Rube Goldberg Machine by Google: Happy 4th of July

Google’s Rude Goldberg Machine logo that appears on their home page is the company’s special way of saying Happy 4th of July to all Americans.

A Rude Goldberg machine is usually a deliberately over-engineered project that uses a chain reaction of complex actions to actually perform a very simple task, like for example popping a balloon.

If you’re curious about its name, these type of machines are named after the American inventor and cartoonist Rube Goldberg.

Google’s special Rude Goldberg machine has a more patriotic theme and it celebrates the day when in 1776 the founding fathers adopted the Declaration of Independence.

This is not the first time the search giant uses animations or mini games on their home page. Back in May, when the classic Pac-Man game celebrated it’s 30th birthday, Google included a fully playable game that made tens of millions of users take a break from their regular work and give it a try.