Google Doodle marks the solstice with... a palm tree in the Arctic
Where will you make the most of the summer sun this year? In a lounge chair at the North Pole?
It's summer in the north.
Friday marks summer solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere when the North Pole is at maximum tilt toward the sun. This means the farther north you go, the longer you'll have sunlight -- a great reason to celebrate, as is the way in the internet era, with a Google Doodle .
Google's Doodle for the summer solstice, which is visible across North America, the top of South America, Europe, Russia, Japan, Vietnam and India, shows an undeniably cute cartoon Earth smiling up at a palm tree and lounge chair perched atop the Arctic.
Now, we're all aware that the polar ice caps are melting. But that doesn't mean that palm trees can grow there -- yet.
Given the intensity of the ongoing climate crisis, Google portraying the Arctic as a warm-weather summer vacay destination and the Earth seeming cheerful about the situation seems a bit tone deaf.
Either that, or Google is making a subliminal comment on climate change that we don't... quite... get.
Meanwhile in the Southern Hemisphere, Google celebrated the Winter Solstice on Friday with a Doodle featuring a snowman perched atop the Earth, which seems much more apt.
Google didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
It's winter in the south.