Goggle searches for "my eyes hurt" spike amidst solar eclipse.
As the total solar eclipse mesmerized viewers across the U.S, Google Trends noticed a surge in searches related to eye pain.
Terms like “eyes hurt”, “my eyes hurt” and “why do my eyes hurt” spiked in popularity around 11 a.m. PT/2p.m ET, coinciding with the moon’s passage between the Earth and the sun.
Concerned individuals sought answers online, with inquiries ranging from “can I look at the sun” to “solar eclipse no glasses.”
X fka Twitter users also joined in, humorously expressing their eclipse-induced vision woes. Google Trends map data revealed a lighthearted twist, highlighting states along the eclipse’s path, including Maine, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania, as hotspots for eye-related pain searches.
NASA also seeks public assistance for its latest research project on anticipated disturbances, like changes in animal behavior, during and after the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse in North America.
NASA reports that animal behaviors, both physical and auditory are to change as a result of the eclipse, with pst observations showing wildlife reacting as if day turned to night.
In other trending news about the eclipse, inmates at a New York prison, representing various religious beliefs, allegedly sued the state corrections department over a planned lockdown during the Monday total solar eclipse.
They allegedly claimed it violated their religious rights. Corrections officers agreed to permit them to view the eclipse in exchange for dropping the lawsuit.
The settlement allows six plaintiffs, including a Baptist, Muslim, Seventh-Day Adventist, two practitioners of Santeria, and an atheist, to witness the celestial event as per their beliefs.
