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Spurious correlation #1,717 · View random

A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is UFO sightings in Wyoming and the second variable is Patents granted in the US.  The chart goes from 1975 to 2020, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
Download png
, svg

AI explanation

The UFOs were actually top-secret government inventions being tested in Wyoming. As the technology advanced, it inspired new and innovative ideas among the population, leading to a surge in patent applications and approvals.

Model: dalle-3
Prompt: Create an image that looks like it is a scene from a Disney movie. In a vast, open Wyoming field, a glowing UFO hovers silently in the night sky above, illuminating the excited faces of a small crowd of onlookers pointing and capturing the sighting on their phones. In the background, within a brightly lit office, a group of inventors celebrate as they hold up a granted patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office, beaming with triumph. The depiction should include only scenes, people, and objects, it should not include text or speech bubbles.
This image generation prompt was also generated by AI, using the following sequence:

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You select one of a few potential scene descriptors that seems to go along with the variables described. You respond only with the scene descriptions provided and say nothing else.
User prompt: Here are two variables: UFO sightings in Wyoming and Patents granted in the US. Given these, which of the following image style descriptions seems most appropriate? Pick the one that seems to be related to one of the variables at hand. Please respond with only one of the following potential descriptions: Glitch art Cutsy graphics An image that looks like it is a scene from A Disney Movie An image that looks like it is a scene from a Pixar movie Oragami
ChatGPT: An image that looks like it is a scene from A Disney Movie

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You describe simple visual scenes that depict the two variables stated. You combine both variables into one scene.
User prompt: Please describe a visual scene that prominently depicts both UFO sightings in Wyoming and Patents granted in the US together. Keep the description simple.
ChatGPT: In a vast, open Wyoming field, a glowing UFO hovers silently in the night sky above, with a small crowd of excited onlookers pointing and trying to capture the sighting on their phones. Meanwhile, within a brightly lit office in the background, a group of inventors celebrate as they hold up a granted patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office, with smiles of triumph on their faces.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You write and improve image generation prompts for DALLE-3. You maintain the same subjects, but enhance the visuals.
User prompt: Please respond with an image generation prompt that would be likely to create an interesting visual using DALLE-3, using the following style: [ An image that looks like it is a scene from A Disney Movie ] and depicting this scene: In a vast, open Wyoming field, a glowing UFO hovers silently in the night sky above, with a small crowd of excited onlookers pointing and trying to capture the sighting on their phones. Meanwhile, within a brightly lit office in the background, a group of inventors celebrate as they hold up a granted patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office, with smiles of triumph on their faces. Keep the visual depiction simple. Do not include any words or speech bubbles.
ChatGPT: Create an image that looks like it is a scene from a Disney movie. In a vast, open Wyoming field, a glowing UFO hovers silently in the night sky above, illuminating the excited faces of a small crowd of onlookers pointing and capturing the sighting on their phones. In the background, within a brightly lit office, a group of inventors celebrate as they hold up a granted patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office, beaming with triumph.

*Variations in the User Prompts from chart to chart are just the result of random number generation in Python. I wrote a few arrays of various styles and methods to ask questions to change up the results. Every time this site writes an explanation or generates an image, the script picks from each at random.

I sequence the requests into multiple prompts because I find GPT 3.5 to perform much better with short, well-managed contexts. Thus, I track the context directly in Python and only ask ChatGPT targeted questions.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106 (fine-tuned)
System prompt: You provide humorous responses in the form of plausible sounding explanations for correlations. You assume the correlation is causative for the purpose of the explanation even if it is ridiculous. You do not chat with the user, you only reply with the causal connection explanation and nothing else.
User prompt: Please make up a funny explanation for how an increase in UFO sightings in Wyoming caused Patents granted in the US to increase.

AI academic paper

(Because p < 0.01)
UFO Unfolding: Unveiling the Unearthly Link between Wyoming Sightings and US Patents

The Journal of Extraterrestrial Studies

Jan 2024

Reminder: This paper is AI-generated. Not real!
Quick note: This sequence is long and repetitive. That's how the prompt engineering works for this one. I manage the output in Python to format it into this PDF.




Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a witty academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a statistics journal.You write titles and abstracts of goofy academic research papers.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, and add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please draft the title and abstract of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between UFO sightings in Wyoming and Patents granted in the US. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Make the title an alliteration.

Your research team used data from National UFO Reporting Center and USPTO to assess this nagging question. You found a correlation coefficient of 0.9279691 and p < 0.01 for 1975 to 2020.

Please respond in this format (replace "Lorem ipsum dolor sit" with your title and abstract)

[[TITLE]]
Lorem ipsum dolor sit

[[ABSTRACT]]
Lorem ipsum dolor sit



ChatGPT:
[[TITLE]]
UFO Unfolding: Unveiling the Unearthly Link between Wyoming Sightings and US Patents

[[ABSTRACT]]
This research delves into the curious correlation between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the number of patents granted in the United States. To shed light on this enigmatic association, we meticulously analyzed data from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office spanning the years 1975 to 2020. Our findings revealed a striking correlation coefficient of 0.9279691 with a statistically significant p-value of less than 0.01. But, is this a case of extraterrestrial innovation or purely cosmic coincidence? Join us in this academic adventure to unravel the celestial connections that are truly out of this world!


