Ask.com’s Top 10 Searches For 2014: “What Are The Symptoms Of Ebola?” Leads The List

With more than a month still to go in 2014, Ask.com has already released its top searches for the year.

Based on its 100 million monthly U.S. users, Ask.com says “What are the symptoms of Ebola?” was the number one question for news related searches on the site in 2014.

Ask.com listed its top trending news, celebrity and politically-themed search terms, as well as predicted what will make the headlines in 2015.

While the Ebola outbreak pushed the virus to the top of the list for news searches, other top news-related search terms included the Malaysia Airlines, World Cup and Pakistani women’s rights activist Malala Yousafzai.

Top 10 News Search Terms:

1. Ebola
2. ISIS
3. Malaysia Airlines
4. Ice Bucket Challenge
5. Ferguson
6. Sochi Winter Olympics
7. World Cup
8. Nigeria
9. Malala Yousafzai
10. iPhone 6

For top celebrity searches, Robin Williams and Jennifer Lawrence took the No. 1 and No. 2 spots respectively, showing our need to mourn the loss of Williams topped our voyeuristic urges to see nude photos of Lawrence.

Top Ten Celebrity Search Terms:

1. Robin Williams
2. Jennifer Lawrence
3. Jay-Z
4. Kim Kardashian
5. Joan Rivers
6. Ray Rice
7. Angelina Jolie
8. Renée Zellweger
9. Kate Middleton
10. Derek Jeter

Oddly enough in such a heated election year, international search terms dominated Ask.com’s top political searches.

Israel, the Ukraine, India, Scotland and Hong Kong took the top five spots on Ask.com’s top ten list of politically-themed search terms. Thailand and Kim Jong-un made the list as well.

Top Ten Political Search Terms:

1. Israel
2. Ukraine
3. Indian Election
4. Scotland
5. Hong Kong
6. Janet Yellen
7. Thailand
8. Veterans
9. Kim Jong-un
10. Hobby Lobby

The Q&A styled search engine also analyzed user search behaviors to predict next year’s headlines, claiming the Kardashians will be cancelled, while Colbert will be crowned.

Ask.com’s 2015 News Predictions:

1. “Keeping up with the Kardashians” is cancelled after its 10th season.
2. Nashville edges out New Orleans as the top southern US travel destination.
3. Michael Keaton is one of the top contenders to be cast in the third season of True Detective.
4. Wyatt breaks into the top 100 baby names for girls.
5. The bulldog dethrones the Labrador as America’s most popular dog.
6. Stephen Colbert is crowned king of the late night talk show wars.
7. Personal robots will sell twice as many models in 2015 than were sold in 2014.
8. No sugar diets knock gluten free out of the top spot for the health fad of the year.
9. BMW’s i3, the luxury automaker’s new entry to the electric car market, spikes in sales, surpassing the growth rate seen in 2014 by both the Tesla and the Nissan Leaf.
10. Adele’s rumored new album tops the charts and breaks her own previous album release record.