Spurious correlation #1,784 · 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 New York 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.

A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is UFO sightings in New York 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.

Download png, svg

AI explanation

The UFOs were actually elaborate prototypes for futuristic technology, inspiring and inadvertently leading to the creation of new inventions by innovative individuals. It seems the aliens' intellectual property laws are out of this world!

^{Show image generation prompt} Model: dalle-3
Prompt: Create a comic-book-style illustration with muted colors and a dotted halftone pattern from the 1960s. It should depict a bustling New York City, with the iconic Empire State Building in the background. In the forefront, a group of people are pointing up to the sky, their faces filled with amazement as they gaze at a glowing UFO hovering above the building. Meanwhile, in a nearby office, a scientist excitedly holds up a patent certificate granted by the US government. The invention harnesses extraterrestrial technology and is a source of great excitement for the scientist. The scene should be visually striking and capture the wonder and excitement of the moment. 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 New York 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: Cute cartoon Cutsy art illustration A comic-book-style illustration with muted colors and a dotted halftone pattern from the 1960s High-tech Cyber folk
ChatGPT: A comic-book-style illustration with muted colors and a dotted halftone pattern from the 1960s

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 New York and Patents granted in the US together. Keep the description simple.
ChatGPT: In a bustling New York City, a group of people point up to the sky, amazed by a glowing UFO hovering above the iconic Empire State Building. Meanwhile, in a nearby office, a scientist excitedly holds up a patent certificate granted by the US government for an invention that harnesses extraterrestrial technology.

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: [ A comic-book-style illustration with muted colors and a dotted halftone pattern from the 1960s ] and depicting this scene: In a bustling New York City, a group of people point up to the sky, amazed by a glowing UFO hovering above the iconic Empire State Building. Meanwhile, in a nearby office, a scientist excitedly holds up a patent certificate granted by the US government for an invention that harnesses extraterrestrial technology. Keep the visual depiction simple. Do not include any words or speech bubbles.
ChatGPT: Create a comic-book-style illustration with muted colors and a dotted halftone pattern from the 1960s. It should depict a bustling New York City, with the iconic Empire State Building in the background. In the forefront, a group of people are pointing up to the sky, their faces filled with amazement as they gaze at a glowing UFO hovering above the building. Meanwhile, in a nearby office, a scientist excitedly holds up a patent certificate granted by the US government. The invention harnesses extraterrestrial technology and is a source of great excitement for the scientist. The scene should be visually striking and capture the wonder and excitement of the moment.

*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.
^{Show prompt for explanation} 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 New York caused Patents granted in the US to increase. Add a funny one-liner at the end.

AI academic paper

(Because p < 0.01)

Unidentified Flying Patents: A Close Encounter of the Nth Kind

The Journal of Extraterrestrial Intellectual Property

Jan 2024

Reminder: This paper is AI-generated. Not real!

^{Show prompt used to generate this paper} 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 dry but witty academic researcher. You speak in the passive voice, and your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics 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 New York and Patents granted in the US. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

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 couple popular internet memes that are related to one of the topics.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
Unidentified Flying Patents: A Close Encounter of the Nth Kind

[[ABSTRACT]]
A perennial mystery that has captivated both conspiracy theorists and patent enthusiasts alike is the potential connection between UFO sightings and patented innovations. Using data from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office, our research team conducted a comprehensive analysis to investigate the relationship between UFO sightings in New York and the number of patents granted in the US from 1975 to 2020.

Our findings revealed a surprisingly strong correlation, with a coefficient of 0.8490777 and a p-value less than 0.01, indicating a significant association between these two seemingly disparate phenomena. This correlation suggests that there may be an extraordinary influence of extraterrestrial visitations on human technological advancements or, alternatively, that innovative breakthroughs are simply out of this world!

One might wonder if UFOs are simply interstellar patent trolls, hovering over New York City in search of Earth's latest intellectual property. Perhaps they are seeking to patent their own advanced technologies! This correlation could certainly explain why the patent for "anti-gravity propulsion" remains elusive.

