When people want to know the answer to something they invariably Google it. But what have people been Googling in 2017? Google has published various lists detailing what people have Googled over the past 12 months, including overall search terms, consumer tech, and memes.

These lists, when taken collectively, provide an interesting insight into the state of the world right now. They show what piqued people's interests, what made the news, which celebrities were hot, what sporting events got people talking, and which TV shows people watched.

The Search Terms That Trended in 2017

The first, and most important, list is the one detailing the searches that trended in 2017. This is a heady mix of catastrophic events (Hurricane Irma), big technology launches (iPhone X), celebrities who made the headlines (Matt Lauer and Meghan Markle), and fads (Fidget Spinner).

1) Hurricane Irma

2) iPhone 8

3) iPhone X

4) Matt Lauer

5) Meghan Markle

6) 13 Reasons Why

7) Tom Petty

8) Fidget Spinner

9) Chester Bennington

10) India National Cricket Team

Google's takeaway from these statistics is the prevalence of "How". Apparently, more people than ever are Googling how to do something or other, whether it's "How to make slime" or "How to buy Bitcoin". Which is good for us, as we pride ourselves in showing people how to use technology.

Amongst the other lists is one detailing the consumer tech search terms that trended in 2017. Apple will be pleased to see the iPhone 8 and iPhone X at the top, but then smartphones make up the bulk of this list. The Nintendo Switch, Xbox One X, and new Nokia 3310 the exceptions.

1) iPhone 8

2) iPhone X

3) Nintendo Switch

4) Samsung Galaxy S8

5) Xbox One X

6) Nokia 3310

7) Razer Phone

8) Oppo F5

9) OnePlus 5

10) Nokia 6

There are 15 lists to scour, with the one listing the biggest memes of the year being particularly worth a look. However, it should be noted that these may not be the terms people have searched for the most in 2017, but that experienced "a high spike in traffic in 2017 as compared to 2016."

Everything You Need to Know About 2017

Google is the only search engine that has become a verb, despite Microsoft's efforts with Bing. So the terms we all search for on Google are a good indicator of what mattered in any given year. And the fact that a hurricane topped the charts tells you everything you need to know about 2017.

Is Google still your search engine of choice? Or do you prefer to use a different one these days? Do you remember Googling any of the most popular search terms? Do any surprise you? What do you think people will Google in 2018? Please let us know in the comments below!