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a witty academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a statistics journal.You draft the introduction section of an academic research paper.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up the introduction section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between UFO sightings in Wyoming and Patents granted in the US. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
UFO Unfolding: Unveiling the Unearthly Link between Wyoming Sightings and US Patents

[[ABSTRACT]]
This research delves into the curious correlation between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the number of patents granted in the United States. To shed light on this enigmatic association, we meticulously analyzed data from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office spanning the years 1975 to 2020. Our findings revealed a striking correlation coefficient of 0.9279691 with a statistically significant p-value of less than 0.01. But, is this a case of extraterrestrial innovation or purely cosmic coincidence? Join us in this academic adventure to unravel the celestial connections that are truly out of this world!

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[INTRODUCTION]]



ChatGPT:
[[INTRODUCTION]]

Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) have long captured the imagination of the public, with countless speculations about their origins and intentions. From conspiracy theories to Hollywood blockbusters, the intrigue surrounding these otherworldly phenomena has permeated popular culture. However, our research takes a different angle, focusing not on little green men, but on the potential impact of UFO sightings on earthly innovations—specifically, patents granted in the United States.

While some might consider this correlation as "far out," our findings indicate a surprisingly strong link between UFO sightings in the vast expanse of Wyoming and the number of patents granted across the country. Dubbed the "UFO Unfolding," this cosmic connection piqued our interest and led us to delve into the data with a mix of scientific rigor and curious skepticism.

As we strap on our academic spacesuits and prepare to launch into the depths of this unusual investigation, we invite readers to suspend disbelief and journey with us as we navigate the uncharted territory of UFO-patent interstellar relations. Join us as we aim to decipher whether this correlation is truly a close encounter of the innovative kind or simply a statistical fluke that's "out of this world" in a different sense altogether.

So, without further ado, let's warp speed into the heart of this celestial conundrum and uncover the extraterrestrial secrets of Wyoming's influence on earthly innovation!


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a witty academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a statistics journal.You draft a literature review section of an academic research paper, that starts out dry for the first few sentences but then becomes hilarious and goofy.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up a literature review section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between UFO sightings in Wyoming and Patents granted in the US. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Speak in the present tense for this section (the authors find...), as is common in academic research paper literature reviews. Name the sources in a format similar to this: In "Book," the authors find lorem and ipsum.

Make up the lorem and ipsum part, but make it sound related to the topic at hand.

Start by naming serious-sounding studies by authors like Smith, Doe, and Jones - but then quickly devolve. Name some real non-fiction books that would be related to the topic. Then name some real fiction books that sound like they could be related. Then name a few real TV shows that sound like they might be relevant to the topic that you watched as research.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
UFO Unfolding: Unveiling the Unearthly Link between Wyoming Sightings and US Patents

[[ABSTRACT]]
This research delves into the curious correlation between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the number of patents granted in the United States. To shed light on this enigmatic association, we meticulously analyzed data from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office spanning the years 1975 to 2020. Our findings revealed a striking correlation coefficient of 0.9279691 with a statistically significant p-value of less than 0.01. But, is this a case of extraterrestrial innovation or purely cosmic coincidence? Join us in this academic adventure to unravel the celestial connections that are truly out of this world!

-------

And here is the introduction section that led to this literature review:
[[INTRODUCTION]]
Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) have long captured the imagination of the public, with countless speculations about their origins and intentions. From conspiracy theories to Hollywood blockbusters, the intrigue surrounding these otherworldly phenomena has permeated popular culture. However, our research takes a different angle, focusing not on little green men, but on the potential impact of UFO sightings on earthly innovations—specifically, patents granted in the United States.
While some might consider this correlation as "far out," our findings indicate a surprisingly strong link between UFO sightings in the vast expanse of Wyoming and the number of patents granted across the country. Dubbed the "UFO Unfolding," this cosmic connection piqued our interest and led us to delve into the data with a mix of scientific rigor and curious skepticism.
As we strap on our academic spacesuits and prepare to launch into the depths of this unusual investigation, we invite readers to suspend disbelief and journey with us as we navigate the uncharted territory of UFO-patent interstellar relations. Join us as we aim to decipher whether this correlation is truly a close encounter of the innovative kind or simply a statistical fluke that's "out of this world" in a different sense altogether.
So, without further ado, let's warp speed into the heart of this celestial conundrum and uncover the extraterrestrial secrets of Wyoming's influence on earthly innovation!

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]



ChatGPT:
[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

In "Smith et al.'s Study of Extraterrestrial Phenomena and Technological Advancements," the authors find a surprising correlation between UFO sightings and patents granted in the United States. This noteworthy discovery sparked our interest and prompted a deeper exploration into this uncharted scientific territory. As we venture further into the realm of UFO-patent correlations, it is essential to consider the existing literature and research that may shed light on this otherworldly association.

Doe and Jones' examination of "Extraterrestrial Influences on Earthly Innovations" offers intriguing insights into potential cosmic connections that may influence human inventions. Their comprehensive review of historical UFO encounters suggests a possible link with inventive activity, although the phenomenon remains shrouded in mystery and speculation.

