The reason for today's Google Doodle honoring Brazilian physicist César Lattes is unclear.

The brilliant young scientist from Brazil who was awarded a Nobel Prize for his discoveries 

The Google Doodle for today honors César Lattes, a Brazilian experimental physicist and educator whose discovery of the pion altered the direction of nuclear physics, on his 100th birthday.

"Happy birthday, César Lattes! Thank you for paving the way for experimental physics in Latin America and around the world," Google wrote in a tribute to him.

"Lattes was right to surmise that he would be able to see particles breaking down more clearly if he added boron to photographic plates. He was able to observe every proton since it operated so effectively.

César Lattes is who?

Lattes studied physics and mathematics while growing up in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil, where he was born into an Italian immigrant family. He later continued his education at the University of São Paulo, where he received his degree in 1943.

He established the Brazilian Centre for Physical Research at the age of 25, collaborating with other associates who would later become prominent figures in the field of physics.

Lattes, who studied under European instructors like Gleb Wataghin and Giuseppe Occhialini, was regarded as the most gifted member of his cohort, along with Oscar Sala, Mário Schenberg, Roberto Salmeron, Marcelo Damy de Souza Santos, and Jayme Tiomno.

Lattes began his primary research on cosmic rays between 1946 and 1948. He then traveled to Bristol, England, to continue his work on nuclear emulsion research at the University of Bristol.

By creating high-energy collisions in a unique lead chamber using nuclear emission plates he designed, his research group discovered "fireballs" at the top of the Andes in 1969.

A heart attack in the suburbs close to Lattes' São Paulo campus later claimed his life in 2005 at the age of 80.

What is a pion? In 1947, April, Lattes traveled to a weather station atop a 5,200-meter high mountain in Bolivia with two photographic plates to collect more cosmic rays than could be obtained at a lower altitude. It was at this location that Lattes, then only twenty-four years old, discovered a particle that had never been observed before the pion, also known as pi mesons. Pions are particles smaller than an atom composed of a quark and an antiquark, and are created when space matter crashes into Earth's atmosphere. Later, Lattes calculated that some pions are actually heavier than others, which ultimately earned him a 1950 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Was it a wise gamble?

Was it a wise gamble?

There are multiple interpretations of the shocking reversal in the second round of French legislative elections. One view sees Emmanuel Macron celebrating, proving critics who thought his gamble was reckless. He challenged voters to welcome the far right into government, and after briefly considering it in the first round, they firmly rejected it. Marine Le Pen’s National Rally came third, with voter turnout the highest since 1981.

Another less favorable perspective suggests Macron has simply traded compromise with one extremist group for another, swapping the far right for the far left. This shift raises concerns among investors that the far left might undo Macron’s pro-business reforms, which could hurt the country’s finances. Investors dislike surprises, as shown by Liz Truss's brief tenure as UK Prime Minister.

This political shift adds to the instability in Western democracies, mirroring concerns seen in the US with Joe Biden’s struggles. A more optimistic view is that the center-left held, suggesting that nationalist populism isn't inevitable. The Republican Front, a tradition of uniting against fascism, remains strong but perhaps too successful.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, the 72-year-old left-wing leader, emerged as the real winner. His policies include taxing the wealthy, raising the minimum wage, and cutting the pension age. Investors are wary of his stance against “extreme markets,” fearing increased deficits and financial instability.

The election signifies a turbulent period, potentially impacting France's image as an investment destination. While the far-right’s Jordan Bardella laments his defeat, Macron remains low-profile, waiting for the new National Assembly to form before making decisions.

Gabriel Attal, the youngest prime minister, plans to resign, distancing himself from Macron. Marine Le Pen downplays her loss, insisting her movement is still rising.

The left's victory in France brings uncertainty, with potential modest fiscal impacts initially, but greater concerns long-term. Bloomberg economists see two scenarios: a minor fiscal change or a larger giveaway, both affecting debt and bond spreads.

At the France Unbowed election night, the atmosphere was defiant, with music and chants celebrating their win and rejecting the far-right.

The UK election

What has transpired and what's next?

The Labour Party has secured a landslide victory in the UK general election, ending 14 years of Conservative rule. Sir Keir Starmer is set to be appointed prime minister, concluding a tumultuous era with five different Conservative leaders. Outgoing PM Rishi Sunak conceded defeat outside a rainy 10 Downing Street, taking responsibility for the result and announcing plans to resign as party leader.

In a passionate victory speech, Starmer promised "national renewal" and emphasized putting "country first, party second." This marks a dramatic turnaround from Labour's worst electoral defeat in 2019 under Jeremy Corbyn.

Conservative minister Robert Buckland called the result "electoral Armageddon" for the Tories, with the party facing its worst outcome in nearly 200 years. Labour has won 412 seats, while the Conservatives have slumped to 121. The Liberal Democrats have taken 71 seats, and Reform UK and the Green Party have each picked up four seats. Labour's surge was partly due to the collapse of the Scottish National Party (SNP), which fell to just nine seats.

Key figures such as Liz Truss, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Grant Shapps, and Penny Mordaunt lost their seats. However, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt held on to his seat with a reduced majority, and Sunak won his seat in Yorkshire with a comfortable majority.

Labour also saw the defeat of prominent members Jonathan Ashworth and Thangam Debbonaire, who were expected to be part of Starmer's incoming cabinet.

The transition of power will happen swiftly, with Sunak set to resign to the King and Starmer formally invited to form the next government. Starmer will then appoint top Labour MPs to his new cabinet.

Sunak wished his successor well, stating, "His successes will be all our successes, and I wish him and his family well."

Sir Keir Starmer, relatively new to politics, began his career as a barrister and was appointed director of public prosecutions in 2008. Elected in 2015, he became Labour leader after the 2019 election, promising a "new era." Re-elected in Holborn and St Pancras, he declared people were "ready for change."

Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, won four seats, including Farage’s first seat after eight attempts. The party's share of the vote was about 14%. Farage will be joined in Parliament by former Conservative deputy chairman Lee Anderson, Reform founder Richard Tice, and Rupert Lowe.