While this correlation does not imply causation, the findings raise thought-provoking questions regarding the potential impact of otherworldly encounters on human creativity and innovation. This research adds a comical element to the age-old question of whether aliens are secretly influencing human technological progress.

In conclusion, the connection between UFO sightings in New York and patents granted in the US hints at an unexpected intergalactic influence on Earth's technological evolution. These statistical findings serve as a launching point for future investigations into the intersection of cosmic phenomena and human ingenuity, and provide a light-hearted perspective on the often mysterious world of patents and celestial enigmas.

-------

And here is the introduction section that led to this literature review:
[[INTRODUCTION]]
The perennial mystery of UFO sightings has long captured the imagination of both the curious and the skeptical, leading to a plethora of theories and speculations. Meanwhile, the world of patents and innovations has its own share of intrigue, with its esoteric language and labyrinthine regulations. However, what if these two seemingly unrelated realms were to collide in a cosmic collision of creativity and conjecture? This study sets out to explore the potential interstellar influence on human ingenuity, as we delve into the curious connection between UFO sightings in New York and the number of patents granted in the United States.
As we embark on this extraterrestrial expedition into the world of intellectual property, it is worth pondering: are UFOs merely in search of patents to "claim" as their own, or are they, dare we say, "patent-ally" intrigued by our earthly innovations? One may jest that they are conducting extraterrestrial “research and abduction,” seeking novel ideas to bring back to their cosmic laboratories.
Our investigation strives to shed light on whether there is a correlation between these unusual phenomena, or if it is simply a case of statistical "UFOlogical anomaly." This research seeks to add a touch of levity to the often serious and enigmatic world of patents and celestial enigmas, demonstrating that serious academic inquiry and a good laugh are not mutually exclusive.
Stay tuned as we unravel the interstellar mysteries and patent paradoxes in the following pages. The truth may be out there, but in the meantime, it certainly makes for an entertaining and thought-provoking investigation.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

ChatGPT:
[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

In "Smith et al.," the authors find that UFO sightings have long been a source of fascination and curiosity, often prompting imaginative speculation and conspiracy theories. Similarly, in "Doe and Brown," the researchers delve into the world of patents and intellectual property, uncovering the complex web of regulations and innovations. These serious academic works provide the foundation for our exploration of the possible relationship between these two distinct yet intriguing domains.

As we navigate the uncharted territory of UFO sightings and patents, it is essential to consider the underlying significance of intergalactic encounters on human creativity and technological advancements. In "Jones and White," the authors discuss the cultural impact of extraterrestrial phenomena, shedding light on the profound influence of cosmic speculations on popular imagination.

Turning to non-fiction literature related to our investigation, "The UFO Experience" by J. Allen Hynek and "Patent Law Essentials" by Alan L. Durham offer valuable insights from different perspectives. These resources contribute to the theoretical framework of our research by bridging the realms of celestial mysteries and intellectual property regulations.

However, delving into a slightly more imaginative realm, the fictitious works of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams and "Men in Black" by Steve Perry present engaging narratives that blend the absurdity of extraterrestrial encounters with the complexities of government regulations and patent acquisition. These fictional accounts offer a lighthearted perspective on the potential intersection of UFO sightings and patents, inviting readers to contemplate the humorous aspects of this cosmic connection.

Now, let us not overlook the online sphere, where popular memes such as "Aliens Guy" and "X-Files Theme Song Remixes" have permeated internet culture, playfully infusing the enigmatic nature of UFO sightings with an element of humor and absurdity. These internet phenomena inject a dose of levity into the discourse surrounding extraterrestrial mysteries and their hypothetical impact on patent acquisitions.

In summary, the intersection of UFO sightings in New York and patents granted in the US serves as a veritable playground for speculation and conjecture, offering an opportunity to infuse academic inquiry with a touch of humor and whimsy. While the serious implications of our findings warrant careful consideration, we must also embrace the lighter side of this cosmic conundrum, recognizing that even the most profound mysteries can be accompanied by a good dad joke or two!

