Google 'I'm Feeling Lucky':
Mystery countdown clock launched
Matthew Moore
Google has sparked mystery by launching an unexplained countdown that
only appears when users press the 'I'm Feeling Lucky' button on the
search engine's homepage.
The feature, which usually takes users directly to the top result for
their query, has been programed to display a ticker when no words are
entered into the search box.
As of 7.15pm GMT on Monday, the clock had reached 1,484,258.
It appears that the blue numbers are only visible to people using the
search giant's English language portals such as Google.com, Google.co.uk,
Google.ie and Google.com.au. Attempting the same trick on Google's
French and German websites presents an error box instead.
Google has released no statement explaining the hidden clock, but
initial speculation that the search giant had advance warning of the end
of the world appears wide of the mark.
Simple calculations indicate that the number will fall to zero in 17
days, around the turn of the New Year. If confirmed, this would be the
latest in a long line of pranks and hidden treats dropped into Google
products by the US firm's engineers.
Past 'easter eggs', as they are known, include:
* Type 'recursion' into the search box and it suggests 'recursion' as
an alternative, sending you on a loop of clicks that all generate
identical results.
* Using the arrow keys, type 'up, up, down, down, left, right, left,
right, B, A' while using the firm's RSS feed reader, and a little ninja
appears on the left of the screen, which turns partially blue.
* The Mars feature of Google Earth 5 allows users to explore the
surface of the Red Planet, and chat to the locals. Typing Meliza into
the search box takes you to an area of the planet where you can strike
up a conversation with a Martian.
The Daily Telegraph |