Recently Google Doodle celebrated the 142nd birthday of Dr. Stamen Grigorov, a Bulgarian physician, and microbiologist.
Stamen Grigorov was the first scientist to identify Lactobacillus bulgaricus, the required microbe for the yogurt-making process.
He was also instrumental in the production of the very first TB vaccine.
The search engine giant has decided to honor Stamen Grigorov’s accomplishments with a Google Doodle, a temporary logo modification that celebrates festivals, events, and historical personalities.
The emblem for today is a cartoon drawing of Stamen Grigorov seated on the floor in an apron while clutching a spoonful of yogurt.
He is surrounded by fruits, veggies, and bowls of yogurt, as well as background animations such as a saucepan on a flame and a refrigerator door opening.
According to Google’s blog on the artwork, early research for the doodle includes designs by Helene Leroux, who drew inspiration from the Bulgarian folklore figure Kuma Lisa, a fox that regularly plays the role of trickster.
According to Google, the doodle is visible across Canada, the United States, Argentina, Chile, Peru, France, Hungary, Ukraine, Bulgaria, and Greece.
Who is Stamen Grigorov?
According to Google’s blog, Stamen Grigorov grew up in the village of Studen Izvor in the Trun area of western Bulgaria.
The blog describes how he developed an early interest in science. According to Google, he completed his studies in natural sciences at Montpellier, France, before enrolling in a doctoral program in medical science at the Medical University of Geneva in Switzerland.
However, he did not make his most well-known scientific discovery until he completed his Ph.D. and worked as a research assistant at the institution.
At 27 in 1905, Stamen Grigorov discovered the bacillus strain responsible for the fermentation of milk into natural yogurt.
Where Was Stamen Grigorov Born And Raised?
Stamen Grigorov was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, on October 27, 1878. He grew raised in a household with six siblings. His secondary education is completed at the Russian School in Sofia.
The individual then attended universities in Berlin, Heidelberg, and Vienna to study mathematics and physics. In 1904, he graduated from the University of Zurich with a doctorate in mathematics. Stamen married Anna Dimitrova in 1905, and they had two children. In 1911, he relocated to the United States and began working at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Unfortunately, Dr. Stamen Grigorov passed away in Providence on October 27, 1945. He had 67 years of age.
Stamen Grigorov’s identification of Lactobacillus Bulgaricus
Stamen Grigorov wed in 1904 before moving to Geneva to serve as a research assistant.
According to Google’s blog, his wife presented him with Bulgarian culinary staples, including yogurt, as a memento of home.
The scientist was initially interested in the yogurt’s claimed health advantages, so he examined it under a microscope.
In 1905, after hundreds of attempts, he discovered what he was seeking.
He identified the rod-shaped bacteria responsible for yogurt fermentation, subsequently dubbed Lactobacillus bulgaricus in honor of his native country.
According to the BBC, many Bulgarians assert that the dairy product was accidentally discovered by nomadic nomads some 4,000 years ago.
On their travels, these nomads presumably transported their milk in animal skins, which fostered the growth of germs and fermentation.
Elitsa Stoilova, an associate professor of ethnology at the University of Plovdiv, told the reporter, “It is true that yogurt has been a component of the Balkan cuisine for ages. It’s a natural process that humans somehow found…
Indeed, the Balkans is one of the regions with the necessary bacteria and temperature ranges to create yogurt organically.
However, Stamen Grigorov’s discovery of Lactobacillus bulgaricus was essential in introducing yogurt to the West and transforming it into the widely eaten food it is today.
Stamen Grigorov’s Contribution to The First Tuberculosis Vaccine
In the same year as his discovery in Geneva, Stamen Grigorov accepted a post as chief physician at a hospital in his hometown of Trump, according to Google’s blog.
His breakthrough findings, however, did not end there. In 1906, he published a paper detailing how penicillin fungus may be used to treat TB.
Stamen Grigorov was not recognized for developing the first TB vaccine, which is commonly attributed to French scientists Camille Guerin and Albert Calmette, according to a program on Bulgarian Radio BNR.
According to the study, Stamen Grigorov did not gain credit for the vaccination since Bulgaria lacked a medical institution with sufficient authority to validate its results.
The legacy of Stamen Grigorov
Stamen Grigorov continued his studies and worked as a doctor for the remainder of his life, saving thousands of lives until he died in 1945.
In celebration of Grigorov’s legacy, his hometown of Studen Izvor established The Museum of Yogurt in 2007, which houses records and information about Grigorov’s life.
On the 110th anniversary of the discovery, the town also conducted a yogurt festival, with inhabitants presenting handmade yogurt and cheese.
Meanwhile, a glacier in Antarctica has been named after the Bulgarian physician.
The Stamen Grigorov Glacier was identified in 2010 and is 1.8 km long and 1.3 km broad on the south shore of Albena Peninsula on Brabant Island in the Palmer Archipelago, according to the Australian government website.
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