Mr Doob Hot! - Google Gravity Pool

Google Gravity and Ball Pool: A Technical Retrospective of Mr.doob’s Browser Experiments Google Gravity

are seminal web experiments created by computer-graphics programmer Ricardo Cabello , popularly known as

. 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

Google Gravity reimagines the world’s most familiar interface—the Google Search page—as a collection of physical objects subject to Newtonian laws. Mechanism:

Upon loading, the DOM (Document Object Model) elements—including the logo, search bar, and buttons—lose their fixed positions and "collapse" to the bottom of the viewport. Interactivity:

Users can click and drag individual page components, tossing them against the edges of the browser window where they bounce and collide with realistic physics. Historical Legacy: Originally featured on Chrome Experiments

, it became an internet classic for turning a static search utility into a playful physics playground. 2. Ball Pool: Foundations of Fluid Motion Released just before Google Gravity in February 2009,

focuses on high-performance particle physics within the browser. User Interaction:

The experiment allows users to create colored spheres by clicking in empty space or "shake" the browser window to disturb the existing pool of balls. Simulation Depth:

It utilizes a physics engine to handle continuous collision detection and velocity damping, ensuring that hundreds of objects can interact smoothly without overlapping or "leaking" through boundaries. 3. Underlying Technology and Engineering google gravity pool mr doob

Mr.doob utilized a combination of cutting-edge web standards and custom physics logic to achieve these effects: Mr.doob - Experiments with Google

The Digital Downfall: Exploring Mr.doob’s Google Gravity & Ball Pool

If you’ve ever wanted to literally watch the internet break, look no further than the work of Ricardo Cabello , better known as . In 2009, he released Google Gravity

, a "Chrome Experiment" that turned the world’s most famous search engine into a physics-based playground. blog.google What is Google Gravity?

Unlike standard Easter eggs hidden by Google staff, Google Gravity was an external project designed to showcase what modern browsers could do with JavaScript and 2D physics engines. When you load the page, the familiar Google logo, search bar, and buttons lose their "stickiness" and tumble to the bottom of the screen. Interactive Physics:

You can grab any element—the logo, a button, or even search results—and toss them around the screen. Functional Search:

Surprisingly, you can still type into the fallen search bar. When you hit enter, new search results "fall" into the pile from the top of the screen. The "Pool" Experience: Ball Pool While often grouped with Google Gravity,

is another iconic Mr.doob experiment that functions as a literal physics sandbox. Instead of search elements, you interact with a screen full of colorful balls. Experiments with Google How to Play:

You can drag balls to throw them, click empty space to create new ones, and even shake your browser window to watch them bounce around. Technology: These experiments use the Google Gravity and Ball Pool: A Technical Retrospective

physics engine, simulating real-world collisions, friction, and momentum directly in your browser. How to Experience It Today

Because Google discontinued the API that powered the original search function in 2014, the "authentic" version on Mr.doob's site is now mostly a visual toy. However, you can still find fully functional versions: Direct Search: Go to Google and search for "Google Gravity." I'm Feeling Lucky: I'm Feeling Lucky button (or the first result leading to ) to trigger the collapse. Experimental Site: Mr.doob’s projects page to see the original code and other experiments like Google Space (zero-gravity) or Experiments with Google

Mr.doob’s work remains a landmark in web history, proving that even the most functional tools on the planet can be turned into a moment of digital joy. Google Easter eggs like the "Do a Barrel Roll" trick? Ball Pool - Mr.doob

Ball Pool. Hello! This is how it works: * Drag a ball. * Click on the background. * Shake your browser. * Double click. * Play!

Part 3: How to Experience the Experiment (Step-by-Step)

Because Google frequently updates its main search page (especially with the introduction of JavaScript frameworks and the removal of the classic homepage), the original Mr. Doob script no longer works on google.com by default. However, the experiment lives on through mirrored archives and the official Mr. Doob collection.

To play Google Gravity Pool Mr Doob today, follow these steps:

Open your browser: (Works best on Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. Mobile support is limited.)
Navigate to Mr. Doob’s official site: Go to mrdoob.com or search for "Mr. Doob experiments."
Find the "Google Gravity" listing: Look through his archive of Three.js experiments. Note: The "Pool" version is often a fan-made modification or a later release labeled "Gravity Pool."
Alternative Archive: Go to neave.com or extremely.online—sites that host preserved Flash and JS experiments.
The Classic Hack: If you want to try the original on the live Google page, type the following into your browser’s address bar (as a single line):
```
javascript:window.location="https://mrdoob.com/projects/chromeexperiments/google_gravity/";
```
(Note: Some browsers block javascript: pastes for security; you may need to manually type it or use a bookmarklet.)

