We all know Google, but what other alternative search engines are out there?
The Google search engine has become such a part of our world that it’s even a common turn of phrase; “Did you Google that?” is one the most commonly heard sentences in my home (hey, I have teenagers). Search engines have elevated the speed in which we learn just about everything anymore. Even before you finish typing your question, Google is already auto-filling in your question with helpful suggestions.
This is especially great news if you are a student needing information and resources with some quick keystrokes. However, even the Grandfather Google could be shortchanging you in your search query more than alternative search engines might. According to royalsociety.org : ” Our own previous search activity can also affect the results we are given. We rarely use the internet for a single task. I might, for example, be looking for a wheelbarrow I need in my garden, and then doing some academic research later in the day. But that earlier search history can stick with you, and this can bias the results you are served up later. This is problematic, for example, if I was searching for two different, divergent viewpoints on the same topic in an attempt to perhaps understand different communities on either side of an argument. It could only serve to exacerbate the bubbles we find ourselves in rather than allowing us to access information on all sides of an argument.”
The great news is that there are more than just the big boys of search engines, like Google or Bing. Many have a focus on sciences and research. Check out these great alternative search engines next time you are in research mode.
