Welcome to Students Incorporated. I'm your host,
Mr. Jason. Join me weekly as my students and
I bring you content that's informative, positive,
fun and uplifting. This podcast is created and
produced with the help of students from the International
Community School of Bangkok. Have you ever typed
a question into Google and it auto -corrected
to something completely different? One second
you're asking a serious question, and the next
your phone is asking if you meant, why are flamingos
waterproof? That little moment of digital confusion
is the perfect window into the weird, wonderful,
and sometimes hilarious world of what humanity
searches for online. And that's exactly what
we're exploring today. We're taking a look at
some of the most popular and downright strangest
Google search topics of 2025. To help me dive
down this digital rabbit hole, I have co -host
James and Josiah with me. It's going to be a
lot of fun and hopefully a little weird. But
before we get into the trending topic, let's
hear a quote of the day and get some headline
news. Today's quote comes from Vint Cerf, a man
often called one of the fathers of the internet.
He said, The internet is a reflection of our
society, and that mirror is going to be reflecting
what we see. I think that's the perfect way to
start our show. What he means is that the internet
isn't some strange, separate world. It's just
a reflection of us. It's a giant mirror showing
our best ideas, our biggest worries, and our
weirdest, most random thoughts. There's no better
place to see that reflection than on our Google
searches, which is exactly what we're digging
into today. And that's our quote of the day.
Now on to some headline news. Thank you for our
quote of the day. Alright, it's time for Headline
News. Our first Headline News piece will be a
tech spotlight, and we're going to look at the
man we just heard from, Vint Cerf. Who is Vint
Cerf? According to sources like the Computer
History Museum and Google's own tech archives,
Vint Cerf is a foundational figure in the modern
world. Along his partner, Bob Kahn, he co -designed
the TCP -IP protocols, which form the communication
language of the internet. Without their work,
there would be no websites, no Gmail, and certainly
no Google. Today, at 82 years old, he works at
Google with the official title of Chief Internet
Evangelist, where he focuses on the future of
web accessibility. Mr. Cerf has received numerous
awards for his work, including the Presidential
Medal of Freedom and the Turing Award, which
is often considered the Nobel Prize of Computing.
Our next headline comes from TechCrunch and is
AI Overhauls the Classic Google Search. As reported
by TechCrunch, the way we find information is
changing drastically. Google's ongoing rollout
of its Search Generative Experience, or SGE,
now means that for many queries, users are no
longer getting a list of blue links. Instead,
the top of the page features a complete AI -ridden
summary that answers the question directly, pulling
in the information from multiple websites. This
shift is changing how we interact with information
and has major implications for websites that
rely on traffic from search engines. On one hand,
it's incredibly convenient. You can ask how to
fix a leaky faucet and get a direct summary without
clicking any links. But this convenience is creating
what experts call a zero -click problem. The
very recipe blogs, news sites, and creators who
provide the original information are seeing their
web traffic disappear, raising big questions
about how content creators can survive when AI
delivers the answer without ever sending users
to their page. And finally, our last headline
comes from The Verge, which states, Viral AI
Time Machine Filter Clogs Search Traffic. The
Verge reports that the latest viral trend sweeping
social media is the AI Time Machine Filter. This
tool uses artificial intelligence to realistically
age or de -age a user's face in photos and videos.
This trend has led to a massive spike in related
Google searches with How to Use AI Time Machine
Filter and Is the AI Aging Filter Safe? becoming
two of the most popular search queries globally
over the past few weeks, demonstrating how quickly
social media trends can dominate our collective
curiosity. To join in on the fun, users have
to upload their personal photos to the app's
servers. This has sparked a wider conversation
about the hidden costs of free apps and what
companies might be doing with our biometric data
long after the trend is over. And that's what's
making headlines from the very foundations of
the internet to the AI that's reshaping it today.
