Google’s Doodle tells you not to panic, celebrates the work of Douglas Adams

It has been almost 12 years since the world lost one of its greatest science-fiction writers, Douglas Adams, but in 1952 on this day, he was born, and while he’s not with us now, Google is celebrating one of his greatest works with a memorable Doodle.

He’s easily one of the most recognised writers in science-fiction comedy, and while it isn’t yet Towel Day – that’s May 25, and yes, I’m that much of a geek – today’s Google’s logo puts together the memorable “Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy” story that Adams crafted in 1978, first as a radio show, and then as a book, TV show, text game for computers, and so on and so on.

In one Doodle, Google has demonstrated important principles, such as the instrumental lesson on how to fly by jumping at the ground and missing, that a very unique kind of fish can be an effective form of intergalactic translation system, and that our planet is, well, harmless. Mostly harmless, that is.

Google’s Doodle for March 11 has several entries in its animated Hitchhiker’s Guide pad, and is more based on the original radio show, book, and TV series than its recent movie, just in case you’re looking for a giant spherical Alan Rickman when you check it out.

While it won’t be on the Google homepage from March 12 onwards, you should be able to find it on Google’s Doodle archive from then on.