Google shuts down Google Answers as Yahoo Answers celebrates its one-year anniversary.

Google Answers, which charged money for its answer service, has decided to call it quits and shut their virtual doors at the end of 2006, after four years of operation. Meanwhile, Yahoo Answers, which provides a free service to those asking questions, claims a profit.

Yahoo Answers hosts a party and provides fun info about how people search online.

Yahoo hosted a party in California, flying in 25 special Yahoo questions and answers forum users to help them celebrate. They also posted several top ten lists to let us know which celebrities, politicians and events caused more people to search in 2006 than any other. Is anyone surprised that Britney Spears was the most searchable celebrity? George Bush the most searched-upon politician? That more people searched for information about American Idol than any other television show? Still, there are fun surprises in these lists.

Try out Yahoo questions and answers service and let us know what you think. Did you use Google Answers? If so, will you miss that forum?