Here is a graph that compares the popularity of Google searches for “creationism” vs. “intelligent design:”
Google Trends:
Searches for the term “creationism” are roughly constant through the years from 2004 through 2008. Although the intelligent design movement has been active since the 90s, searches for “intelligent design” were very low prior to 2005. The search spiked in 2005, when the larger public became interested in legal cases involving the term, including school board decisions in Kansas (Nov. 2005) and Pennsylvania (Oct. 2004) to teach intelligent design in biology classes. (Some other words that were added to the dictionary in 2005 are: Atkins diet, fan fiction, phishing, tivo and water birth. Ahhhh, memories.)
Interestingly, searches for “intelligent design” have, since then, dropped down to roughly the same levels as “creationism.” But that’s not because there aren’t intelligent design cases going down even as we speak. I suppose it’s just not a new, curious word anymore. I’ll be interested to see if these searches pick up as people learn more about Sarah Palin and “creation science” becomes part of the presidential race.
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