Moving beyond academic studies, the work of "Alien Technologies: Beyond the Stars" by Lorem Ipsum provides an unconventional perspective on the impact of extraterrestrial sightings on human technological advancements. The book delves into speculative theories and wild conjectures, serving as a reminder of the boundary-pushing and occasionally eccentric nature of UFO-related investigations.

On the fictional side of literature, works such as "Close Encounters of the Patent Kind" and "The X-Files: Innovations Unearthed" capture the imagination with their fantastical narratives of otherworldly influences on human ingenuity. While these books may offer entertainment value, they also reflect the enduring fascination with UFO phenomena and its potential interplay with inventive endeavors.

In our quest for an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the UFO-patent correlation, we have also turned to popular culture. The television series "Ancient Aliens" and "Unsolved Mysteries" have piqued public interest in unexplained phenomena, including UFO sightings, and their potential impact on human society. While these shows certainly provide entertainment, they have also contributed to shaping public perceptions of extraterrestrial phenomena and their implications for technological advancements.

As we embark on this scholarly odyssey, it is imperative to cast a wide net in exploring the multifaceted dimensions of UFO sightings and their potential influence on inventive activities. By blending serious academic research with elements of speculative fiction and popular culture, we aim to unravel the enigmatic web of connections between Wyoming's celestial encounters and the innovative landscape of the United States. Join us as we journey through the cosmos of knowledge, equipped with data, skepticism, and a healthy dose of intergalactic curiosity.


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a witty academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a statistics journal.You draft the methodology section of an academic research paper.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up the methodology section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between UFO sightings in Wyoming and Patents granted in the US. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from National UFO Reporting Center and USPTO . You used data from 1975 to 2020

Make up the research methods you don't know. Make them a bit goofy and convoluted.

Here is the title, abstract, and introduction of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
UFO Unfolding: Unveiling the Unearthly Link between Wyoming Sightings and US Patents

[[ABSTRACT]]
This research delves into the curious correlation between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the number of patents granted in the United States. To shed light on this enigmatic association, we meticulously analyzed data from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office spanning the years 1975 to 2020. Our findings revealed a striking correlation coefficient of 0.9279691 with a statistically significant p-value of less than 0.01. But, is this a case of extraterrestrial innovation or purely cosmic coincidence? Join us in this academic adventure to unravel the celestial connections that are truly out of this world!

[[INTRODUCTION]]
Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) have long captured the imagination of the public, with countless speculations about their origins and intentions. From conspiracy theories to Hollywood blockbusters, the intrigue surrounding these otherworldly phenomena has permeated popular culture. However, our research takes a different angle, focusing not on little green men, but on the potential impact of UFO sightings on earthly innovations—specifically, patents granted in the United States.
While some might consider this correlation as "far out," our findings indicate a surprisingly strong link between UFO sightings in the vast expanse of Wyoming and the number of patents granted across the country. Dubbed the "UFO Unfolding," this cosmic connection piqued our interest and led us to delve into the data with a mix of scientific rigor and curious skepticism.
As we strap on our academic spacesuits and prepare to launch into the depths of this unusual investigation, we invite readers to suspend disbelief and journey with us as we navigate the uncharted territory of UFO-patent interstellar relations. Join us as we aim to decipher whether this correlation is truly a close encounter of the innovative kind or simply a statistical fluke that's "out of this world" in a different sense altogether.
So, without further ado, let's warp speed into the heart of this celestial conundrum and uncover the extraterrestrial secrets of Wyoming's influence on earthly innovation!

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[METHODOLOGY]]



ChatGPT:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

To tackle this celestial conundrum, our research team employed a razzle-dazzle mix of statistical wizardry and cosmic creativity to unearth the connection between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the number of patents granted in the United States. Our data collection efforts were truly out of this world, as we scoured the digital cosmos, navigating through the nebulous realms of the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Our first step involved wrangling UFO sighting data from the National UFO Reporting Center, which catalogues reports of otherworldly objects sighted across the country. We cast our analytical net over sightings specifically from Wyoming, the wondrous land that would serve as our launchpad into the extraterrestrial realms of statistical analysis. With a sprinkling of stardust and a dash of data cleansing, we prepared this UFO sighting data for a cosmic rendezvous with patent information from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office, akin to a celestial library of human ingenuity, provided us with a celestial catalog of patents granted from 1975 to 2020. A cosmic dance ensued as we merged this patent data with the UFO sightings, creating a dataset that promised to unveil the potentially unearthly connections between these two phenomena.

With our dataset in hand, we blasted off into the galaxy of statistical analysis, utilizing an array of methodologies to probe the cosmic correlation between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the number of patents granted in the United States. We harnessed the almighty power of correlation analysis, invoking Pearson's correlation coefficient to measure the strength and direction of the association between these two seemingly disparate entities.

To assess the statistical significance of our findings, we employed a two-tailed hypothesis test, embarking on a cosmic quest to determine whether the observed correlation coefficient was a cosmic coincidence or a signal from the extraterrestrial depths of Wyoming. The p-value, our guiding star in this statistical odyssey, revealed itself to be less than 0.01, indicating a statistically significant relationship between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the issuance of patents in the United States.

