Ever googled something and wondered, “How the heck did it know what I wanted?” You’re not alone. Every day, Google processes over 8.5 billion searches from people desperately seeking answers, products, and cat videos. Behind that simple search box lies an intricate dance of algorithms, crawlers, and indexing systems. Understanding how search engines work isn’t just tech trivia—it’s practically a survival skill in our digital world. The science of search engines has evolved dramatically since Google first appeared in 1998. Today’s algorithms don’t just match keywords; they interpret your intentions, predict your needs, and deliver personalized results in milliseconds. But here’s what keeps me up at night: most people use Google daily without knowing the invisible forces that determine what they see and what remains hidden from view. The Evolution of Search Engines From Simple Directories to Complex Algorithms Remember Yahoo’s directory-style listings? Early search engines were basically...