A Google Web Search Help thread I have been tracking since November has an interesting history. In short, some searchers are suspecting that Google is censoring the search term [climategate] from the search results.

On November 28th, Richard Sharpe asked if Google was censoring the term:

Then on December 2nd a different member noticed Google started showing search suggestions, such as “climate-gate” and “climate gate scandal” on Google Suggest. In fact, a Googler named Jem confirmed this saying:

So why wasn’t it showing before? Well, she explained that before it wasn’t such a popular topic and now it is. She added:

So why today is it no longer showing up in Google Suggest? Isn’t today the big climate conference? Looking at the search data does show it is still very popular.

Danny Sullivan has a ton of details, with pictures and additional analysis at Search Engine Land, he concludes:

I am just shocked it was removed ‘automatically’ a few days after it came up, especially after Googler’s Jem response.

Forum discussion at Google Web Search Help.