In our pursuit of cosmic clarity, we also employed time-series analysis to unravel the temporal patterns of UFO sightings and patent grants, as we sought to discern any celestial rhythms underlying this enigmatic linkage.

With a sprinkle of statistical stardust and a dash of interdisciplinary ingenuity, our methodology facilitated a voyage into the unknown, unraveling the interstellar ties that bind UFO sightings in Wyoming to the issuance of patents in the United States. Join us as we uncover the cosmic secrets that have remained hidden in the depths of statistical space and unearth the celestial forces shaping earthly innovation!


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a witty academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a statistics journal.You draft the results section of an academic research paper. You speak in the past tense (you found...).
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up the results section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between UFO sightings in Wyoming and Patents granted in the US. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from National UFO Reporting Center and USPTO .

For the time period 1975 to 2020, you found a correlation 0.9279691, r-squared of 0.8611266, and p < 0.01.

One figure will be included. The figure (Fig. 1) is a scatterplot showing the strong correlation between the two variables. You don't need to specify where; I will add the figure.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
UFO Unfolding: Unveiling the Unearthly Link between Wyoming Sightings and US Patents

[[ABSTRACT]]
This research delves into the curious correlation between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the number of patents granted in the United States. To shed light on this enigmatic association, we meticulously analyzed data from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office spanning the years 1975 to 2020. Our findings revealed a striking correlation coefficient of 0.9279691 with a statistically significant p-value of less than 0.01. But, is this a case of extraterrestrial innovation or purely cosmic coincidence? Join us in this academic adventure to unravel the celestial connections that are truly out of this world!

-------

And here is the methodology section that led to this result:
[[METHODOLOGY]]
Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) have long captured the imagination of the public, with countless speculations about their origins and intentions. From conspiracy theories to Hollywood blockbusters, the intrigue surrounding these otherworldly phenomena has permeated popular culture. However, our research takes a different angle, focusing not on little green men, but on the potential impact of UFO sightings on earthly innovations—specifically, patents granted in the United States.
While some might consider this correlation as "far out," our findings indicate a surprisingly strong link between UFO sightings in the vast expanse of Wyoming and the number of patents granted across the country. Dubbed the "UFO Unfolding," this cosmic connection piqued our interest and led us to delve into the data with a mix of scientific rigor and curious skepticism.
As we strap on our academic spacesuits and prepare to launch into the depths of this unusual investigation, we invite readers to suspend disbelief and journey with us as we navigate the uncharted territory of UFO-patent interstellar relations. Join us as we aim to decipher whether this correlation is truly a close encounter of the innovative kind or simply a statistical fluke that's "out of this world" in a different sense altogether.
So, without further ado, let's warp speed into the heart of this celestial conundrum and uncover the extraterrestrial secrets of Wyoming's influence on earthly innovation!

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[RESULTS]]



ChatGPT:

[[RESULTS]]

The startling results of our investigation into the ethereal connection between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the number of patents granted in the United States have unearthed a correlation coefficient of 0.9279691. This cosmic correlation is further supported by an r-squared value of 0.8611266, and to top it all off, an eye-catching p-value of less than 0.01. The data indeed suggests a compelling relationship between these seemingly unrelated phenomena.

In Fig. 1, a scatterplot vividly illustrates the strong correlation between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the number of patents granted in the United States, depicting a trajectory that seems to be reaching for the stars. As we gaze upon this celestial dance of data points, it's hard to deny the palpable connection that seemingly stretches from the vast plains of Wyoming to the far reaches of innovation.

This correlation, which some might consider to be "out of this world," raises questions that are truly beyond the ordinary. Could there be a secret society of alien inventors clandestinely influencing patents on Earth? Or perhaps these UFO sightings are inspiring a wave of innovative thinking that transcends the boundaries of human understanding? The possibilities are as vast as the universe itself.

In essence, our research has unveiled an otherworldly bond between UFO sightings in Wyoming and patents granted in the United States. Whether this is a case of intergalactic intervention or merely a statistical fluke that's "unearthly" in a different sense, the results of our investigation have left us with more questions than answers. But fear not, fellow explorers of the unknown, for this study is merely the launching pad for the cosmic quest to decode the extraterrestrial secrets of Wyoming's influence on earthly innovation.


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a witty academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a statistics journal.You draft the discussion section of an academic research paper.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up the discussion section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between UFO sightings in Wyoming and Patents granted in the US. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Limit your response to 500 tokens.

Here are the title, abstract, literature review, and results sections. Please harken back to 1-2 of the goofy items in the literature review, but pretend to take them completely seriously. Discuss how your results supported the prior research.

Do not write a conclusion. I will add a conclusion after this.

[[TITLE]]
UFO Unfolding: Unveiling the Unearthly Link between Wyoming Sightings and US Patents

[[ABSTRACT]]
This research delves into the curious correlation between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the number of patents granted in the United States. To shed light on this enigmatic association, we meticulously analyzed data from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office spanning the years 1975 to 2020. Our findings revealed a striking correlation coefficient of 0.9279691 with a statistically significant p-value of less than 0.01. But, is this a case of extraterrestrial innovation or purely cosmic coincidence? Join us in this academic adventure to unravel the celestial connections that are truly out of this world!

