Marie Claire UK
  • Fashion Fashion
      • Fashion
        • View all Fashion
        • Fashion Trends
        • Shopping
        • Watches and Jewellery
        • Fashion News
  • Beauty Beauty
      • Beauty
        • View all Beauty
        • Fragrance
        • Hair
        • Make Up
        • Skincare
        • Nails
        • Marie Claire Beauty Awards
  • Health Health
      • Health
        • View all Health
        • Fitness
        • Nutrition
        • Female Health
        • Wellbeing
  • Life Life
      • Life
        • View all Life
        • Opinions
        • Travel
        • Sustainability
        • Weddings
        • Money & Work
        • Competitions
  • Culture Culture
      • Culture
        • View all Culture
        • TV and Film
        • Celebrity News
        • Books
        • Royal News
  • Vouchers Vouchers
      • Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Mint Velvet
        • Karen Millen
        • H&M
        • nobody's child
        • ASOS
        • ARKET
        • MANGO
      • Designer Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Reiss
        • THE OUTNET
        • SSENSE
        • Mytheresa
        • Liberty London
        • Selfridges
        • Farfetch
      • Accessories
        • View all Vouchers
        • AllSaints
        • Aspinal of London
        • Charles & Keith
        • River Island
        • FitFlop
        • Kate Spade
        • Vagabond
      • Jewellery
        • View all Vouchers
        • Pandora
        • Abbott Lyon
        • Goldsmiths
        • Beaverbrooks
        • Astrid & Miyu
        • Swarovski
        • Angara Jewellery
      • Beauty
        • View all Vouchers
        • Sephora
        • Cult Beauty
        • Space NK
        • Dyson
        • Clarins
        • Look Fantastic
        • Clinique
      • Activewear
        • View all Vouchers
        • Lululemon
        • Gymshark
        • Sweaty Betty
        • Nike
        • adidas
        • New Balance
        • Helly Hansen
  • NEWSLETTER Signup to our newsletter
  • logoCreated with Sketch.
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Latest Issue
    • Marie Claire Masters
    • Autumn Winter 2026
    • Nail Trends 2026
    • Best Investment Bags
    • Best Perfumes
    1. Culture
    2. Technology

    This map of the most Googled questions is quite frankly embarrassing

    But really, how does sex work?

    By Marie Claire
    Published 26 May 2016 In Features

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    online phone L
    online phone L
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    But really, how does sex work?

    It’s hard to remember how questions were answered and arguments were resolved before Google.

    Just think, without Google we could be walking the earth with our heads filled with a series of niche, slightly strange and heavily personal questions, probably worrying ourselves into an illness that only Google could diagnose.

    And we’re not alone.

    American real estate website, Esately have put together a map of the most Googled questions state by state over the last 12 years, and the results are a cross between hilarious, endearing, worrying and embarrassing.

    You may like
    • Parched earth, a woman drinking water and London’s skyline illustrate drought and growing concerns around AI water use. I Investigated the Hidden Cost of AI. One Data Centre Can Use as Much Water as 10,000 People
    • A woman working out; taking supplements; and drinking water. Does AI Open Up a World of Possibilities for Women's Health—or Present More Problems? We Asked the Experts
    • AI relationships: Woman lying in bed at night, looking at her smartphone while seeking relationship advice from a chatbot. AI Knows All Our Relationship Problems. Is That an Issue?

    http://storify.com/Franklinsays/map

    Here are a few of our favourites in alphabetical order. Absolute shout out to Texas, by the way.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    ARKANSAS: Is God real? How to vote on The Voice? Why did the chicken cross the road?

    CALIFORNIA: What is sexism? What is jello? What is a mullet? Am I asexual? Is Bernie Sanders vegan? Do jellyfish have brains?

    DELAWARE: Who run the world? How to get away with murder?

    What to read next
    • Kirsten Dunst as Marie Antoinette surrounded by lavish luxury in Sofia Coppola’s film, illustrating why does nothing feel as good anymore. The Age of Underwhelm: Why Does Nothing Feel as Good as It Should?
    • Black-and-white photo of a person walking past a Cornell University stone sign, with their face obscured by a teal scribble. What the Morning After a Sexual Assault On Campus Really Looks Like
    • Route 66 - Wild horses galloping across dusty desert landscape with roc - TVS.jpg The 30-Something Existential Crisis: How Do You Plan for a Future You’re Afraid Of?

