The internet is often thought of as a vast library of knowledge, a digital space where answers to complex problems are only a click away. But if you look closely, the engine that keeps this machine running isn’t just expert-level research or breaking news. It’s curiosity. Simple, everyday questions, typed into search bars millions of times per second, are what truly drive the internet and, by extension, the global economy of data.

We all know the classics: ‘What’s the weather tomorrow?’, ‘How do I cook rice?’ or ‘What time is the Super Bowl?’ But curiosity doesn’t stop with the immediate. People want to know what’s coming next, months or even years ahead. It’s why searches like ‘When is the next solar eclipse?’ spike long before the events themselves. This constant stream of questions forms a treasure trove of insight for businesses, researchers and even policymakers.

Curiosity as the Internet’s Fuel

Search queries are data points. Each one may seem small on its own, but when aggregated, they reveal patterns of human behaviour: our interests, fears and priorities. Search engines process billions of these queries every day and behind the scenes, that data is mapped into something incredibly valuable. No more or less than a predictive model of what people care about and when.

Think about it: if enough people are searching for ‘best fitness routines after 40’, businesses can respond with products, content or ads targeting that exact demographic. If questions like ‘When is Ramadan 2026?’ trend globally, it signals demand not just for religious or cultural information, but also for products, travel plans and digital services linked to the season.

In short, our questions build the internet as we know it.

The Business of Anticipation

Despite the word often attached to it, curiosity is not always idle. It can be the foundation of one of the biggest industries in the world: digital marketing. Entire strategies are designed around anticipating the questions people are going to ask.

SEO (search engine optimisation) is the clearest example. Websites compete to answer questions before they’re asked, filling their pages with content like ‘Best laptops for students 2025’ or ‘When is Black Friday 2026?’. These aren’t random guesses; they’re calculated predictions based on data showing what people will soon want to know.

The ripple effect goes further. Retailers plan product launches, airlines adjust flight schedules and streaming platforms align release dates with cultural moments. All of this is informed by curiosity-driven data.

Simple Questions, Big Data

It’s easy to dismiss a query like ‘When is Ramadan 2026?’ as trivial, but multiplied by millions, such questions create enormous datasets. These help shape urban planning, public health campaigns and even disaster response.

For instance, during flu season, spikes in searches for ‘flu symptoms’ have been used to predict outbreaks faster than traditional reporting systems. Similarly, sustained interest in long-term events, such as Ramadan or Christmas, helps cities plan infrastructure for travel surges, governments prepare for seasonal working patterns and businesses stock the right goods at the right time.

Every click and query adds a pixel to the larger picture of human society.

The Psychology of Wanting to Know

Why do we ask so many questions, even about events far in the future? Psychologists suggest it comes down to two things: Control and anticipation.

Knowing when something will happen, whether it’s the next big holiday, a sporting final or a meteor shower, gives people a sense of structure. It allows for planning, from buying plane tickets to meal prepping, and satisfies a deep-seated need for certainty in an uncertain world.

This is why calendars and search engines are so closely tied. The internet isn’t just answering today’s questions; it’s building tomorrow’s confidence.

Curiosity as a Collective Force

Individually, a question like ‘What time does the game start?’ might feel trivial. Collectively, billions of these questions shape industries, economies and even cultures. They fuel algorithms, inform marketing and allow businesses to anticipate needs before consumers even realise them.