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Through the Google lens: search trends August 22-28
August 29, 2014
It was a busy week for entertainment junkies with the Emmys and VMAs, and the cat was out of the bag for Sanrio fans after a surprising piece of news. Read on for more on the last week in search:
And the Emmy goes to…
Though
Breaking Bad
took home the top honors at Monday’s Emmy Awards, people searched less for the acclaimed drama than for some of the event’s other, more unexpected happenings.
American Horror Story
’s
Jessica Lange
proved she’s still got it—she was the top search of the night. Meanwhile,
Hayden Panettiere
accidentally revealed the gender of her forthcoming baby, leading people to search for information about the actress and her fiancé Wladimir Klitschko. And it was a night of funny women:
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
did justice to her award for best actress in a comedy with a
Seinfeld
-inspired bit on stage… and a
Seinfeld
-throwback kiss just offstage; and
Sarah Silverman
won an award for best variety special (and showed off some
unusual accessories
). Other popular Emmys searches included HBO’s
The Normal Heart
,
which was nominated for 16 awards and won two, and
True Detective
, which won for directing but did not capture the acting awards some expected.
I want my MTV
The other awards show making news this week was MTV’s
Video Music Awards
. As can only be expected at this point, Beyoncé’s performance was the highlight of the night; the day after the show, there were more than 50,000 searches for [
beyonce vma performance
] as people scrambled to re-live (or catch up with) the spectacle. But part of Bey’s appeal this time was actually her daughter,
Blue Ivy
, who appeared on stage (as well as in multiple GIFs, natch) to steal the show like only an adorable child can. Searchers were dazzled by performances by
Ariana Grande
(in a crystal onesie),
Rita Ora
(with diamonds in her manicure) and
Iggy Azalea
. Finally, Katy Perry and
Riff Raff
’s double denim red carpet
tribute
to that VMA power couple of the past, Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears, had people giggling—and searching.
Trouble out west
After a nine-year-old in Arizona accidentally shot and killed her shooting instructor with an
Uzi
, people came to Google to learn more about the incident, which has sparked debates throughout the country. And the largest
earthquake
to hit the San Francisco Bay Area in 20+ years shook up Napa and surrounding counties this weekend, leading people to the web to learn more about the damage.
Raining [searches for] cats and dogs
Sanrio fans worldwide got some startling news this week: Hello Kitty is not a kitty. According to the Japanese company, she is a little girl. Whatever her species, she was a
top trend
in search this week. And for those of you who aren’t cat fans (in which case, do you even like the Internet?), there was
National Dog Day
, Tuesday’s top search and—
if you ask us
—a great excuse for thousands of people to share photos of their own favorite man’s best friend.
Tip of the week
Don’t let delays ruin your long weekend. To help you decide whether it’s faster to bike or take transit to your Labor Day destination, Google Search can show you all of your transportation options and estimated travel times on a single card. Just tap the mic and say “Ok Google, what’s the traffic like to AT&T Park” and easily switch between transportation modes to determine which route works best for you.
Posted by Emily Wood, Google Blog Editor, who searched this week for [brandy creek beach] and [delirium series]
Through the Google lens: search trends August 15-21
August 22, 2014
It was an emotional rollercoaster on search this week. Read on to learn more about what made people laugh and cry.
Tragedies and scandals
The world was shocked by a video showing the execution of American journalist
James Foley
by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Questions remain about how the United States will respond to the incident. And there was sad news closer to home too. TV lost an icon when
Saturday Night Live’s
announcer of 40+ years,
Don Pardo
, passed away at 96.
While some searchers were in mourning, others were looking for answers. Texas Governor and potential GOP presidential candidate
Rick Perry
was indicted this week on charges of abuse of power. Perry pleaded not guilty to all charges, but that didn’t stop searchers from investigating. And while people had their detective hats on, they also looked into the
Louisville Purge
, a social media hoax based off the horror movie series
The Purge
. The hoax claimed that all residents of Louisville, Kentucky would have 24 hours to commit any crime they want—without repercussion. Does anyone take social media that seriously?
“J” as in “J is the only letter that matters”
You’d think our favorite letter would be the letter “G,” and normally that’s the case—but not this week as J-named celebrities jacked the trends charts. Two-time
Dancing with the Stars
champion Julianna Hough is taking off her dancing shoes and getting comfortable behind the judge’s table in a new role on the show. Meanwhile, rumors flew like mockingjays this week that actress
Jennifer Lawrence
has a new beau— the consciously uncoupled Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. And when there’s action going on you know
Johnny Manziel
won’t be too far away. Searchers were baffled this week when Johnny Football decided to show the Washington bench that he, um, was “number one.”