    FLORIDA: Is adultery illegal? Are UFOs real? Is magic real? Which Disney princess am I? Why does everyone hate Florida?

    HAWAII: What is Instagram? What is the meaning of life?

    IDAHO: is Ted Cruz the Zodiak killer? What does Netflix and chill mean?

    KANSAS: What is Syria? How to make meth?

    MINNESOTAL: Is funner a word?

    NEW YORK: Am I bisexual? Am I an alcoholic? What’s a millennial? Who killed Biggie? Who is Banksy? Is Mercury in retrograde? How to ask for a raise?

    RHODE ISLAND: Did Jay-Z cheat on Beyonce? Is Jon Snow alive?

    TENNESSEE: Where do babies come from? Are unicorns real? What is the clap?

    TEXAS: Am I cool? Am I a sociopath? How does sex work? Who is the best rapper? Who named Pluto? Who was the best president? Do I have herpes? How to meet men? What is gun control? Where is the internet? What is jock itch? Where is hell? Where is heaven? Why do I sweat? Where is Johnny Manziel? When is flu season? When is Jesus coming? Is Russia in Asia? Can I vote? How to yodel? Which Pokemon are you? Why are people so mean? Why are we here? How to get rich quick? How to be the man? Who is Putin? Why is my hair falling out? Why is my tongue yellow? Why is my tongue white? Do girls poop? Do zombies exist?

    WYOMING: What is Wyoming?

    Marie Claire
    Social Links Navigation

    The leading destination for fashion, beauty, shopping and finger-on-the-pulse views on the latest issues. Marie Claire's travel content helps you delight in discovering new destinations around the globe, offering a unique – and sometimes unchartered – travel experience. From new hotel openings to the destinations tipped to take over our travel calendars, this iconic name has it covered.

    Read more
    Parched earth, a woman drinking water and London’s skyline illustrate drought and growing concerns around AI water use.
    Life I Investigated the Hidden Cost of AI. One Data Centre Can Use as Much Water as 10,000 People
    A woman working out; taking supplements; and drinking water.
    Female health Does AI Open Up a World of Possibilities for Women's Health—or Present More Problems? We Asked the Experts
     
     
    AI relationships: Woman lying in bed at night, looking at her smartphone while seeking relationship advice from a chatbot.
    Relationships AI Knows All Our Relationship Problems. Is That an Issue?
    Kirsten Dunst as Marie Antoinette surrounded by lavish luxury in Sofia Coppola’s film, illustrating why does nothing feel as good anymore.
    Life The Age of Underwhelm: Why Does Nothing Feel as Good as It Should?
     
     
    Latest in Technology
    The Volvo EX60 - a true masterclass in design and an impressive leap for electric vehicles
    Technology Volvo’s Best-Selling Car Just Got an EV Upgrade—Why the EX60 May Just Convince You to Switch to Electric
    In a scene of mutual fascination, an indigenous mother and daughter bond over an intriguing discovery on a phone screen, deepening their connection through shared curiosity.
    Technology How to navigate your child's first phone without the door-slamming drama
     
     
    A woman uses EE technology
    Technology Three Ways To Enhance Your Children’s Learning With Technology
    Huawei nova 13
    Technology HUAWEI nova 13 Series are an accessory in their own right and come with some impressive features for creators
     
     
    Latest in Features
    Overconsumption: Rhode raises a wider beauty question
    Beauty Beauty Wants to Talk Anti-Consumption. But Can an Industry Built on Selling More Really Change?
    The best things to do this November
    Culture The Agenda: November Is Looking Good
     
     
    Oestrogen skincare
    Skincare Can Oestrogen Really Reverse Skin Ageing? MC Investigates Beauty’s Next Hormonal Frontier
    Health freelancer Georgia trying a walking challenge; with her dog, the app, and at a cafe
    Fitness I Tried a Walking App to Break My Mindless Scrolling Habit—And It Changed My Relationship With My Phone
     
     
    logoCreated with Sketch.
    • Site Archive
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertise with us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • About us
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.