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People Googled 'Where Is New South Wales' This Year

We also wanted to know what love is. 😳
Who knew there was so many calories in carrots?
Getty Images/iStockphoto
Who knew there was so many calories in carrots?

Praise the internet lords for Google.

Before it, how did we know how to do anything? How to cook anything? How to live life?

Today, Google revealed the most searched words and topic in 2016. Not surprising the U.S. election was a biggie, as was the Rio Olympics and the rigmarole that was the Census.

Here's the top 10 overall searches:

  • US election
  • Olympics
  • Census
  • Euro 2016
  • Australian Open 2016
  • Pokemon Go
  • Donald Trump
  • iPhone 7
  • David Bowie
  • Prince

In terms of the people we wanted to know more about, Trump trumps the list, followed by Hillary.

  • Donald Trump
  • Hillary Clinton
  • Conor McGregor
  • Steven Avery
  • Melania Trump
  • Meghan Markle
  • OJ Simpson
  • Chris Gayle
  • Tom Hiddleston
  • Brad Pitt

Closer to home, we Googled a mix of sporting and political Australians:

  • Mitchell Pearce
  • Molly Meldrum
  • Tara Brown
  • Pauline Hanson
  • Mel McLaughlin
  • Rebecca Wilson
  • Peter Brock
  • Sonia Kruger
  • Malcolm Turnbull
  • Michelle Jenneke

In terms of what we wanted to learn, the phrase 'how to...' was searched most often with 'tie a tie' at the end, followed by 'screenshot on a Mac' (damn those different shortcuts), and 'make pancakes (which, by the way, is explained expertly in this story). Here are the 'how to...' most searched:

  • How to tie a tie
  • How to screenshot on mac
  • How to make pancakes
  • How to play Pokemon Go
  • How to draw
  • How to write a cover letter
  • How to get rid of pimples
  • How to download from YouTube
  • How to lose weight fast
  • How to write a resume

In fact, it seems we take to the Google machine a fair bit when in the kitchen. Pancakes aside, we also wanted to know how to perfectly cook carbonara -- which is an excellent question -- as well as banana bread and scones.

  • Pancake
  • Carbonara
  • Banana bread
  • Scones
  • Hummus
  • Cheesecake
  • Quiche
  • Chocolate mousse
  • Crepe
  • Brownie

Still on food, it seems we're a nation obsessed with counting calories. In terms of watching what we eat, this is what we looked up:

  • Kilojoules to calories
  • How many calories per day
  • How many calories in a banana
  • Calories in chicken breast
  • Calories in blueberries
  • Calories in grapes
  • Calories in apple
  • Calories in strawberries
  • Calories in carrot
  • Calories in avocado

Along with the 'how' comes the 'what' and 'why'. 'Why is...' and 'what is..' are another two of the most common search terms and this is where things get interesting. People want to know the big stuff -- why the sky is blue, and what is love (deep).

The top 'Why' search terms:

  • Why is there a leap day
  • Why is the sky blue
  • Why is my internet so slow
  • Why is my poop green
  • Why is my computer so slow
  • Why is Australia in Eurovision
  • Why is the ocean salty
  • Why is biodiversity important
  • Why is my period late
  • Why is my eye twitching

The top 'What' search terms:

  • What is my IP address
  • What is a plebiscite
  • What is Pokemon Go
  • What is the weather today
  • What is the time
  • What is all purpose flour
  • What is love
  • What is Brexit
  • What is gluten
  • What is the meaning of life

Alarmingly, it seems there's a bunch of folk out there who aren't quite sure where the state of NSW is. We also wanted to know where Brussels was, and where we'd left our phones.

  • Where is NSW
  • Where is Brussels
  • Where is my phone
  • Where is Bora Bora
  • Where is Rio
  • Where is Home and Away filmed
  • Where is Malta
  • Where is the Great Barrier Reef
  • Where is Perth
  • Where is Mount Everest

So there you have it. Thanks to the ultimate hive mind, Google, for enlightening us.

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