Thank you for the quote and headline news. And
we're back with Josiah and James and two student
guests for this segment. Welcome Vijay, one of
our production assistants, and Lucas, one of
our content team members. We're diving into the
most popular Google searches of 2025. When you
look at the raw data of the most typed words,
it's kind of surprising. The list is topped by
things we already know, like YouTube with 579
million searches a month, WhatsApp web. with
$527 million, and Facebook. Vijay, why do you
think we search for the front doors of websites
we visit every day? I think it's pure digital
muscle memory. The Google search bar is just
a starting point for just about everything and
everyone when they go online. We don't think,
I need to type the address youtube .com. We just
think, I want to watch a video. And our fingers
automatically type YouTube into the search bar.
It's just easier and faster. You don't have to
worry about typos or getting the .com right.
By the way, in case you get confused by the name
name extensions, like is it a .com or .org or
.net, there are nearly 1 ,600 different website
extensions now, also known as top -level domains
as of 2025. These extensions include common ones
like .com, country -specific ones like .com,
.uk or .th and specialized ones like .pizza or
.tech. New extensions are added regularly by
ICANN. So what is ICANN or ICANN? It sounds like
a mysterious organization making the internet
work. Without getting too techy, ICANN is short
for Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and
Numbers. It is a non -profit organization that
coordinates the unique identifiers Wow, so they
are massively important. And I guess that the
common person has never heard of them before.
Now, back to the digital muscle memory thing.
I have to admit, I search like that all the time.
My laptop's homepage is Google, and the very
first thing I do is type YouTube into it. It's
just automatic. It feels like the natural first
step, or maybe that is what we have all been
conditioned to do now. It's just a habit, though.
Or is there a functional reason for it? Maybe
the search results are actually more useful than
going direct. That's part of it, too. When you
search, the results might give you a direct link
to your subscriptions page, a trending video,
or a news story related to the site. You're letting
Google do the work of finding the most relevant
entry point for you at the exact moment. It's
why things like Amazon, Gmail, and Weather are
also on that list. It's the Internet's universal
remote control. Yeah, but that list just shows
our habits, our conditioning, not our curiosity.
It's the digital equivalent of walking to the
fridge. You do it 20 times a day without thinking.
The interesting stuff is what's new and different.
If you look at the breakout topics and events
of 2025, you get a completely different picture
of what people are actually thinking and talking
about. And that's the great distinction. Let's
move on to some of those topics. The big cultural
moments. James, what were some of the major search
trends out there this year so far? Well, entertainment
was high on the list. The release of the new
Superman movie was a popular search. And for
all the gamers out there, there were a lot of
people wondering when GTA 6 will be released.
For your information, totally not recommended
for kids, but they'll probably be adults by the
time it's released. Another search that was popular
was searches for the Artemis 2 mission. I think
it's because we're in a bit of a stressful time,
and seeing humanity do something so big, so ambitious,
and so united, it feels important. People were
searching for that sense of wonder and excitement.
It's probably why people also search Google for
the Invictus games so heavily as well. People
are actively searching for inspiring, positive
human stories. But you have to wonder how much
of that is genuine excitement versus what I'd
call a FOMO search, the fear of missing out.
You search for Superman not just because you
love the character, but because you want to understand
the memes and be a part of the conversation at
school the next day. Or go find where it's showing
in the theaters. That's true, but even that is
a huge driver, and you can't ignore the evergreen
searches that have been popular. How to learn
a new skill is always trending, and the big one
for our generation is AI tools. That's a trend
that's both a habit and a curiosity, as new tools
pop up every week. Okay, so we have our daily
habits and these massive event -driven topics.
But there's a third layer, right? The more specific
niche trends. Lucas, you were looking at some
data, so what did you find out? Right, if you
zoom into specific categories, you'll see what
people are actually buying and doing. In health
and wellness, sunscreen searches hit an all -time
high. Wait, why is sunscreen a trend? It's been
around forever. It's because the products changed.
People on TikTok and YouTube started talking
about new formulas. So now the searches are super
specific, like tinted sunscreen reviews, sunscreen
that doesn't leave a white cast, or serum sunscreen.