Deep sea video gaming
Searchers took a trip down memory lane when former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan went head-to-head with Jimmy Fallon in the classic Nintendo 64 game “GoldenEye 007.” Unfortunately, Brosnan’s experience as the untouchable Bond didn’t quite translate into video games skills. But Bond wasn’t the only one sleeping with the fishes. There were rough waters this week for sharks... more specifically
this shark
, who was swallowed whole in one bite by a
goliath Grouper
. Consider shark week officially over. (^^^)
Tip of the week
Want a fast way to calculate the tip? Stop counting on your fingers and just ask Google “How much is the tip on a $27 bill?” to get the amount. You can also adjust the tip percent and divide the bill by the number of people in your party,
right in the search results
.
Posted by Jenise Araujo, Communications Associate, who searched was [live from new york] and searched for [giant fish].
Through the Google lens: search trends August 8-14
August 15, 2014
Demonstrations in Missouri and the death of Robin Williams had people searching for a greater understanding this week.
Losing a Hollywood legend
First up, the news of Robin Williams’ death sparked
tens of millions of searches
about the beloved actor’s life and career. Legions of fans searched for every one of their favorite films from Williams’ decades-long career; top topics include
Hook
,
Jumanji
and
Good Morning Vietnam
. Many were looking up his most memorable quotes and roles, including the “O captain, my captain” monologue in
Dead Poets Society
, Genie’s first scene in
Aladdin
, and a standup bit about golf. Others searched for tributes by Williams’ fellow actors and comedians, like
Jimmy Fallon
and Conan O’Brien. And just yesterday, news that the actor had been diagnosed with
Parkinson’s disease
led people to the web once again.
Two days after Williams’ death,
Lauren Bacall
passed away at the age of 89, inspiring people to search for more information on the actress, in particular her marriage to Humphrey Bogart back in Hollywood’s golden age.
Unrest in Missouri
Protests ignited in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, Missouri this weekend after an unarmed teenager named
Mike Brown
was shot and killed by police on Saturday. People turned to search to learn more about the conflict, and searches for terms like [ferguson riot] and [ferguson shooting] rose by more than 1,000%.
Math and science phenomena
Maryam Mirzakhani, a professor of mathematics at Stanford, was awarded the 2014 Fields Medal this week for her work on understanding the symmetry of curved surfaces such as spheres. She is the first woman and first Iranian to win the prize, considered the Nobel Prize of mathematics.
Turning from one sphere to a celestial one, two astronomical events led searchers to the web to learn more. The
Perseid meteor shower
had its annual peak this week—and got a
doodle
for the occasion—and the brightest
super moon
of the year had everyone a little lun-y.
Ice ice bucket
This week saw a rise in searches for [
als
] thanks to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, a viral campaign to raise money to fight what’s better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. From Martha Stewart to Justin Timberlake to your college roommate, odds are you know someone who’s dumped a bucket of icy water on themselves for the cause. The ALS Association has received millions of dollars in donations as a result, though we don’t have any numbers on how many brave folks took the plunge.
Tip of the week
Still basking in the glow of that super moon? Learn more about our familiar friend in the sky by asking your Google Search app on
iPhone
or
Android
, “How far away is the moon?” and get an answer spoken back to you. You can then ask, “How big is it?” Google will understand what “it” you’re talking about and give you the 411.
Posted by Emily Wood, Google Blog Editor, who searched this week for [is handedness genetic] and [play it again dick]
Through the Google lens: search trends August 1-7
August 8, 2014
We may be hitting the last days of summer but the heat is still picking up, especially on search. Read on to learn what sizzled on the trends charts this past week.
Trouble in paradise
Would you turn down a free trip to Hawaii? Julio and Iselle aren’t. The
two hurricanes
are barreling towards the islands, bringing 90 mph winds, flash floods and hordes of searches with them. If Iselle makes landfall, she’ll be the first hurricane to hit the Big Island since 1950. Julio, like the tag-a-long younger brother, is right on Iselle’s tail. You can review tips on how to stay safe during hurricane season
here
.