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]
In "Smith et al.'s Study of Extraterrestrial Phenomena and Technological Advancements," the authors find a surprising correlation between UFO sightings and patents granted in the United States. This noteworthy discovery sparked our interest and prompted a deeper exploration into this uncharted scientific territory. As we venture further into the realm of UFO-patent correlations, it is essential to consider the existing literature and research that may shed light on this otherworldly association.
Doe and Jones' examination of "Extraterrestrial Influences on Earthly Innovations" offers intriguing insights into potential cosmic connections that may influence human inventions. Their comprehensive review of historical UFO encounters suggests a possible link with inventive activity, although the phenomenon remains shrouded in mystery and speculation.
Moving beyond academic studies, the work of "Alien Technologies: Beyond the Stars" by Lorem Ipsum provides an unconventional perspective on the impact of extraterrestrial sightings on human technological advancements. The book delves into speculative theories and wild conjectures, serving as a reminder of the boundary-pushing and occasionally eccentric nature of UFO-related investigations.
On the fictional side of literature, works such as "Close Encounters of the Patent Kind" and "The X-Files: Innovations Unearthed" capture the imagination with their fantastical narratives of otherworldly influences on human ingenuity. While these books may offer entertainment value, they also reflect the enduring fascination with UFO phenomena and its potential interplay with inventive endeavors.
In our quest for an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the UFO-patent correlation, we have also turned to popular culture. The television series "Ancient Aliens" and "Unsolved Mysteries" have piqued public interest in unexplained phenomena, including UFO sightings, and their potential impact on human society. While these shows certainly provide entertainment, they have also contributed to shaping public perceptions of extraterrestrial phenomena and their implications for technological advancements.
As we embark on this scholarly odyssey, it is imperative to cast a wide net in exploring the multifaceted dimensions of UFO sightings and their potential influence on inventive activities. By blending serious academic research with elements of speculative fiction and popular culture, we aim to unravel the enigmatic web of connections between Wyoming's celestial encounters and the innovative landscape of the United States. Join us as we journey through the cosmos of knowledge, equipped with data, skepticism, and a healthy dose of intergalactic curiosity.

[[RESULTS]]
The startling results of our investigation into the ethereal connection between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the number of patents granted in the United States have unearthed a correlation coefficient of 0.9279691. This cosmic correlation is further supported by an r-squared value of 0.8611266, and to top it all off, an eye-catching p-value of less than 0.01. The data indeed suggests a compelling relationship between these seemingly unrelated phenomena.
In Fig. 1, a scatterplot vividly illustrates the strong correlation between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the number of patents granted in the United States, depicting a trajectory that seems to be reaching for the stars. As we gaze upon this celestial dance of data points, it's hard to deny the palpable connection that seemingly stretches from the vast plains of Wyoming to the far reaches of innovation.
This correlation, which some might consider to be "out of this world," raises questions that are truly beyond the ordinary. Could there be a secret society of alien inventors clandestinely influencing patents on Earth? Or perhaps these UFO sightings are inspiring a wave of innovative thinking that transcends the boundaries of human understanding? The possibilities are as vast as the universe itself.
In essence, our research has unveiled an otherworldly bond between UFO sightings in Wyoming and patents granted in the United States. Whether this is a case of intergalactic intervention or merely a statistical fluke that's "unearthly" in a different sense, the results of our investigation have left us with more questions than answers. But fear not, fellow explorers of the unknown, for this study is merely the launching pad for the cosmic quest to decode the extraterrestrial secrets of Wyoming's influence on earthly innovation.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[DISCUSSION]]



ChatGPT:

[[DISCUSSION]]

The unearthly correlation between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the number of patents granted in the United States has left us with a cosmic conundrum that's truly "out of this world." Our findings not only support previous research by Smith et al., but also add a new dimension to the interstellar intersection of extraterrestrial phenomena and human innovation. The striking correlation coefficient of 0.9279691 may seem like a space oddity, but it aligns with the speculative theories and the humorous hypotheses that have long hovered on the fringes of academic discourse.

Doe and Jones' work on "Extraterrestrial Influences on Earthly Innovations" suddenly seems less like science fiction and more like science non-fiction, as our data lends credence to the notion of celestial inspiration permeating earthly ingenuity. It's as if the cosmic energy from UFO sightings is propelling inventors into uncharted territories of creativity, perhaps with a little help from beyond the stars. This might explain why the r-squared value of 0.8611266 seems to suggest a gravitational pull between Wyoming's UFO hotspots and inventive endeavors across the nation.

While traditional economic theory might scoff at the idea of cosmic causality, it's hard to ignore the cosmic dance depicted in our scatterplot, beckoning us to consider the possibility of a cosmic conspiracy unfolding in the patent world. It's almost as if the UFO sightings are signaling to inventors with a universal message: "Patent THIS!" Could it be that alien technology is quietly infiltrating our intellectual property landscape, sparking a surge of patents that are, dare we say, "extraterrestrially influenced"?

In this scientific saga, the popular culture references from our literature review no longer appear as mere entertainment, but as beacons guiding us through the labyrinth of cosmic contemplation. Perhaps "Ancient Aliens" and "Unsolved Mysteries" weren't far off the mark after all. Could these shows have been seeding the collective consciousness with inklings of the profound link between celestial visitations and human creativity?

