Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Chemist Dmitry Mendeleev Honored With Google Doodle

Google users in Russia saw a familiar face when they used the search engine on Monday: Dmitry Mendeleev, the 19th century Russian chemist best known for his periodic table of elements. He was born on this day in 1834.

Muscovites also know of Mendeleev because of his eponymous Mendeleyevskaya metro station, which features lamps that resemble molecular models.

Google regularly uses its doodle — the image displayed above the search field — to mark important anniversaries or holidays. While some doodles can be seen by people throughout the world, others are only shown in specific countries.

Google

Dmitry Mendeleev worked on his periodic table while a professor in St. Petersburg. There, he spent years working out the details of how best to classify chemical elements before finally presenting his model to the Russian Chemical Society in 1869.

The final idea is said to have come to Mendeleev in a dream — a fact that Google also notes in its accompanying text. It goes on to explain how his work still affects everyone from scholars to students: "The basic principles behind [Mendeleev's] periodic organization continue to stand at the foundation of modern chemistry," Google writes. "Today, on Mendeleev's 182nd birthday, we celebrate how this visionary helped us order and understand our world."

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more