As 2017 draws to a close, it's time to look back on the year that was with Google's annual Year in Search.

The search giant once again analyzed Google Trends data to see what the world was searching for.

2017 was the year we asked "how..?" How do wildfires start? How to calm a dog during a storm? How to make a protest sign? In fact, all of the "how" searches you see in the video were searched at least 10 times more this year than ever before, acording to Google.

Many of our trending questions centered around the tragedies and disasters that touched every corner of the world. Hurricanes devastated the Caribbean, Houston and Florida. An earthquake struck Mexico City. Famine struck Somalia, and Rohingya refugees fled for safety.

In the list of most popular searches under the "Consumer Tech" category, the iPhone ranked high -- specifically the iPhone 8 which ranked at number 1 on the list and the iPhone X which ranked second. The specific category also includes the Nintendo Switch (number 3), the Samsung Galaxy S8 (number 4) and the Xbox One X ( number 5).

According to Google's data, we also searched for ways to serve our communities. People asked Google how to become police officers, paramedics, firefighters, social workers, activists, and other kinds of civil servants.

Searches weren't only related to current events-they were also a window into the things that delighted the world. "Despacito" had us dancing-and searching for its meaning. When it came to cyberslang like "tfw" and "ofc," . And, finally, there was slime. We searched how to make fluffy, stretchy, jiggly, sticky, and so many more kinds of slime...then we searched for how to clean slime out of carpet, and hair, and clothes.

From "how to watch the eclipse" and "how to shoot like Curry," to "how to move forward" and "how to make a difference," here's to this Year in Search. To see the top trending lists from around the world, visit google.com/2017.