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a dry but witty academic researcher. You speak in the passive voice, and your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics 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 New York and Patents granted in the US. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

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]]
Unidentified Flying Patents: A Close Encounter of the Nth Kind

[[ABSTRACT]]
A perennial mystery that has captivated both conspiracy theorists and patent enthusiasts alike is the potential connection between UFO sightings and patented innovations. Using data from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office, our research team conducted a comprehensive analysis to investigate the relationship between UFO sightings in New York and the number of patents granted in the US from 1975 to 2020.

Our findings revealed a surprisingly strong correlation, with a coefficient of 0.8490777 and a p-value less than 0.01, indicating a significant association between these two seemingly disparate phenomena. This correlation suggests that there may be an extraordinary influence of extraterrestrial visitations on human technological advancements or, alternatively, that innovative breakthroughs are simply out of this world!

One might wonder if UFOs are simply interstellar patent trolls, hovering over New York City in search of Earth's latest intellectual property. Perhaps they are seeking to patent their own advanced technologies! This correlation could certainly explain why the patent for "anti-gravity propulsion" remains elusive.

While this correlation does not imply causation, the findings raise thought-provoking questions regarding the potential impact of otherworldly encounters on human creativity and innovation. This research adds a comical element to the age-old question of whether aliens are secretly influencing human technological progress.

In conclusion, the connection between UFO sightings in New York and patents granted in the US hints at an unexpected intergalactic influence on Earth's technological evolution. These statistical findings serve as a launching point for future investigations into the intersection of cosmic phenomena and human ingenuity, and provide a light-hearted perspective on the often mysterious world of patents and celestial enigmas.

[[INTRODUCTION]]
The perennial mystery of UFO sightings has long captured the imagination of both the curious and the skeptical, leading to a plethora of theories and speculations. Meanwhile, the world of patents and innovations has its own share of intrigue, with its esoteric language and labyrinthine regulations. However, what if these two seemingly unrelated realms were to collide in a cosmic collision of creativity and conjecture? This study sets out to explore the potential interstellar influence on human ingenuity, as we delve into the curious connection between UFO sightings in New York and the number of patents granted in the United States.
As we embark on this extraterrestrial expedition into the world of intellectual property, it is worth pondering: are UFOs merely in search of patents to "claim" as their own, or are they, dare we say, "patent-ally" intrigued by our earthly innovations? One may jest that they are conducting extraterrestrial “research and abduction,” seeking novel ideas to bring back to their cosmic laboratories.
Our investigation strives to shed light on whether there is a correlation between these unusual phenomena, or if it is simply a case of statistical "UFOlogical anomaly." This research seeks to add a touch of levity to the often serious and enigmatic world of patents and celestial enigmas, demonstrating that serious academic inquiry and a good laugh are not mutually exclusive.
Stay tuned as we unravel the interstellar mysteries and patent paradoxes in the following pages. The truth may be out there, but in the meantime, it certainly makes for an entertaining and thought-provoking investigation.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

ChatGPT:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

Data Collection:
The data for UFO sightings in New York was obtained from the National UFO Reporting Center, including the date, time, and location of each reported sighting. Similarly, data on patents granted in the United States from 1975 to 2020 was extracted from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, capturing information about the patented innovations, their respective categories, and the dates of issuance. The researchers spent countless hours sifting through these sources, encountering more "unidentified filing objects" than anticipated.

To ensure the reliability and accuracy of the data, various techniques were employed, including cross-referencing multiple databases and validating the information against known historical events. The team also had to distinguish between legitimate patents and any potential "UFO patents" filed by little green men or other extraterrestrial entities.

Data Analysis:
The collected data underwent rigorous statistical analysis to ascertain any potential correlations between UFO sightings and the number of patents granted. The team utilized advanced statistical software to conduct time-series analyses, correlation tests, and multivariate regressions. The researchers were especially mindful of temporal lags and spurious correlations, striving to differentiate between genuine associations and mere coincidental phenomena.

Furthermore, the analysis entailed categorizing the patents into various technological fields, ranging from aerospace and telecommunications to more speculative realms such as "intergalactic transportation" and "extraterrestrial communication devices." The researchers encountered several patent filings that seemed to have been inspired by encounters of the third kind, prompting the team to ponder whether the truth might indeed be "patently" stranger than fiction.

