Search results and tab problems

Apparently, a tiny ghost or unknown forces have changed a setting on my computer without any input from me or anyone else :emotion-40:.  Prior to today, whenever I performed searches on Google or did any other functions on my computer, any results appeared on the same page and not in a NEW tab.  If I wanted to view the previous page, I just used the back key.  Now when I search, a new tab opens up each and every time at the top of my screen, creating a zillion tabs.  I know I can close all the tabs at once when I am ready to end my session.  But, what if I want to save a few and close the rest?  I would then have to go through each tab to find the ones I want to save, which would be time consuming, tedious, etc.  How do I keep any search results on the same page and then just use the back key to access previous pages, like before?

Thanks.