"Easter Egg" is a term for a fun surprise that a developer has added to code in hopes that the user gets a little laugh when they stumble across it. Don't want to wait to discover Internet Easter Eggs by accident? Here are a few of our favorites (some of these might work best if you're using the Google Chrome browser).

No matter how diligently you search on Easter morning, there always seem to be one or two eggs that get past even the most skillful hunters. If they’re plastic, finding the candy-filled plastic eggs is a happy surprise. (If they’re real, it’s still a surprise, just a little more … fragrant.) Thanks to the Internet, we can find Easter Eggs any time of year — without risking that rotten-egg odor. “Easter Egg” is a term for a fun surprise that a developer has added to code in hopes that the user gets a little laugh when they stumble across it. Don’t want to wait to discover Internet Easter Eggs by accident? Here are a few of our favorites (some of these might work best if you’re using the Google Chrome browser).
Type “Barrel Roll” into Google and Prepare to Get Dizzy
When an airplane does a barrel roll, it spins in midair. When Google does a barrel roll, it … well, we’ll just let you find out.
Looking for the Secret to Life? Google Has It
In a nod to the geek-favorite book (and movie) The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, if you type “answer to life the universe and everything” into your search bar, Google will return the answer: 42.
Doctor Who Fan? You’ll Love this Google Map (or Whoogle Maps!) Easter Egg
Check out this location in Google Street View. It sounds crazy, but click on one of the white arrows in front of the blue police box. Trust us: It’s bigger on the inside.
Make the Most of Downtime with Googlesaurus
This one is perfect when the Internet is down and you can’t work anyway. Without being connected through Wi-Fi or hardline, try to open any page in Google Chrome. Do you see the little Google T-Rex and the “unable to connect” message? Hit the space bar and see what happens — you might just find a game to help you pass the time.
Win at Google Hangouts with a Stream of Ponies
Think your Google Hangout needs a little something extra? Try typing one of these into your hangout (then hit enter).
- /ponies
- /ponystream
- /bikeshed
- /shydino
- /pitchforks