A Hawaiian hurricane isn’t the only trouble brewing in the air. Searchers had a virtual panic attack when Facebook
went down
for a couple hours last Friday. In a state of shock, some people even
called the police
to assist with their social media emergency. Meanwhile, a toxin called
microcystin
is contaminating the waters in parts of Ohio, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to stockpile bottled water and look for answers on the Internet.
But there’s only one thing that can distract us from the craziness of real life… and that’s the sheer absurdity of reality TV. Viewers and searchers tuned in to watch the premiere of the
Bachelor in Paradise
, an elimination-style show where contestants compete for love. This is probably not what Cervantes meant when he wrote that all's fair in love and war.
First let me take a selfie
As if the world couldn’t get any more litigious, a British photographer is taking on Wikimedia over a selfie—and not just any selfie, a monkey selfie. After a curious crested black macaque came upon David Slater’s camera equipment and fulfilled nature’s call by taking a
selfie
, the photo went viral and was eventually uploaded to Wikimedia Commons, an online repository of free to use images, sound, and other media. Slater asked Wikimedia to take it down on copyright infringement grounds, and Wikimedia said no. Their argument: the photo wasn’t Slater’s work -- it was the monkey’s. We’ll leave it up to you to decide who you think is right.
Fortunately, at least one dispute this week was resolved: The stars of the hit science geek themed show,
The Big Bang Theory
, signed new contracts that would pay them $1 million per episode. We’re betting that somehow the line “Show me the Money” is going to make it into the script. A real-life scientist also managed to crack the trends charts when our
doodle
celebrating
John Venn
, the creator of the Venn Diagram, got searchers excited to discover what the intersections between sea-life and something with wings.
Who runs the world? Girls!
Let’s be honest, can anyone really get enough Beyonce in their life? Her “On the Run” tour with that other mildly successful artist/mogul just topped
$100 million
in ticket sales and now the remix of her song “
Flawless
” featuring Nicki Minaj is getting searchers into a frenzy. This woman can do no wrong (except
maybe
).
Beyonce may cast a shadow that dwarfs us all, but two other women are holding their own on the search charts. WBNA star
Becky Hammon
became the NBA’s first female assistant coach when she joined the staff of the San Antonio Spurs. (We’ll call that a crack in the glass backboard.) And First Daughter Malia Obama nearly stole the show at
Lollapalooza
following her appearance among fellow festival-goers in Chicago.
Tip of the Week
Taking a hike is one of the best ways to enjoy the last days of summer. But it’s always safer to hike in the daylight hours. Before you head out, remember to ask the Google App, “When is sunset?” to help you plan accordingly.
Posted by Jenise Araujo, Communications Associate, who searched for [reality tv is better than sitcoms] and [fomo].
Fifteen ways to change the world: the 2014 Google Science Fair Global Finalists
August 6, 2014
Kenneth Shinozuka, from New York City, wants to help people with Alzheimer’s Disease, like his grandfather. Kenneth developed a small,
wearable sensor
to be worn on his grandfather’s foot. When pressure is applied to the sensor, it alerts his family via a mobile app, which allows them to monitor when his grandfather is on the move. By monitoring this behavior, Kenneth hopes to understand the causes of
wandering
brought on by Alzheimer’s, and to ultimately find a way to mitigate or prevent it.
Samuel Burrow, from the U.K., wants to improve the environment by reducing pollution. Taking inspiration from the chemical used in sunscreen, Samuel created a
special coating that reduces waste chemicals
in the air when subjected to ambient light. And Cynthia Sin Nga Lam, from Australia, thinks everyone deserves access to clean water and created an
eco-friendly and economical device
to do just that.
These are just a few examples of the 15 incredible projects we’ve named as the global finalists for 2014 Google Science Fair. This is our fourth time hosting the competition as a way to encourage the next generation of scientists and engineers. From Russia to Australia, India to Canada, this year’s finalists (ages 13-18) are already well on their way to greatness. See all 15 projects on the
Google Science Fair website
.
Special recognition also goes to Kenneth, who has also been awarded the
Scientific American Science In Action Award
. The prize celebrates a project that addresses a health, resource or environmental challenge, and comes with a year’s mentoring from Scientific American and a $50,000 grant toward the project.
What’s next for our young scientists? Well, next month, they’ll be California-bound to compete at Google HQ for the three
Age Category Awards
(ages 13-14, 15-16, 17-18) and of course, the overall Google Science Fair
Grand Prize Award
. The competition will end in style with an awards ceremony, which will be live streamed on the Science Fair
YouTube channel
and on our
website
. Tune in to be one of the first to find out this year’s winners!