Control Variables:
In controlling for potential confounding factors, the researchers considered various socio-economic indicators, technological advancements, and even cultural phenomena that might influence both UFO sightings and patent activities. This led to the inclusion of variables such as population density, levels of technological innovation, and media coverage of UFO-related events. The team also considered the potential impact of science fiction movies and television shows, hypothesizing that these might have influenced both UFO sightings and patent filings. One could say that the team was navigating a celestial "patent galaxy" full of confounding "UFOrce fields."

Ethical Considerations:
Throughout the study, the researchers adhered to ethical guidelines and professional standards, even as they navigated the uncharted territories of the UFO and patent domains. In particular, the privacy and confidentiality of individuals reporting UFO sightings were carefully safeguarded, and the research team refrained from disclosing the coordinates of any potential alien patent offices. Additionally, the study sought to approach the topic with a sense of humor and lightheartedness, aiming to entertain and enlighten without diminishing the gravity of the research subject.

Overall, the methodology aimed to marry rigorous statistical analysis with a dose of interstellar whimsy, navigating through the cosmos of data to unravel the enigma of UFO sightings and patented innovations. The team remained steadfast, recognizing that amidst the statistical tests and data scrutinizing, an occasional dad joke or pun was always a welcome navigational tool in the cosmic sea of research.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a dry but witty academic researcher. You speak in the passive voice, and your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics 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 New York and Patents granted in the US. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

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]]
Unidentified Flying Patents: A Close Encounter of the Nth Kind

[[ABSTRACT]]
A perennial mystery that has captivated both conspiracy theorists and patent enthusiasts alike is the potential connection between UFO sightings and patented innovations. Using data from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office, our research team conducted a comprehensive analysis to investigate the relationship between UFO sightings in New York and the number of patents granted in the US from 1975 to 2020.

Our findings revealed a surprisingly strong correlation, with a coefficient of 0.8490777 and a p-value less than 0.01, indicating a significant association between these two seemingly disparate phenomena. This correlation suggests that there may be an extraordinary influence of extraterrestrial visitations on human technological advancements or, alternatively, that innovative breakthroughs are simply out of this world!

One might wonder if UFOs are simply interstellar patent trolls, hovering over New York City in search of Earth's latest intellectual property. Perhaps they are seeking to patent their own advanced technologies! This correlation could certainly explain why the patent for "anti-gravity propulsion" remains elusive.

While this correlation does not imply causation, the findings raise thought-provoking questions regarding the potential impact of otherworldly encounters on human creativity and innovation. This research adds a comical element to the age-old question of whether aliens are secretly influencing human technological progress.

In conclusion, the connection between UFO sightings in New York and patents granted in the US hints at an unexpected intergalactic influence on Earth's technological evolution. These statistical findings serve as a launching point for future investigations into the intersection of cosmic phenomena and human ingenuity, and provide a light-hearted perspective on the often mysterious world of patents and celestial enigmas.

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]
In "Smith et al.," the authors find that UFO sightings have long been a source of fascination and curiosity, often prompting imaginative speculation and conspiracy theories. Similarly, in "Doe and Brown," the researchers delve into the world of patents and intellectual property, uncovering the complex web of regulations and innovations. These serious academic works provide the foundation for our exploration of the possible relationship between these two distinct yet intriguing domains.
As we navigate the uncharted territory of UFO sightings and patents, it is essential to consider the underlying significance of intergalactic encounters on human creativity and technological advancements. In "Jones and White," the authors discuss the cultural impact of extraterrestrial phenomena, shedding light on the profound influence of cosmic speculations on popular imagination.
Turning to non-fiction literature related to our investigation, "The UFO Experience" by J. Allen Hynek and "Patent Law Essentials" by Alan L. Durham offer valuable insights from different perspectives. These resources contribute to the theoretical framework of our research by bridging the realms of celestial mysteries and intellectual property regulations.
However, delving into a slightly more imaginative realm, the fictitious works of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams and "Men in Black" by Steve Perry present engaging narratives that blend the absurdity of extraterrestrial encounters with the complexities of government regulations and patent acquisition. These fictional accounts offer a lighthearted perspective on the potential intersection of UFO sightings and patents, inviting readers to contemplate the humorous aspects of this cosmic connection.
Now, let us not overlook the online sphere, where popular memes such as "Aliens Guy" and "X-Files Theme Song Remixes" have permeated internet culture, playfully infusing the enigmatic nature of UFO sightings with an element of humor and absurdity. These internet phenomena inject a dose of levity into the discourse surrounding extraterrestrial mysteries and their hypothetical impact on patent acquisitions.
In summary, the intersection of UFO sightings in New York and patents granted in the US serves as a veritable playground for speculation and conjecture, offering an opportunity to infuse academic inquiry with a touch of humor and whimsy. While the serious implications of our findings warrant careful consideration, we must also embrace the lighter side of this cosmic conundrum, recognizing that even the most profound mysteries can be accompanied by a good dad joke or two!

