Ebola was the top news search term in 2014, with Israel leading the political searches and Robin Williams topping the celebrity list.
The analysis, from Ask.com, is based on search data and question volume from more than 100 million monthly US users.
The Ebola virus outbreak was the hot topic of 2014, with the question "what are the symptoms of Ebola?" seeing a spike in volume as the virus made its transatlantic journey from West Africa to the United States.
Continued unrest in the Middle East drove the surge in ‘Israel’ searches, with consumers seeking to better understand "what is happening between Israel and Hamas?"
The biggest celebrity searches of the year were those tied to the untimely and tragic deaths of entertainers Robin Williams and Joan Rivers, followed by searches for those involved in photo leaks and elevator CCTV footage.
Top news search terms from Ask.com:
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
Content from our partners
Top celebrity and entertainment search terms from Ask.com:
1. Robin Williams
2. Jennifer Lawrence
3. Jay-Z
4. Kim Kardashian
5. Joan Rivers
6. Ray Rice
7. Angelina Jolie
8. Renee Zellweger
9. Kate Middleton
10. Derek Jeter
Top political search terms from Ask.com are:
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
