changed the course of the Internet and the lives of millions."

Today, Google's impact is undeniable. With billions of searches conducted daily in over 150 languages, Google's mission to make information accessible to everyone remains steadfast. From its early days of housing servers in toy block cabinets to its expansive network of over 20 data centers worldwide, Google ensures round-the-clock internet availability.

In honor of Google's 25th birthday, let's explore some fascinating facts from its remarkable past:

- During their first meeting, Sergey Brin and Larry Page had differing opinions on almost every topic.
- The initial approach of Google's search engine focused on analyzing links to determine the importance of web pages. It was originally named 'Backrub' due to its emphasis on evaluating 'back links' before undergoing a name change to become Google.
- The name 'Google' is a clever play on a mathematical expression representing 1 followed by 100 zeros.
- Despite registering the domain name Google.com on September 15, 1997, the website didn't go live until September 1998, according to ICANN, the organization responsible for domain name registrations at the time.
- Google's first office in 1998 was a garage in Menlo Park, California, owned by Susan Wojcicki, who would later become the head of YouTube, Google's renowned online video-sharing service.
- Yoshka, the first company dog, became a beloved figure at Google's Mountain View campus. In his honor, a cafe was named 'Yoshka's Cafe' after his passing in 2011.
- Google has a longstanding tradition of fostering a vibrant and colorful atmosphere in its offices, which continues to this day.
- In 2006, 'Google' officially became a verb in the dictionary, defined as "to use the Google search engine to obtain information about someone or something on the World Wide Web," according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
- On February 25, 2009, Google sent its first tweet using binary code, with the message "I'm feeling lucky."
- Google actively supports students in their pursuit of careers in technology through scholarship programs.

As we celebrate Google's 25th birthday, we acknowledge the incredible impact it has had on the world. From its modest beginnings to its global presence, Google has revolutionized the way we access information. Happy birthday, Google!