The conversation got more detailed. So do searches
did too. Exactly. And you'll see the same thing
in the beauty and fashion category. We have searches
for things like hair drying brushes and silk
bonnets. Okay, you have to explain the silk bonnet
thing. How does one video make a hair accessory
atop Google search? It's the power of the algorithm.
A creator shows their hair care routine, millions
of people see it, and they all rave about how
a silk bonnet protects their hair while they
sleep. Suddenly, everyone's searching where to
buy a silk bonnet. It creates this massive instant
demand for a product that's been around for decades.
The news and politics category shows a different
side of the search. You see sustained interest
in the 2024 U .S. election results and other
political breakout searches related to immigration,
election -related terms like polls, or platforms.
That's a great example of search being used as
an educational tool. A complex term enters the
public conversation and people immediately go
to Google to figure out, what is this and why
does it matter to me? Okay, James, to help end
this segment, you have a list of some of the
top search terms so far in 2025. It's by no means
a comprehensive list, but these were all really
high on the search list. Well, we start off with
video game specific information. Users are constantly
looking for gameplay videos, mission walkthroughs,
reviews, and online multiplayer tips. Searches
for artificial intelligence tools have surged.
People are looking for how to use specific platforms
for generative video, AI -powered research for
school and work, and integrating AI assistance
into their daily routines. Well, there's also
economic outlook. Terms like inflation, interest
rates, and stock market trends have remained
highly searched. People are constantly looking
for financial news and expert opinions to understand
the direction of the global economy. And digital
detox was high on searches as well. This seems
to reflect a growing societal concern. This search
shows people are actively looking for strategies
and tips to reduce screen time and manage their
relationship with technology for better mental
health. Okay, so when you put all the top search
terms, topics, and trends together, you get this
incredible multi -layered picture of our society.
It's everything from the biggest headlines to
the most specific daily routines. Never before
in the history of the world have we, the humans,
had so much information readily accessible at
our fingertips 24 -7. OK, so we got to take a
break now. But when we come back, we're going
to put all this popular stuff aside and dive
into the strangest corners of the search bar.
We're talking about the weirdest searches of
2025. So we'll be right back after the short
PSA. Hey, everyone, we're taking a quick pause
from the discussion. We've been talking about
all the amazing, funny and useful things we found
on the Internet. But it's also a good time for
a quick reminder. The top search result isn't
always the most truthful one. Search engines
are designed to give you relevant results, but
that doesn't mean they're free from biased or
inaccurate information. Every source has its
own point of view, so it's important to think
critically about what you're reading. A simple
way to do that is with the rule of three. When
you're looking up something important, click
on it at least three different sources to see
if they all agree. A little bit of fact -checking
goes a long way. Welcome back to the show. We
just spent some time talking about some of the
popular searches this year so far, which gave
us a good picture of our digital habits and cultural
insights. But for this segment, we're throwing
the map away and venturing into the wild, weird
wilderness of the Internet. And to help guide
us, Josiah and James are with us again. And we
welcome two other team members, Cincinnati, our
social media guru, and Porsche, one of our content
creators. Welcome to the show. Hey, thanks for
having us. This is the fun stuff. For sure. I've
been waiting for this part. Awesome. So let's
jump right into it. The weird searches. These
are the questions you'd probably be too embarrassed
to ask a real person, but you'll ask Google without
a second thought. Simpson, let's start with you.
What's a category of weird searches that you
find fascinating? One category I found fascinating
is called shower thoughts searches. These are
bizarre pseudoscience questions that have no
real -world application, but you just have to
know the answer. A classic one that trends every
year is, do fish get thirsty? It sounds stupid
at first, but when you think about it, do they?
