On Google’s home page today is a cool looking Doodle, special Google logo, for Friedlieb Ferdinand Runge. Friedlieb Ferdinand Runge was a German analytical chemist who identified caffeine. Caffeine is a big deal for most of us, so we have Friedlieb Ferdinand Runge to thank for that.

He was born on February 8, 1794 in Hamburg, Germany and passed at the age of 73 on March 25, 1867 in Oranienburg, Germany.

He identified the mydriatic (pupil dilating) effects of belladonna (deadly nightshade) extract, identified caffeine, and discovered the first coal tar dye (aniline blue). Google wrote:

Yay to Caffeine!

Forum discussion at Twitter.