PENNSYLVANIA, USA — As summer comes to a close, it's time to check back in on what people have been searching for on Google.
FOX43 spoke with Google Search Trends Expert, Marley McAliley, about what was trending both nationally, and in the Commonwealth during the month of August.
According to McAliley, several topic categories reigned supreme in terms of search interest last month including: entertainment, culture, technology, and more. Dating apps, she says, reached an all-time high in terms of searches across the U.S. this month.
"It's funny because dating apps have been around for a while," she said. And she's right: Tinder, specifically, turns 10 this year.
"It looks like, maybe with summer coming to an end, people are going back to school, back into the office in person, and...are looking for different ways to connect and meet new people," she said.
In Pennsylvania specifically, the most-searched dating apps were actually for older people.
"It's nice to see that people of all different ages, even older folks, are getting back into the dating scene if they've been out of it for a while and using new modes of technology to do so," McAliley said.
Similar to dating apps, another thing that's been around for a while that's been trending more recently is pickleball.
Pickleball is a sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, according to USA Pickleball. It can be played indoors or outdoors, "on a badminton-sized court," and with a slightly-modified tennis net.
"So many people of different ages and physical abilities can enjoy the sport together," McAliley said. Younger people have gotten more interested in the sport recently, with many searching how, and where to play, she says.
The sport, usually popular in retirement homes and assisted-living communities, is sparking interest with younger people, she says, and lots of them are searching for how and where to play.
People are also trying to learn all they can about spotted lanternflies, McAliley says.
The invasive species first touched down in the United States in 2014, but they've gotten a bit of a reputation in the past few years, as populations have surged.
"This year, even more so, this invasive species has been reaching new states across the U.S. and experts have actually urged people to kill these guys if they see them," McAliley said.
People are looking up how to report them, how to kill them, and more.
In Pennsylvania, "House of the Dragon," was one of the most-searched topics during August. The "Games of Thrones" prequel takes place about 200 years prior to the original show, and 10.2 million people tuned in when it premiered on Aug. 21.
People were searching for specific characters, such as Daenerys Targaryen, one of the main characters, according to McAliley.
People in Pa. also had food on the mind, she says, with some of the most-Googled recipes being Gazpacho, carrot cake, baked chicken, casserole, and pickled eggs.
Going into September, McAliley thinks that one of the most popular topics will be "Barbiecore," a new fashion aesthetic, which focuses on excess in the form of pink, feminine clothing and accessories. Lots of celebrities, such as Kim Kardashian and Megan Fox have donned "Barbiecore" looks in recent weeks.
"I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that this new Barbie movie is coming out, which stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken," McAliley told FOX43. That movie comes out next year.
So between TV, food, dating apps, and more, people across the United States and right here in Pennsylvania, are continuing to search for the things that matter to them, while exploring what could matter in the future.