[[RESULTS]]
The analysis of data collected from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office from 1975 to 2020 revealed a strong positive correlation between the number of UFO sightings in New York and the quantity of patents granted in the United States. The correlation coefficient of 0.8490777 suggests a robust relationship between these two variables, indicating that as one variable increases, the other is also likely to increase. The r-squared value of 0.7209330 indicates that approximately 72.1% of the variability in the number of patents can be explained by the number of reported UFO sightings.
Fig. 1 depicts the scatterplot illustrating the striking correlation between UFO sightings in New York and patents granted in the United States.
It seems that UFOs are not only exploring the cosmos, but they may also be exploring the realm of intellectual property. Perhaps they are attempting to patent their advanced extraterrestrial technologies, leading to an increase in innovative patents on Earth. This correlation presents a novel perspective on the question of whether "flying saucers" deserve their own patents. One might argue that these extraterrestrial beings are "patently" curious about human technological advancements.
The results of this study provide thought-provoking insights into the potential cosmic influence on human innovation, offering a lighthearted take on the often perplexing intersection of patents and celestial phenomena. These findings serve as a captivating launchpad for future investigations into the cosmic mysteries surrounding human creativity and technological progress, demonstrating that serious scientific inquiry and a good pun can coexist in harmony.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[DISCUSSION]]

ChatGPT:

[[DISCUSSION]]

The results of our investigation exhibit a remarkable and robust correlation between UFO sightings in New York and the number of patents granted in the United States. This unexpected connection sheds light on the interplay between cosmic anomalies and human inventiveness, leaving us to ponder whether extraterrestrial visitors are quietly shaping our technological landscape from light-years away.

Our findings corroborate the assertions put forth by "Smith et al." and "Doe and Brown," demonstrating the unexpected interdependence of UFO sightings and patents. Just as "Jones and White" expounded upon the cultural impact of extraterrestrial phenomena, our research underlines the potential influence of otherworldly encounters on human innovation. While their work may have been taken light-heartedly, even the most far-fetched theories can sometimes bear a kernel of truth in their core.

The unexpectedly "out of this world" correlation coefficient of 0.8490777 and the p-value less than 0.01 affirm the significant relationship between these variables, laying the groundwork for a much-needed exploration of the extraterrestrial influence on human technological developments. Some may jest that this correlation suggests that extraterrestrial beings are vying for their own terrestrial patents. It seems that either they are interested in claiming our innovations as their own, or they are simply "patently" interested in our technological progress – a cosmic case of patent envy, perhaps.

Furthermore, our results align with the theoretical framework proposed by "Hynek" and "Durham," as they hint at a subtle interaction between celestial mysteries and intellectual property regulations. The scatterplot in Fig. 1 visually encapsulates the striking correlation, offering a compelling visual testament to the cosmic dance between UFO sightings and patented innovations.

As we navigate this uncharted territory, we must not overlook the potential implications of this unexpected correlation. While the light-hearted perspectives of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and "Men in Black" may have initially seemed purely entertaining, they now beckon us to consider the unexpected ways in which the extraterrestrial may imprint itself upon humanity's inventive endeavors.

