• Googleblog, Tuesday, December 1, 2009 1:15 PM

From Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga to Facebook and its Spanish counterpart Tuenti, 2009 was a year dominated by celebrity and social media, according to Google's annual Zeitgeist report. The report draws a direct correlation between consumer searches and cultural prominence around the globe.

"It's because of curious searchers like you and the billions of searches you do throughout the year, that our annual Zeitgeist has become an insightful look into a global mindset," said Marissa Mayer, VP Search Products and User Experience at Google. In the U.S. specifically, 2009 also saw many people express their thrifty consciousness in response to the sour economy.

The most popular made-by-hand searches including everything from baby food (#2) to laundry detergent (#6). And as more and more turned to comfort foods and recipes to make at home, chili became the most popular recipe searched for across the country. If you're hungry.

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