Data mining for the masses: Google merges Trends, Insights

Quick show of hands: Who knew that West Virginia leads the U.S. when it comes to searches for spooky things? Or that the interest in the topic line "red hot chili peppers" waxed and waned in different regions of Europe this summer when the band by the same name toured there?

Those are two of the data points Google said you'd be able to glean in conjunction with its merger of Trends and Insights for Search into a new product containing features from both products.

The changes, which Google says will make it easier to analyze data, include an updated line chart and map allowing users to load the page on mobile devices. Also, you will be able to view the results without scrolling.

Google Trends data can be used to better understand global trends -- identifying health trends such as in flu trends, nowcasting in economics, and studies on the predictability of search trends. And it has been used in many scientific articles across disciplines.

Google also said it was expanding its Hot Searches list -- which until now worked for the United States -- to India, Japan, and Singapore. You can find out more by clicking here and taking the product for a spin yourself.