In conclusion, our findings present a captivating blend of serious scientific inquiry and whimsical wonder, showcasing the potential for a lighthearted exploration of the mysteries that permeate our cosmic and technological spheres. This research, albeit seemingly light-hearted, invites us to contemplate the profound implications of extraterrestrial encounters on human ingenuity, leaving us to ponder whether our advancements are solely of earthly origin. As we take one small step into the realm of UFO sightings and patents, the unexpected discoveries along this unexplored path may just prove to be "alien" to our conventional understanding of human creativity and technological progress.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a dry but witty academic researcher. You speak in the passive voice, and your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics 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 New York and Patents granted in the US. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

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]]
Unidentified Flying Patents: A Close Encounter of the Nth Kind

[[ABSTRACT]]
A perennial mystery that has captivated both conspiracy theorists and patent enthusiasts alike is the potential connection between UFO sightings and patented innovations. Using data from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office, our research team conducted a comprehensive analysis to investigate the relationship between UFO sightings in New York and the number of patents granted in the US from 1975 to 2020.

Our findings revealed a surprisingly strong correlation, with a coefficient of 0.8490777 and a p-value less than 0.01, indicating a significant association between these two seemingly disparate phenomena. This correlation suggests that there may be an extraordinary influence of extraterrestrial visitations on human technological advancements or, alternatively, that innovative breakthroughs are simply out of this world!

One might wonder if UFOs are simply interstellar patent trolls, hovering over New York City in search of Earth's latest intellectual property. Perhaps they are seeking to patent their own advanced technologies! This correlation could certainly explain why the patent for "anti-gravity propulsion" remains elusive.

While this correlation does not imply causation, the findings raise thought-provoking questions regarding the potential impact of otherworldly encounters on human creativity and innovation. This research adds a comical element to the age-old question of whether aliens are secretly influencing human technological progress.

In conclusion, the connection between UFO sightings in New York and patents granted in the US hints at an unexpected intergalactic influence on Earth's technological evolution. These statistical findings serve as a launching point for future investigations into the intersection of cosmic phenomena and human ingenuity, and provide a light-hearted perspective on the often mysterious world of patents and celestial enigmas.

[[INTRDUCTION]]
The perennial mystery of UFO sightings has long captured the imagination of both the curious and the skeptical, leading to a plethora of theories and speculations. Meanwhile, the world of patents and innovations has its own share of intrigue, with its esoteric language and labyrinthine regulations. However, what if these two seemingly unrelated realms were to collide in a cosmic collision of creativity and conjecture? This study sets out to explore the potential interstellar influence on human ingenuity, as we delve into the curious connection between UFO sightings in New York and the number of patents granted in the United States.
As we embark on this extraterrestrial expedition into the world of intellectual property, it is worth pondering: are UFOs merely in search of patents to "claim" as their own, or are they, dare we say, "patent-ally" intrigued by our earthly innovations? One may jest that they are conducting extraterrestrial “research and abduction,” seeking novel ideas to bring back to their cosmic laboratories.
Our investigation strives to shed light on whether there is a correlation between these unusual phenomena, or if it is simply a case of statistical "UFOlogical anomaly." This research seeks to add a touch of levity to the often serious and enigmatic world of patents and celestial enigmas, demonstrating that serious academic inquiry and a good laugh are not mutually exclusive.
Stay tuned as we unravel the interstellar mysteries and patent paradoxes in the following pages. The truth may be out there, but in the meantime, it certainly makes for an entertaining and thought-provoking investigation.

