The 10 Most Talked-About Topics on Facebook in 2014

On Tuesday, Facebook released its annual ranking of the most-talked about topics in the U.S. throughout 2014.

"At the end of each year, we reflect. We remember challenges and triumphs. We celebrate the moments that connect us," Facebook's Year in Review page reads.

While some of them happened more recently, others occurred months ago. Nonetheless, these rankings reveal a whirlwind of a year during which the world battled a fatal disease, searched relentlessly for a commercial airliner which seemingly vanished out of thin year and watched in utter horror as rockets were launched back and forth in the Middle East.

A picture taken from the southern Israeli Gaza border shows a rocket being launched from the Gaza strip into Israel, on July 11, 2014. (AFP PHOTO/MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP/Getty Images) 

Among the more recent most-discussed events include a landslide midterm election in which the power of Congress was shifted and the tragic shooting death of an unarmed man by a police officer, renewing a divisive centuries-long race debate. Beyond America's borders, Western superpowers launched targeted airstrikes in response to gruesome beheadings of American and British hostages held by the Islamic State, or ISIS, prompting fear among many of another deadly war on terror.

This image from an undated video released by Islamic State militants on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2014, purports to show journalist Steven Sotloff being held by the militant group. (AP Photo)

Each of these are sure to be topics of ongoing debates and discussions well into 2015 and beyond. But that's not to diminish the fun, lighthearted subjects that will define 2014 as much as anything else.

For example, we witnessed millions of gallons of ice-cold water dumped onto people's heads. We sat biting our nails as Germany defeated Argentina in the World Cup and celebrated (or perhaps did just the opposite) as the Seattle Seahawks' won the Super Bowl in a stunning victory against the Denver Broncos.

Nashville recording artists the Marshall Lowry Band was issued the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge by Lowry's uncle Steve McDonald. Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 20, 2014 in Fairmont, West Virginia. (AP Photo/Times West Virginian, Tammy Shriver)

And let us not forget the Hollywood icon Robin Williams' whose sudden and unexpected death brought back memories of "Mrs. Doubtfire" and "Dead Poets Society," among countless other classics.

Image source: Vimeo

So with no further ado, here's a look at the most talked-about topics of 2014, according to Facebook:

1. Ebola Virus Outbreak

2. Ice Bucket Challenge

3. Robin Williams

4. Super Bowl

5. Michael Brown & Ferguson

6. World Cup

7. Conflict in Gaza

8. Midterm Elections

9. Malaysia Airlines

10. ISIS

Watch as the most memorable events of this year are set to motion in this video posted as part of Facebook's "Year in Review" analysis:

Facebook ranked the most discussed subjects of 2014 by measuring how often a topic was mentioned in Facebook posts between January and December 2014. Those posts were analyzed in an aggregated, anonymized way, and then ranked to create the list you see above.

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