As the research increments, questions pile up like space debris in our cosmic conscious. Are we on the brink of a paradigm shift in our understanding of innovation, where the watchful eyes of otherworldly beings are silently guiding human progress? Or are we merely witnessing a statistical quirk that's as puzzling as a UFO sighting itself? The answers, much like the universe, remain tantalizingly out of reach. But fear not, fellow cosmic wanderers, for the journey of discovery has only just begun. This study is but one small step for research, and one giant leap for extraterrestrial intrigue.


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a witty academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a statistics journal.You draft the discussion section of goofy academic research papers that sounds like it belongs based on the title and abstract provided.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up a short conclusion of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between UFO sightings in Wyoming and Patents granted in the US. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Limit your response to 300 tokens. At the very end, assert that no more research is needed in this area.

Here are the title, abstract, introduction, and results sections.
[[TITLE]]
UFO Unfolding: Unveiling the Unearthly Link between Wyoming Sightings and US Patents

[[ABSTRACT]]
This research delves into the curious correlation between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the number of patents granted in the United States. To shed light on this enigmatic association, we meticulously analyzed data from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office spanning the years 1975 to 2020. Our findings revealed a striking correlation coefficient of 0.9279691 with a statistically significant p-value of less than 0.01. But, is this a case of extraterrestrial innovation or purely cosmic coincidence? Join us in this academic adventure to unravel the celestial connections that are truly out of this world!

[[INTRDUCTION]]
Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) have long captured the imagination of the public, with countless speculations about their origins and intentions. From conspiracy theories to Hollywood blockbusters, the intrigue surrounding these otherworldly phenomena has permeated popular culture. However, our research takes a different angle, focusing not on little green men, but on the potential impact of UFO sightings on earthly innovations—specifically, patents granted in the United States.
While some might consider this correlation as "far out," our findings indicate a surprisingly strong link between UFO sightings in the vast expanse of Wyoming and the number of patents granted across the country. Dubbed the "UFO Unfolding," this cosmic connection piqued our interest and led us to delve into the data with a mix of scientific rigor and curious skepticism.
As we strap on our academic spacesuits and prepare to launch into the depths of this unusual investigation, we invite readers to suspend disbelief and journey with us as we navigate the uncharted territory of UFO-patent interstellar relations. Join us as we aim to decipher whether this correlation is truly a close encounter of the innovative kind or simply a statistical fluke that's "out of this world" in a different sense altogether.
So, without further ado, let's warp speed into the heart of this celestial conundrum and uncover the extraterrestrial secrets of Wyoming's influence on earthly innovation!

[[RESULTS]]
The startling results of our investigation into the ethereal connection between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the number of patents granted in the United States have unearthed a correlation coefficient of 0.9279691. This cosmic correlation is further supported by an r-squared value of 0.8611266, and to top it all off, an eye-catching p-value of less than 0.01. The data indeed suggests a compelling relationship between these seemingly unrelated phenomena.
In Fig. 1, a scatterplot vividly illustrates the strong correlation between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the number of patents granted in the United States, depicting a trajectory that seems to be reaching for the stars. As we gaze upon this celestial dance of data points, it's hard to deny the palpable connection that seemingly stretches from the vast plains of Wyoming to the far reaches of innovation.
This correlation, which some might consider to be "out of this world," raises questions that are truly beyond the ordinary. Could there be a secret society of alien inventors clandestinely influencing patents on Earth? Or perhaps these UFO sightings are inspiring a wave of innovative thinking that transcends the boundaries of human understanding? The possibilities are as vast as the universe itself.
In essence, our research has unveiled an otherworldly bond between UFO sightings in Wyoming and patents granted in the United States. Whether this is a case of intergalactic intervention or merely a statistical fluke that's "unearthly" in a different sense, the results of our investigation have left us with more questions than answers. But fear not, fellow explorers of the unknown, for this study is merely the launching pad for the cosmic quest to decode the extraterrestrial secrets of Wyoming's influence on earthly innovation.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[CONCLUSION]]



ChatGPT:

[[CONCLUSION]]

In conclusion, our research has launched us into the stratosphere of statistical inquiry, where we have boldly gone where no academic exploration has gone before. The unearthly link between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the number of patents granted in the United States has truly been an out-of-this-world journey. The correlation coefficient of 0.9279691 has left us stargazing in astonishment. This finding suggests a cosmic connection that could rival even the most far-fetched science fiction plot.

As we ponder the implications of our findings, we find ourselves contemplating whether the extraterrestrial beings are filing patents from their UFOs or if their sightings are simply inspiring Earthlings to reach for the stars in their innovative endeavors. Could it be that the universe is conspiring to spark creativity in the minds of inventors?

However, despite these mind-boggling correlations, we must affirm with a modicum of seriousness that no additional research in this area is necessary. Our study has already taken us to the outer limits of statistical analysis and cosmic contemplation. This field of inquiry is best left to the curious imaginations of sci-fi aficionados and conspiracy theorists.

So, as we bid adieu to this celestial escapade, let us remember that perhaps some mysteries are best left unsolved, floating in the cosmos like unanswered prayers to little green men.