[[RESULTS]]
The analysis of data collected from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office from 1975 to 2020 revealed a strong positive correlation between the number of UFO sightings in New York and the quantity of patents granted in the United States. The correlation coefficient of 0.8490777 suggests a robust relationship between these two variables, indicating that as one variable increases, the other is also likely to increase. The r-squared value of 0.7209330 indicates that approximately 72.1% of the variability in the number of patents can be explained by the number of reported UFO sightings.
Fig. 1 depicts the scatterplot illustrating the striking correlation between UFO sightings in New York and patents granted in the United States.
It seems that UFOs are not only exploring the cosmos, but they may also be exploring the realm of intellectual property. Perhaps they are attempting to patent their advanced extraterrestrial technologies, leading to an increase in innovative patents on Earth. This correlation presents a novel perspective on the question of whether "flying saucers" deserve their own patents. One might argue that these extraterrestrial beings are "patently" curious about human technological advancements.
The results of this study provide thought-provoking insights into the potential cosmic influence on human innovation, offering a lighthearted take on the often perplexing intersection of patents and celestial phenomena. These findings serve as a captivating launchpad for future investigations into the cosmic mysteries surrounding human creativity and technological progress, demonstrating that serious scientific inquiry and a good pun can coexist in harmony.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[CONCLUSION]]

ChatGPT:

[[CONCLUSION]]

In conclusion, the findings from our study suggest a remarkably strong correlation between UFO sightings in New York and the number of patents granted in the United States. It appears that UFOs may not only be visitors from other worlds but potential enthusiasts of earthly intellectual property as well. One might say they're truly "out of this world" patent aficionados, keen on intergalactic innovation and Earthly ingenuity.

The high correlation coefficient and r-squared value point to a substantial relationship between these two variables, raising the whimsical notion that perhaps UFOs are not only observing human technological progress but also influencing it, whether intentionally or not. This raises the question: are they merely celestial spectators, or are they actively participating in the evolution of human innovation? It's certainly a UFOlogically intriguing prospect.

It seems our extraterrestrial friends are not content with just "flying" under the radar; they may also be soaring in the world of patents, seeking to secure their own cosmic contributions. Indeed, they appear to be "patently" curious about human technological advancements, perhaps even looking to copyright their own otherworldly inventions. One wonders if they're preparing to file a patent for "anti-gravity propulsion" or "interstellar communication devices."

The correlation uncovered by this research undoubtedly adds a layer of delightful absurdity to the age-old debate surrounding aliens and their potential influence on human creativity. While we cannot definitively establish causation, the findings of this study open up a universe of questions and pun-tential avenues for further exploration.

In light of these findings, we confidently assert that no more research is needed in this area. After all, proof of an extraterrestrial influence on Earth's technological progress is truly "patently" obvious.

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 Unidentified Flying Patents: A Close Encounter of the Nth Kind. Respond only with the name of a fictional academic journal.

ChatGPT:

The Journal of Extraterrestrial Intellectual Property

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 Unidentified Flying Patents: A Close Encounter of the Nth Kind. Respond only with the name of a fictional organization.

ChatGPT:

The Institute for Extraterrestrial Innovation and Patent Investigation

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 Unidentified Flying Patents: A Close Encounter of the Nth Kind with an abstract of A perennial mystery that has captivated both conspiracy theorists and patent enthusiasts alike is the potential connection between UFO sightings and patented innovations. Using data from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office, our research team conducted a comprehensive analysis to investigate the relationship between UFO sightings in New York and the number of patents granted in the US from 1975 to 2020.
Our findings revealed a surprisingly strong correlation, with a coefficient of 0.8490777 and a p-value less than 0.01, indicating a significant association between these two seemingly disparate phenomena. This correlation suggests that there may be an extraordinary influence of extraterrestrial visitations on human technological advancements or, alternatively, that innovative breakthroughs are simply out of this world!
One might wonder if UFOs are simply interstellar patent trolls, hovering over New York City in search of Earth's latest intellectual property. Perhaps they are seeking to patent their own advanced technologies! This correlation could certainly explain why the patent for "anti-gravity propulsion" remains elusive.
While this correlation does not imply causation, the findings raise thought-provoking questions regarding the potential impact of otherworldly encounters on human creativity and innovation. This research adds a comical element to the age-old question of whether aliens are secretly influencing human technological progress.
In conclusion, the connection between UFO sightings in New York and patents granted in the US hints at an unexpected intergalactic influence on Earth's technological evolution. These statistical findings serve as a launching point for future investigations into the intersection of cosmic phenomena and human ingenuity, and provide a light-hearted perspective on the often mysterious world of patents and celestial enigmas.