Once loaded, you will see a standard Google homepage. Click anywhere—and watch the apocalypse begin. If you are on the "Pool" version, you will see the elements bounce off the edges like they are in a pool of invisible water.

Part 9: The Future of the Experiment

As Flash dies and WebGPU rises, Mr. Doob continues to update his Three.js portfolio. While the original Google Gravity Pool is preserved, you can now find modern equivalents:

CSS Grid Gravity: Using modern transform and will-change properties for smoother 60fps animations.
VR Gravity Pool: For Oculus Quest, where you physically throw the Google logo into a virtual pool.
Mobile Gesture Versions: Swipe to fling the search bar on your iPad.

Search for "Mr. Doob Chrome Experiments" to see his latest, non-Google-specific physics toys. Part 3: How to Experience the Experiment (Step-by-Step)

Part 2: What is the "Pool" in Google Gravity Pool?

This is where the keyword gets interesting. The standard Google Gravity is chaotic—everything falls in a pile at the bottom of the window. But "Google Gravity Pool" refers to a specific variation or a subsequent experiment where Mr. Doob (or inspired developers) contained the falling objects inside a virtual pool table or a "pocket" environment.

In the "pool" version, the gravity doesn't just pull things straight down. Instead, the Google elements fall into a confined well or a simulated "pool of water" or "pool table felt." The key characteristics of the Pool version include:

Bounding Boxes: The elements don't fall off the screen. They hit the "walls" of the browser window and bounce realistically.
Fluid Physics: In some iterations, the search bar actually splashes or causes rippling effects when it hits the "bottom pool."
Magnetism: The "pool" element often introduces a subtle magnetic pull near the center, mimicking a drain or a pocket on a billiards table.

Most users searching for "Google Gravity Pool Mr Doob" are looking for the version where you can drag the Google logo and watch it slide across a frictionless "pool surface" before knocking over the search button like a billiard ball.

Part 4: Why Is It So Satisfying? The Psychology of Digital Destruction

Why has "Google Gravity Pool Mr Doob" remained a cult hit for over 15 years? The answer lies in three psychological triggers:

Violating the Sacred: Google’s homepage is one of the most stable, unchanging, and "serious" interfaces on earth. Watching it crumble is cathartic. It’s the digital equivalent of tipping over a vending machine.
Tactile Feedback: Before touchscreens were ubiquitous, dragging a Google logo with a mouse and feeling "weight" (inertia and drag) was revolutionary. The "pool" variant adds water-like resistance, making it feel like you are stirring a spoon in honey.
Emergent Gameplay: Users naturally create games: "Can I stack the search button on top of the Google logo?" "Can I push all the blue links into the left pocket?" The "pool" physics turn the search page into a billiards table.

Google Gravity Pool Mr Doob: The Ultimate Guide to the Internet’s Most Mind-Bending Easter Egg

If you grew up browsing the internet in the late 2000s or early 2010s, chances are you stumbled upon a bizarre, physics-defying website where the Google homepage collapsed into a pile of rubble. That prank—now a piece of digital folklore—is known as Google Gravity. But if you search for "Google Gravity Pool Mr Doob," you’re looking for a specific, surreal twist on the classic: a chaotic blend of falling search boxes, a pool of water, and the creative genius of a single web developer.

In this article, we’ll dive deep into what Google Gravity Pool is, who Mr Doob is, how to play with it, and why it has become a cult classic in the world of browser experiments.

Who is Mr Doob?

You can’t fully understand "Google Gravity Pool" without knowing the creator.

Mr Doob (real name: Ricardo Cabello) is a Spanish developer and artist known for pioneering browser-based 3D and interactive experiments. He is also one of the core contributors to Three.js, the most popular JavaScript library for WebGL.

Around 2008–2010, Mr Doob created a series of "Google Experiments" that allowed users to play with the Google homepage in ways Google never intended. These included:

Google Gravity (standard falling version)
Google Sphere (search results orbit a 3D sphere)
Google Pool (the subject of this article)

His website, Mr.doob.com, remains a treasure trove of interactive web toys.