But first, you get to have your say! We need you to pick your favorite project for the 2014 Voter’s Choice Award. Show your support for the finalists and cast a vote on the
Google Science Fair website
beginning September 1. Every year, we're blown away by the projects and ideas these young people come up with, and you will be too.
Posted by Clare Conway, on behalf of the Google Science Fair team
A first step toward more global email
August 5, 2014
Cross-posted on the
Official Gmail Blog
Whether your email address is firstname.lastname@ or something more expressive like corgicrazy@, an email address says something about who you are. But from the start, email addresses have always required you to use non-accented Latin characters when signing up. Less than half of the world’s population has a mother tongue that uses the Latin alphabet. And even fewer people use only the letters A-Z. So if your name (or that of your favorite pet) contains accented characters (like “José Ramón”) or is written in another script like Chinese or Devanagari, your email address options are limited.
But all that could change. In 2012, an organization called the
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
created a new email
standard
that supports addresses with non-Latin and accented Latin characters (e.g. 武＠メール.グーグル). In order for this standard to become a reality, every email provider and every website that asks you for your email address must adopt it. That’s obviously a tough hill to climb. The technology is there, but someone has to take the first step.
Today we're ready to be that someone. Starting now, Gmail (and shortly, Calendar) will recognize addresses that contain accented or non-Latin characters. This means Gmail users can send emails to, and receive emails from, people who have these characters in their email addresses. Of course, this is just a first step and there’s still a ways to go. In the future, we want to make it possible for you to use them to create Gmail accounts.
Last month, we announced
the addition of 13 new languages
in Gmail. Language should never be a barrier when it comes to connecting with others and with this step forward, truly global email is now even closer to becoming a reality.
Posted by Pedro Chaparro Monferrer, Software Engineer
Through the Google lens: search trends July 25-31
August 1, 2014
The dog days of summer are upon us (just look at the last time we posted on this here blog), but there’s still plenty of excitement to keep search buzzing. From big baseball news to blockbusters, here’s a look at the last seven days in search:
Baseball bombshells
This season’s MLB trade deadline was yesterday, and as news of surprise trades emerged, people were quick to catch the latest via search. More than half of the day’s hot trends were baseball-related, and searches for the blogs [mlb trade rumors] reached their
highest volume
all year. From the three-way trade that landed
David Price
in Detroit and Austin Jackson in Seattle to the A's-Red Sox swap of Jon Lester and
Yoenis Céspedes
, it was quite the active Deadline Day.
Searchnado
Thanks in large part to nerdfest Comic-Con, it was a week of sneak peeks for movie fans. First up: the reboot of
Mad Max
.
The long-awaited remake of the Australian classic premiered its trailer at the conference last weekend, and fans got their first real glimpse of
Bane
Tom Hardy as Max. Meanwhile, a sneak peek of Israeli actress
Gal Gadot
as Wonder Woman in the forthcoming
Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice
made waves. And a new teaser trailer for
Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
gave us a new glimpse at Katniss as the face of the rebellion.
Though neither film will be in theaters for some time, fans are keeping busy in the meantime: searches for new releases
Guardians of the Galaxy
,
Lucy
and
Hercules
were all high on the charts. And those who prefer their movies with a hefty serving of camp to go with their popcorn had more than enough to satisfy them with
Sharknado 2
: The Second One
. Searches for [sharknado 2 trailer] were up 95 percent over the past month, and the movie was one of the top topics Wednesday when it premiered on Syfy.
Simply stunning
. Finally, the trailer for the movie version of Stephen Sondheim’s
Into the Woods
had musical theater lovers ready for more.
Searching for symptoms
An
ebola
outbreak in West Africa has people concerned about the spread of the deadly epidemic. Searches for [ebola] are
at their highest ever, up 2,000%
, and related searches like [ebola in nigeria], [ebola symptoms] and [what is ebola] grew too. Worldwide, Liberia had the highest search volume of any country.
Tip of the week
Next time you’re invited to a summer barbecue, let Google help you remember to pick up a snack or six-pack to contribute to the fiesta. On your
Android
or
iPhone
, just say “Ok Google, remind me to buy a watermelon when I’m at Safeway.” Next time you’re near the store, you’ll get a prompt. No more showing up with empty hands!
Posted by Emily Wood, Google Blog Editor, who searched this week for [beyonce surfboard] and [arcade fire tour costumes]
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