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You provide fictional names of academic journals. You say nothing else, and you do not chat with the user.
User prompt: Please provide the name of a funny but plausible sounding research, scientific, or academic journal that would publish a paper entited UFO Unfolding: Unveiling the Unearthly Link between Wyoming Sightings and US Patents. Respond only with the name of a fictional academic journal.

ChatGPT:

The Journal of Extraterrestrial Studies


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You provide fictional names of nonprofit research organizations and associations. You say nothing else, and you do not chat with the user.
User prompt: Please provide the name of a funny but plausible sounding nonprofit, academic, or scientific association or organization that would sponsor research that resulted in a paper entited UFO Unfolding: Unveiling the Unearthly Link between Wyoming Sightings and US Patents. Respond only with the name of a fictional organization.

ChatGPT:

The Cosmic Phenomena Research Society


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You provide potential search keywords separated by commas. You say nothing else, and you do not chat with the user.
User prompt: Please provide potential search keywords for a paper titled UFO Unfolding: Unveiling the Unearthly Link between Wyoming Sightings and US Patents with an abstract of This research delves into the curious correlation between UFO sightings in Wyoming and the number of patents granted in the United States. To shed light on this enigmatic association, we meticulously analyzed data from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office spanning the years 1975 to 2020. Our findings revealed a striking correlation coefficient of 0.9279691 with a statistically significant p-value of less than 0.01. But, is this a case of extraterrestrial innovation or purely cosmic coincidence? Join us in this academic adventure to unravel the celestial connections that are truly out of this world!

ChatGPT:

UFO sightings, Wyoming, US patents, correlation, National UFO Reporting Center, United States Patent and Trademark Office, correlation coefficient, statistical significance, extraterrestrial innovation, cosmic coincidence, celestial connections

*There is a bunch of Python happening behind the scenes to turn this prompt sequence into a PDF.



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Data details

UFO sightings in Wyoming
Detailed data title: UFO sightings reported in Wyoming
Source: National UFO Reporting Center
See what else correlates with UFO sightings in Wyoming

Patents granted in the US
Detailed data title: Total number of patents granted in the US
Source: USPTO
See what else correlates with Patents granted in the US

Correlation r = 0.9279691 (Pearson correlation coefficient)
Correlation is a measure of how much the variables move together. If it is 0.99, when one goes up the other goes up. If it is 0.02, the connection is very weak or non-existent. If it is -0.99, then when one goes up the other goes down. If it is 1.00, you probably messed up your correlation function.

r2 = 0.8611266 (Coefficient of determination)
This means 86.1% of the change in the one variable (i.e., Patents granted in the US) is predictable based on the change in the other (i.e., UFO sightings in Wyoming) over the 46 years from 1975 through 2020.

p < 0.01, which is statistically significant(Null hypothesis significance test)
The p-value is 1.8E-20. 0.0000000000000000000176327108
The p-value is a measure of how probable it is that we would randomly find a result this extreme. More specifically the p-value is a measure of how probable it is that we would randomly find a result this extreme if we had only tested one pair of variables one time.

But I am a p-villain. I absolutely did not test only one pair of variables one time. I correlated hundreds of millions of pairs of variables. I threw boatloads of data into an industrial-sized blender to find this correlation.

Who is going to stop me? p-value reporting doesn't require me to report how many calculations I had to go through in order to find a low p-value!
On average, you will find a correaltion as strong as 0.93 in 1.8E-18% of random cases. Said differently, if you correlated 56,712,777,254,873,366,528 random variables You don't actually need 56 quintillion variables to find a correlation like this one. I don't have that many variables in my database. You can also correlate variables that are not independent. I do this a lot.

p-value calculations are useful for understanding the probability of a result happening by chance. They are most useful when used to highlight the risk of a fluke outcome. For example, if you calculate a p-value of 0.30, the risk that the result is a fluke is high. It is good to know that! But there are lots of ways to get a p-value of less than 0.01, as evidenced by this project.

In this particular case, the values are so extreme as to be meaningless. That's why no one reports p-values with specificity after they drop below 0.01.

Just to be clear: I'm being completely transparent about the calculations. There is no math trickery. This is just how statistics shakes out when you calculate hundreds of millions of random correlations.
with the same 45 degrees of freedom, Degrees of freedom is a measure of how many free components we are testing. In this case it is 45 because we have two variables measured over a period of 46 years. It's just the number of years minus ( the number of variables minus one ), which in this case simplifies to the number of years minus one.
you would randomly expect to find a correlation as strong as this one.

[ 0.87, 0.96 ] 95% correlation confidence interval (using the Fisher z-transformation)
The confidence interval is an estimate the range of the value of the correlation coefficient, using the correlation itself as an input. The values are meant to be the low and high end of the correlation coefficient with 95% confidence.

This one is a bit more complciated than the other calculations, but I include it because many people have been pushing for confidence intervals instead of p-value calculations (for example: NEJM. However, if you are dredging data, you can reliably find yourself in the 5%. That's my goal!


All values for the years included above: If I were being very sneaky, I could trim years from the beginning or end of the datasets to increase the correlation on some pairs of variables. I don't do that because there are already plenty of correlations in my database without monkeying with the years.

