Elias typed the familiar URL into the browser. The Google homepage loaded, the iconic multi-colored logo sitting pristine against the stark white background.
: Traditionally found by typing "Google Gravity" into Google and clicking "I'm Feeling Lucky" . 🎱 Project Overview: Ball Pool
Every element on the screen becomes a physical object.
It’s a low-effort, high-reward interactive break that still surprises users.
What made the experiment truly remarkable at the time was that the search bar actually worked . If a user managed to locate the fallen search box amidst the rubble, they could type a query into it and hit enter. Instead of loading a traditional results page, the search results would drop from the top of the screen as new physics objects, instantly crashing into the pile below. The "I'm Feeling Lucky" Viral Phenomenon
. Released in early 2009, these projects served as early masterclasses in interactive web design, showcasing the then-emerging capabilities of JavaScript 1. Google Gravity: The Physics of Interface
Mr. Doob is the online alias of Ricardo Cabello, a self-taught graphic designer and computer programmer originally from Spain. Cabello's journey into the world of computer graphics began at age 12, when his brother introduced him to the demoscene — a subculture dedicated to creating real-time audio-visual demonstrations that push hardware to its limits. Initially focusing on design and 3D modeling, he gradually taught himself coding and began publishing small, interactive web projects on his personal website. Over time, he created more than 50 such demos, experimenting with whatever new browser technologies caught his attention.
Generates a rotating sphere of Google links that spin faster or slower based on your mouse movement.
Legal and ethical notes
"It's just Google," Sarah deadpanned.
Instead of treating the web page as a document of text and images, the code maps every user interface element to a rigid physical body. The physics engine constantly calculates variables like mass, friction, restitution (bounciness), and gravitational pull. When the page initializes, an artificial downward force is applied to these bodies. The JavaScript engine updates the CSS coordinates of each element dozens of times per second, translating the math of a falling object into smooth visual motion on your monitor. The "Pool" Phenomenon and the Google Easter Egg Era
The structural grid of the page completely fails. The logo, the search input field, the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button, and the navigation links drop like heavy stones, crashing into the bottom of the browser window and piling up in a disorganized heap.