They're surrounded by water, but they still need
to regulate their internal systems. It's a genuinely
complex biology question, hiding inside a silly
search. Good point. It's like, what color is
a mirror? Or, if you try to fail and succeed,
which one did you do? The search becomes a way
to settle a completely pointless argument. It
proves that curiosity is often just a form of
play. That leads to my favorite category of weird
searches. The purely hypothetical and creative
ones. For example, a really popular one is among
writers and gamers is, how would you explain
Wi -Fi to a medieval knight? Well, there's no
right answer, but searching for it gives you
hundreds of incredibly creative, funny, and clever
ways to think about technology. So we're using
Google as a creativity prompt? I guess, in a
way. It can be a brainstorming tool. You see
it with searches like, what would happen if the
earth suddenly stopped spinning? Or could a dragon
be scientifically possible? It's people using
this massive engine of information, not for facts,
but for imagination. Yeah, but I think the weirdest
searches are the newest ones though. The ones
that couldn't have existed five years ago. I'm
talking about the questions we're starting to
ask about AI. We're so used to asking AI questions,
but now people are asking questions about AI.
I've seen trends for searches like, what do AI
chatbots dream about? Or can I get an AI board?
We've created this new form of intelligence,
and now our weirdest questions are about trying
to figure out if it has a secret in our life.
It's like we're trying to find humanity in the
machine. Yes, that is deep. That's a fascinating
point. Why do you all think we turn to Google
for these questions? Why not just ponder them
ourselves or ask our friends? Probably because
there's zero judgment from a search bar. You
can ask the silliest, strangest, most profound
or embarrassing question in the world, and Google
will give you results. It's a safe space for
our curiosity, within reason, of course. It's
also instant. If you have a weird thought or
question any time, day or night, your friends
or parents may not be available, but Google is
24 -7. Ah, yes, 24 -7. For better or for worse.
We've all been conditioned to get instant answers
to any or all of our questions. Okay, moving
on. This is the moment of truth. Let's do a lightning
round of some common and weird searches that
have been used a lot in Google. James, you go
first. A surprisingly common one that gets millions
of hits is, am I a robot or am I an assimilation?
All those capture tests asking you to identify
buses and crosswalks are starting to make people
feel they need to ask that question. All right,
Simpson, what do you have? A classic from the
world of dream interpretation. Why did I dream
my teeth are falling out? That is a recurring
classic. I feel like most people have searched
that up at least once. It's universally terrifying.
And it really is, especially if you've had that
dream before. All right, Josiah, your turn. I
found one that plays on an old joke. Is it illegal
for a chicken to cross the road? Who is asking
these type of questions? That's my question.
Well, what'd you find out, Porsche? I went for
one that is both philosophical and weirdly specific.
How many calories are in a human soul? Nah, that's
kind of deep, though. That has never crossed
my mind before until now. Oddly enough, even
though it's a question that makes no sense, I
kind of want to search for the answer now. Well,
I'm glad your curiosity was piqued with that
question. Mine was too. I typed the question
in Google and this is what I found out. A human
soul does not have calories because calories
measure the energy in food. And a soul is not
a physical entity, but a spiritual one. So a
soul is not food. So there you go. And I'll finish
off with a classic from the world of panicked
pet owners. Why is my goldfish turning black?
You can just feel the panic in that search. Someone
is just staring at their fishbowl in horror as
they type that in the search bar. Exactly, and
I think that perfectly sums it up. These searches
aren't on any year -end search trend report,
but they do feel very human. They show our anxieties,
our silly curiosities, our creativity, and our
deepest philosophical questions. They're proof
that we are all a little weird, and we are all
curious about the same strange stuff. And with
that... This is the perfect way to end this segment
and this episode. So thank you to our guests
for helping us explore the popular and weird,
wacky world of Google search bar for this episode.
And that brings us to the end of this episode.
We looked into the internet's giant mirror and
it showed us two very different but equally important
things. The popular searches showed us a map
of our culture, the digital habits we all share,
and the big events that bring us together, and
the trends that defined our year. But the weird
searches showed us our personalities, our uncensored
curiosity, and our sense of humor. and the wonderfully
strange questions that make us human. All right,
and as always, this podcast would not be possible
without the hard work and support of our international
student production team. All music and sound
effects are courtesy of Pixabay .com, a vibrant
community of creatives sharing copyright -free
images, videos, and music. And we are signing
off until next time. We are Students Incorporated,
because your voice matters.