Relive history with an interactive doodle on the home page as Google celebrates 216-year anniversary of the first ever parachute jump by a French aeronaut.
Google doodle secures one of the most prominent places on the homepage. With various historic events being recognized on the interactive section of the world's largest search engine, today marks the 216-year anniversary of the first parachute jump made by a French aeronaut named Andre-Jacque Garnerin.
The doodle allows users to control Garnerin's balloon by using the arrow keys on the keyboard or using the motion sensor on a smartphone.
Garnerin made his first historic parachute jump from a height of 32,000 feet using a frameless, seven-meter silk parachute, October 22, 1797, according to Bonjour Paris. The 28-year-old Frenchman rode a basket attached to a huge balloon in Parc Monceau, Paris. He invented his own chute, which safely landed him despite troubles during the landing. He was later appointed the Official Aeronaut of France in light of his daring stunt.
Besides his interest in balloons, Garnerin took physics in college and served in the French army in 1793 as an inspector. Four years later his interest in ballooning resulted in his daring adventure with the parachute and the rest of his life he lived and followed his dream pursuit.
Garnerin was involved in several balloon flights during his tour of England in the early 1800s, accompanied by his wife Jeanne Genevieve Labrosse, who also became the first female parachutist. He defied death during his flights. The
legendary aeronaut died in a garage in Paris while working on a new balloon, August 18, 1823.
