Google’s 25th Birthday: The Impact of the Tech Giant on Our Lives
On September 27, 2023, the world celebrates Google’s 25th birthday. But why this particular date? The origin story of the search engine behemoth takes us back to 1998 when founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page began their revolutionary endeavor in a rented garage. After meeting at a computer science course at Stanford University, the two shared an audacious vision: making the World Wide Web more accessible. This birthed the inception of an advanced search engine prototype.
The actual “birth date” of Google is a subject of debate. Historically, Google has marked its birthday on varying dates: sometimes September 4, the day the company filing occurred in 1998, and occasionally September 7, the company’s official foundation date. The choice of September 27 might trace back to a paper where Brin and Page first presented their novel search engine concept.
The journey of Google’s inception is fascinating. By 1997, Page and Brin had already developed an initial version of a tool designed to help users navigate the vast digital space of the internet. Initially, they considered selling their groundbreaking technology to established web search firms, including Yahoo!, AltaVista, and Excite. However, when none expressed interest, the duo decided to independently propel their venture. Their turning point was a fortuitous meeting with Sun Microsystems’ boss, Andy Bechtolsheim. Legend has it that within 15 minutes, Bechtolsheim handed over a $100,000 check. Following a celebratory meal at Burger King, the duo began Google’s unstoppable ascent.
Today, Google is far more than just a search engine. From maps and email services to educational platforms and cutting-edge artificial intelligence, Google’s innovations have reshaped our digital era.
The term “Google” originates from “googol,” symbolizing a mammoth number (1 followed by 100 zeros). Coined in the 1920s by American mathematician Edward Kasner during a forest stroll with his nephew Milton Sirotta, the term gained popularity when Kasner mentioned it in his book, “Mathematics and Imagination.”
