Eva Ekeblad Google doodle celebrates scientist who made flour & alcohol from potatoes

Today’s Google doodle is a salute to Eva Ekeblad, a Swedish scientist and agronomist who developed a method for making flour and alcohol from grinding potatoes.

“Eva discovered the starch was humble but mighty — potatoes could be ground into flour or distilled into spirits. Her discovery helped reduce famine in years to come,” writes Google on the Google Doodle Blog.

Ekeblad was born on this date in 1724, so today marks her 293rd birthday. Her achievements earned her a spot in the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1748 — the same organization that awards Nobel Prizes in physics and chemistry. She was the first woman elected into the academy (another female would not be elected to the academy for 200 years).

The image includes a cameo drawing of Ekeblad carved from a potato, along with potato skins to spell out G-O-O-G-L-E. The doodle leads to a search for “Eva Ekeblad” and includes the usual sharing icon.

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