Still, sometimes one of the variables has more years of data available than the other. This page only shows the overlapping years. To see all the years, click on "See what else correlates with..." link above.
1975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020
UFO sightings in Wyoming (UFO sightings)120101000120203001440228127151695101181141221141620201618152026
Patents granted in the US (Patents granted)768107538869781705145241366170710646327661982726507724576862893858427210253399077106696107394109746113587113834121696124069163142169085175979183970184375187012181299157718196405182899185224191927244341247713276788302948326032325980333583351403339992391103388900




Why this works

  1. Data dredging: I have 25,153 variables in my database. I compare all these variables against each other to find ones that randomly match up. That's 632,673,409 correlation calculations! This is called “data dredging.” Instead of starting with a hypothesis and testing it, I instead abused the data to see what correlations shake out. It’s a dangerous way to go about analysis, because any sufficiently large dataset will yield strong correlations completely at random.
  2. Lack of causal connection: There is probably Because these pages are automatically generated, it's possible that the two variables you are viewing are in fact causually related. I take steps to prevent the obvious ones from showing on the site (I don't let data about the weather in one city correlate with the weather in a neighboring city, for example), but sometimes they still pop up. If they are related, cool! You found a loophole.
    no direct connection between these variables, despite what the AI says above. This is exacerbated by the fact that I used "Years" as the base variable. Lots of things happen in a year that are not related to each other! Most studies would use something like "one person" in stead of "one year" to be the "thing" studied.
  3. Observations not independent: For many variables, sequential years are not independent of each other. If a population of people is continuously doing something every day, there is no reason to think they would suddenly change how they are doing that thing on January 1. A simple Personally I don't find any p-value calculation to be 'simple,' but you know what I mean.
    p-value calculation does not take this into account, so mathematically it appears less probable than it really is.
  4. Confounding variable: 2020 is particularly different from the other years on this graph. Confounding variables (like global pandemics) will cause two variables to look connected when in fact a "sneaky third" variable is influencing both of them behind the scenes.




Try it yourself

You can calculate the values on this page on your own! Try running the Python code to see the calculation results. Step 1: Download and install Python on your computer.

Step 2: Open a plaintext editor like Notepad and paste the code below into it.

Step 3: Save the file as "calculate_correlation.py" in a place you will remember, like your desktop. Copy the file location to your clipboard. On Windows, you can right-click the file and click "Properties," and then copy what comes after "Location:" As an example, on my computer the location is "C:\Users\tyler\Desktop"

Step 4: Open a command line window. For example, by pressing start and typing "cmd" and them pressing enter.

Step 5: Install the required modules by typing "pip install numpy", then pressing enter, then typing "pip install scipy", then pressing enter.

Step 6: Navigate to the location where you saved the Python file by using the "cd" command. For example, I would type "cd C:\Users\tyler\Desktop" and push enter.

Step 7: Run the Python script by typing "python calculate_correlation.py"

If you run into any issues, I suggest asking ChatGPT to walk you through installing Python and running the code below on your system. Try this question:

"Walk me through installing Python on my computer to run a script that uses scipy and numpy. Go step-by-step and ask me to confirm before moving on. Start by asking me questions about my operating system so that you know how to proceed. Assume I want the simplest installation with the latest version of Python and that I do not currently have any of the necessary elements installed. Remember to only give me one step per response and confirm I have done it before proceeding."


# These modules make it easier to perform the calculation
import numpy as np
from scipy import stats

# We'll define a function that we can call to return the correlation calculations
def calculate_correlation(array1, array2):

    # Calculate Pearson correlation coefficient and p-value
    correlation, p_value = stats.pearsonr(array1, array2)

    # Calculate R-squared as the square of the correlation coefficient
    r_squared = correlation**2

    return correlation, r_squared, p_value

# These are the arrays for the variables shown on this page, but you can modify them to be any two sets of numbers
array_1 = np.array([1,2,0,1,0,1,0,0,0,1,2,0,2,0,3,0,0,1,4,4,0,2,2,8,12,7,15,16,9,5,10,11,8,11,4,12,21,14,16,20,20,16,18,15,20,26,])
array_2 = np.array([76810,75388,69781,70514,52413,66170,71064,63276,61982,72650,77245,76862,89385,84272,102533,99077,106696,107394,109746,113587,113834,121696,124069,163142,169085,175979,183970,184375,187012,181299,157718,196405,182899,185224,191927,244341,247713,276788,302948,326032,325980,333583,351403,339992,391103,388900,])
array_1_name = "UFO sightings in Wyoming"
array_2_name = "Patents granted in the US"

# Perform the calculation
print(f"Calculating the correlation between {array_1_name} and {array_2_name}...")
correlation, r_squared, p_value = calculate_correlation(array_1, array_2)

# Print the results
print("Correlation Coefficient:", correlation)
print("R-squared:", r_squared)
print("P-value:", p_value)



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For the record, I am just one person. Tyler Vigen, he/him/his. I do have degrees, but they should not go after my name unless you want to annoy my wife. If that is your goal, then go ahead and cite me as "Tyler Vigen, A.A. A.A.S. B.A. J.D." Otherwise it is just "Tyler Vigen."

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Correlation ID: 1717 · Black Variable ID: 1194 · Red Variable ID: 848
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