Googles Doodle for today (16.09.2011) Albert Szent-Gyorgyi 118th birthday

Google Doodle Celebrates the Albert Szent-Gyorgyi 118th birthday




A pair of oranges find a place of pride on the Google home page in commemoration of the 118th birthday of Albert Szent-Györgyi. The Hungarian physiologist credited with discovering vitamin C and also the components and reactions of the citric acid cycle was honoured with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1937.

Born in Budapest, Austro-Hungary on September 16, 1893, Szent-Györgyi’s family included three generations of scientists. Prior to the First World War Szent-Györgyi studied at the Semmelweis University, but showed more interest in his uncle’s anatomy lab. During the war he served as an army medic but managed to take leave from military service on medical grounds. On his return from the war, Szent-Györgyi finished his medical degree.

During his research career Szent-Györgyi worked in a number of universities. He was awarded with the Nobel Prize in 1937 for “For his discoveries in connection with the biological combustion process with special reference to vitamin C and the catalysis of fumaric acid”.



With communism taking control of Hungary after the Second World War, Szent-Györgyi emigrated to the United States in 1947. He died in Woods Hole, Massachusetts on October 22, 1986.

The Google doodle in honour of Albert von Szent-Györgyi de Nagyrápol is rich in vitamin C and has in it some of the best sources of vitamin C – oranges, lemons, strawberries and more.

Google doodles have gained immense popularity over the past few years and the Google team has put out commemorative doodles on events ranging from news events, civic milestones, birthdays, death anniversaries and important dates in history.

Google estimates it has created more than 900 doodles since 1998, with 270 of them running in 2010 and more than 150 in 2011.