ChatGPT:

UFO sightings, patents, correlation, National UFO Reporting Center, United States Patent and Trademark Office, New York, extraterrestrial influence, technological advancements, interstellar patent trolls, anti-gravity propulsion, causation, otherworldly encounters, human creativity, alien influence, intergalactic influence, cosmic phenomena, celestial enigmas

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

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 = 0.8490777 (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 = 0.7209330 (Coefficient of determination)
This means 72.1% 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 New York) over the 46 years from 1975 through 2020.

p < 0.01, which is statistically significant(Null hypothesis significance test)
The p-value is 8.9E-14.^Show 0.0000000000000892899210583385
The p-value is a measure of how probable it is that we would randomly find a result this extreme.^Note 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 0.85 in 8.9E-12% of random cases. Said differently, if you correlated 11,199,472,327,304 random variables^Note You don't actually need 11 trillion 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, ^Note 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.

[ 0.74, 0.91 ] 95% correlation confidence interval (using the Fisher z-transformation)
^{Read more about the confidence interval} 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: ^Note 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.

	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
UFO sightings in New York (UFO sightings)	24	16	16	24	17	11	6	11	12	18	21	10	16	18	23	14	21	12	21	28	31	18	51	66	98	114	139	134	155	174	160	117	162	202	197	174	243	365	248	324	283	212	181	104	174	259
Patents granted in the US (Patents granted)	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

Why this works

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.
Lack of causal connection: There is probably^Note 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.
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^Note 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.
Outlandish outliers: There are "outliers" in this data.^Note In concept, "outlier" just means "way different than the rest of your dataset." When calculating a correlation like this, they are particularly impactful because a single outlier can substantially increase your correlation.

For the purposes of this project, I counted a point as an outlier if it the residual was two standard deviations from the mean.

(This bullet point only shows up in the details page on charts that do, in fact, have outliers.)
They stand out on the scatterplot above: notice the dots that are far away from any other dots. I intentionally mishandeled outliers, which makes the correlation look extra strong.

Try it yourself

You can calculate the values on this page on your own! Try running the Python code to see the calculation results. ^{Show the steps to do this.} 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([24,16,16,24,17,11,6,11,12,18,21,10,16,18,23,14,21,12,21,28,31,18,51,66,98,114,139,134,155,174,160,117,162,202,197,174,243,365,248,324,283,212,181,104,174,259,])
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 New York"
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)

Reuseable content

You may re-use the images on this page for any purpose, even commercial purposes, without asking for permission. The only requirement is that you attribute Tyler Vigen. ^Note Attribution can take many different forms. If you leave the "tylervigen.com" link in the image, that satisfies it just fine. If you remove it and move it to a footnote, that's fine too. You can also just write "Charts courtesy of Tyler Vigen" at the bottom of an article.

You do not need to attribute "the spurious correlations website," and you don't even need to link here if you don't want to. I don't gain anything from pageviews. There are no ads on this site, there is nothing for sale, and I am not for hire.

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."

When spoken, my last name is pronounced "vegan," like I don't eat meat.

Full license details.
For more on re-use permissions, or to get a signed release form, see tylervigen.com/permission.

Download images for these variables:

High resolution line chart ^Note The image linked here is a Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG). It is the highest resolution that is possible to achieve. It scales up beyond the size of the observable universe without pixelating. You do not need to email me asking if I have a higher resolution image. I do not. The physical limitations of our universe prevent me from providing you with an image that is any higher resolution than this one.

If you insert it into a PowerPoint presentation (a tool well-known for managing things that are the scale of the universe), you can right-click > "Ungroup" or "Create Shape" and then edit the lines and text directly. You can also change the colors this way.

Alternatively you can use a tool like Inkscape.
High resolution line chart, optimized for mobile
Alternative high resolution line chart
Scatterplot
Portable line chart (png)
Portable line chart (png), optimized for mobile
Line chart for only UFO sightings in New York
Line chart for only Patents granted in the US
AI-generated correlation image
The spurious research paper: Unidentified Flying Patents: A Close Encounter of the Nth Kind

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Correlation ID: 1784 · Black Variable ID: 1152 · Red Variable ID: 848


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