If you go over to the Google Search homepage and hover your cursor over the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button, something pretty cool happens. The button starts spinning like a slot machine before stopping at a random completion of the phrase, "I'm feeling…" Then, you click the button to experience some related corner of the online Google empire.
Select "I'm Feeling Wonderful," for example, and you're whisked away to some part of Google's World Wonders Project, which highlights fascinating cultural sites from around globe. "I'm Feeling Trendy" takes you to the Hot Searches page, which shows the topics and stories that are trending online. "I'm Feeling Stellar" brings up image search results for the Orion Nebula. And so on.
Fair warning, though — you might get hooked and it's a major temptation for procrastination. But the Doodle-y pastime isn't just addictive. It's smart, too. Think about it: What better way to pimp the vast array of services, tools and pure randomness Google offers its online users? I wasn't super familiar with the World Wonders Project, for example — but may well go back for some enlightening entertainment later.
Google, or course, is no stranger to subtle marketing ploys. It's Easter Eggs and Doodles have long since captivated nerds and Internet denizens, including us here at Mashable. Check out some of our favorite Google Doodles below.
BONUS GALLERY: Last Year's 30 Best Google Doodles
This Google Doodle, displayed Jan. 17, features a group of children playing hopscotch — an homage to Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Thomas Edison, the inventor and scientist, was celebrated this year on his birthday, Feb. 11.
Legendary illusionist Harry Houdini was honored on Mar. 24, which would have been his 137th birthday.
Chemist Robert Bunsen, inventor of the Bunsen burner, and the elements caesium and rubidium, was celebrated on Mar. 31. He would have been 200.
Google celebrated Charlie Chaplin's 122nd birthday with a short film in Chaplin's own style.
Google celebrated an animated, interactive Doodle to raise awareness for Earth Day on April 22.
Since 2000, Google has celebrated Mother's Day with a tribute on its homepage, and this year proved to be no different.
Roger Hargreaves — of the Mr. Men children's book fame — would have turned 76 this year, and to celebrate, Google released various Doodles featuring the author's characters.
American dancer and choreographer Martha Graham would have been 117 May 11, so Google celebrated her with this dance-themed doodle.
Matteo Lopez, an aspiring space explorer, won a $15,000 college scholarship and a $25,000 technology grant for his school with this doodle.
Famous guitarist Les Paul received an interactive Google Doodle so popular, it lived on in its own web page.
Just like Mother's Day, Google has also celebrated dads all over the world with a special doodle for Father's Day since 2000.
To celebrate the 2011 summer solstice, Google used a colorful modified logo, created by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami.
Genetics pioneer Gregor Mendel was celebrated on July 20, for what would have been his 189th birthday.
Mobile artist Alexander Calder was celebrated July 22 on Google's homepage.
An interactive Google Doodle displayed on Aug. 6, to commemorate what would have been comedian Lucile Ball's 100th birthday.
Math Pioneer Pierre de Fermat's 410th birthday was celebrated on Google's homepage Aug. 17.
Google commemorated Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges on Aug. 24, which would have been his 112th birthday.
In honor of the birthday of Queen's former front man Freddie Mercury, Google came out with this interesting video.
Hungarian scientist and Nobel prize winner Albert Szent-Györgyi, who is credited with discovering vitamin C, was celebrated on Sept. 16.
To honor the 75th birthday of famous puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets, Google created this interactive doodle.
Google celebrated its 13th birthday with this retro-themed birthday party pic.
When tech icon Steve Jobs died, Google put differences aside to pay tribute to the late Apple co-founder.
Stop motion pioneer Art Clokey, best known for his characters Gumby and Pokey, was celebrated on Google's homepage Oct. 12.
Marie Curie, the famous Polish-French physicist and chemist was celebrated Nov. 7.
Louis Daguerre, the French physicist who invented daguerreotype, the first commercially successful form of photography, received an honorary Google Doodle Nov. 18.
Google celebrated Thanksgiving with this child-like drawing of a turkey. Also integrated was the search engine's social network, Google+.
Mark Twain's 176th birthday was celebrated Nov. 30 with a famous reference from Twain's "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," where Tom cleverly gets other boys to paint a fence instead of him.
Mexican painter and communist icon Diego Rivera was celebrated on Google's homepage Dec. 8.
Robert Noyce, the co-founder of Intel and co-inventor of the microchip, was born Dec. 12. To commemorate him, Google displayed this doodle.
This Google Doodle, displayed Jan. 17, features a group of children playing hopscotch — an homage to Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Thomas Edison, the inventor and scientist, was celebrated this year on his birthday, Feb. 11.
Legendary illusionist Harry Houdini was honored on Mar. 24, which would have been his 137th birthday.
Chemist Robert Bunsen, inventor of the Bunsen burner, and the elements caesium and rubidium, was celebrated on Mar. 31. He would have been 200.
Google celebrated Charlie Chaplin's 122nd birthday with a short film in Chaplin's own style.
Google celebrated an animated, interactive Doodle to raise awareness for Earth Day on April 22.
Since 2000, Google has celebrated Mother's Day with a tribute on its homepage, and this year proved to be no different.
Roger Hargreaves — of the Mr. Men children's book fame — would have turned 76 this year, and to celebrate, Google released various Doodles featuring the author's characters.
American dancer and choreographer Martha Graham would have been 117 May 11, so Google celebrated her with this dance-themed doodle.
Matteo Lopez, an aspiring space explorer, won a $15,000 college scholarship and a $25,000 technology grant for his school with this doodle.
Famous guitarist Les Paul received an interactive Google Doodle so popular, it lived on in its own web page.
Just like Mother's Day, Google has also celebrated dads all over the world with a special doodle for Father's Day since 2000.
To celebrate the 2011 summer solstice, Google used a colorful modified logo, created by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami.
Genetics pioneer Gregor Mendel was celebrated on July 20, for what would have been his 189th birthday.
Mobile artist Alexander Calder was celebrated July 22 on Google's homepage.
An interactive Google Doodle displayed on Aug. 6, to commemorate what would have been comedian Lucile Ball's 100th birthday.
Math Pioneer Pierre de Fermat's 410th birthday was celebrated on Google's homepage Aug. 17.
Google commemorated Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges on Aug. 24, which would have been his 112th birthday.
In honor of the birthday of Queen's former front man Freddie Mercury, Google came out with this interesting video.
Hungarian scientist and Nobel prize winner Albert Szent-Györgyi, who is credited with discovering vitamin C, was celebrated on Sept. 16.
To honor the 75th birthday of famous puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets, Google created this interactive doodle.
Google celebrated its 13th birthday with this retro-themed birthday party pic.
When tech icon Steve Jobs died, Google put differences aside to pay tribute to the late Apple co-founder.
Stop motion pioneer Art Clokey, best known for his characters Gumby and Pokey, was celebrated on Google's homepage Oct. 12.
Marie Curie, the famous Polish-French physicist and chemist was celebrated Nov. 7.
Louis Daguerre, the French physicist who invented daguerreotype, the first commercially successful form of photography, received an honorary Google Doodle Nov. 18.
Google celebrated Thanksgiving with this child-like drawing of a turkey. Also integrated was the search engine's social network, Google+.
Mark Twain's 176th birthday was celebrated Nov. 30 with a famous reference from Twain's "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," where Tom cleverly gets other boys to paint a fence instead of him.
Mexican painter and communist icon Diego Rivera was celebrated on Google's homepage Dec. 8.
Robert Noyce, the co-founder of Intel and co-inventor of the microchip, was born Dec. 12. To commemorate him, Google displayed this doodle.
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