Google pulls asteroid doodle out of respect for Russian victims

Now it can be told: Google prepared and briefly showed a doodle for the near-miss of Asteroid 2012 DA14, but pulled it out after a meteor explosion over Russia.

 

A report on ABC News cited a statement from Google confirming it pulled out the doodle after receiving reports that more than 500 people were injured.

 

“Out of respect for those injured in the extraordinary meteor shower in Russia earlier today, we have removed today’s doodle from the Google homepage ... The doodle was created to mark Asteroid 2012 DA14 passing Earth,” a Google spokesperson told ABC News.

 

The animated doodle would have had the second “g” in Google moving out of the way as the asteroid fell.

 

ABC News described the doodle as "humorous and very cute," at least until reports came in that the meteor shower in Russia injured several people.

 

A separate article on Search Engine Land said the doodle was still live on Google as of Sunday (Manila time), here. — TJD, GMA News