From Moo Deng to solar eclipses: Google recaps 2024's viral moments with new doodle and video

Google uses the Google Search homepage to showcase various themed Doodles. We’ve had quite an eventful year, and Google’s latest Doodle celebrates some of the most viral moments of 2024 through Breakout Searches, and it features Moo Deng right on it.

Google’s latest animated Doodle is centered around 2024’s Breakout Searches, i.e., terms that had a whopping 5,000% increase in search interest in the year.

This animated Doodle celebrates 2024 by showing Breakout Search Trends — the people, events, and stories that captured the world’s attention.

Right off the bat, I can recognize Moo Deng and the Solar Eclipse in April 2024. Other references include a pair of pink cowgirl boots, possibly in reference to the rise of country music this year, and pink kissy lips, which could either be referring to ROSÉ & Bruno Mars’ APT. or Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso (or something else entirely).

Google also has a new Year in Search film, which celebrates even more of 2024’s most talked-about moments, like the Northern Lights display from May 2024 due to a solar storm and the rare cicada emergence that happened when two broods of cicadas emerged simultaneously for the first time since 1803.

Check out the full Year in Search 2024 film below, and prepare to get some goosebumps with Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us opening as the theme music:

The Year in Search 2024 video is worth a watch, almost like a Rewind, but for global events. Here are some of the more notable mentions in the video, in case you are curious for a further Google Search:

• Chappell Roan appearing on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon.
• Country music’s rise in the year, featuring songs by Shaboozey and others.
• Notable music and movie mentions featuring Céline Dion, Sabrina Carpenter, Kendrick Lamar, Stray Kids, Lily Gladstone, and others.
• Debut events and highlight achievements for Shohei Ohtani, Sha’carri Richardson, Caitlin Clark, Lamine Yamal, Simone Biles, Steph Curry, Stephen Nedoroscik, Tony Estanguet, and others.
• Events like the total solar eclipse, aurora borealis, several hurricanes, key elections in several countries, hurricanes, and more.
• SpaceX successfully catching its Super Heavy booster rocket.
• People trying out Dr Pepper with pickles.
• The character Anxiety from the movie Inside Out 2.
• Elmo checking in on everyone.
• Bluey Heeler and family selling their house and moving.
• And, of course, the lovely pygmy hippo, Moo Deng.

What was your highlight memory of 2024? Let us know in the comments below!