Below, Google Brand Studio executive creative director Michael Tabtabai discusses the project in detail: Muse: In such a bizarre year, what were the biggest surprises among the trending search stats? Michael Tabtabai: This was the first year we saw such similarity across the globe around key issues. In any other year, searches tend to be unique to a specific location. But this year, search data reflected a world seeking to understand and cope with what was happening on a global level. For example, global searches for “how to thank” hit an all-time high, with teachers, bus drivers, nurses and doctors topping the lists. Additionally, “Black Lives Matter” and “meditation” were both searched worldwide.