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Spurious correlation #5,712 · View random

A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and the second variable is xkcd comics published about romance.  The chart goes from 2007 to 2023, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
Download png
, svg

AI explanation

The cleaner air led to an increase in outdoor activities and romantic strolls, resulting in locals being too busy with real-life romance to read xkcd comics about it.

Model: dalle-3
Prompt: Image generation prompt: [ Whimsical illustration ] Create a serene and dreamy scene depicting a picturesque park in Oxford, North Carolina. Show couples walking hand in hand, surrounded by lush greenery and charming architecture. The sky is a soft blue, with a hint of pink from the setting sun. Convey a sense of romance and tranquility, with an emphasis on light-hearted moments and joyous connection between people. 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: Air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd comics published about romance. 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: a meme A photo-realistic image Cute cartoon Scalar art Whimsical illustration
ChatGPT: Whimsical illustration

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 Air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd comics published about romance, in the following situation: The cleaner air led to an increase in outdoor activities and romantic strolls, resulting in locals being too busy with real-life romance to read xkcd comics about it.. Keep the description simple.
ChatGPT: In Oxford, North Carolina, the sky is clear and the air is fresh. People are seen walking hand in hand, enjoying romantic strolls in the park, and sitting at outdoor cafes. The streets are buzzing with couples deeply engaged in conversation and laughter, with no one around reading xkcd comics about romance.

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: [ Whimsical illustration ] and depicting this scene: In Oxford, North Carolina, the sky is clear and the air is fresh. People are seen walking hand in hand, enjoying romantic strolls in the park, and sitting at outdoor cafes. The streets are buzzing with couples deeply engaged in conversation and laughter, with no one around reading xkcd comics about romance. Keep the visual depiction simple. Do not include any words or speech bubbles.
ChatGPT: Image generation prompt: [ Whimsical illustration ] Create a serene and dreamy scene depicting a picturesque park in Oxford, North Carolina. Show couples walking hand in hand, surrounded by lush greenery and charming architecture. The sky is a soft blue, with a hint of pink from the setting sun. Convey a sense of romance and tranquility, with an emphasis on light-hearted moments and joyous connection between people.

*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 a decrease in Air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina caused xkcd comics published about romance to decrease.

AI academic paper

(Because p < 0.01)
The X-Files: Investigating the Ties Between Air Pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd Romance Comics

The Journal of Irreverent Ecological 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 Air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd comics published about romance. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Make the title a clever pun.

Your research team used data from Environmental Protection Agency and AI analysis of xkcd comics to assess this nagging question. You found a correlation coefficient of 0.8828717 and p < 0.01 for 2007 to 2023.

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]]
The X-Files: Investigating the Ties Between Air Pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd Romance Comics

[[ABSTRACT]]
Love is in the air, but so is pollution. This study delves into the seemingly whimsical yet curiously linked world of xkcd romance comics and the air quality in Oxford, North Carolina. Leveraging data from the Environmental Protection Agency and utilizing cutting-edge AI analysis of xkcd comics, we scrutinized whether there is a deeper, more romantic connection between these seemingly disparate elements. The results unveiled a surprising correlation coefficient of 0.8828717 and a statistically significant relationship (p < 0.01) between air pollution levels and the publication of xkcd comics about love and romance during the years 2007 to 2023. Our findings suggest that beneath the jokes and puns lie a scientifically intriguing link worthy of further exploration, proving once again that love is indeed in the air, albeit with a touch of pollutants.


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 Air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd comics published about romance. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns. Stay serious and dry most of the time, but then occasionally let your wit shine through.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
The X-Files: Investigating the Ties Between Air Pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd Romance Comics

[[ABSTRACT]]
Love is in the air, but so is pollution. This study delves into the seemingly whimsical yet curiously linked world of xkcd romance comics and the air quality in Oxford, North Carolina. Leveraging data from the Environmental Protection Agency and utilizing cutting-edge AI analysis of xkcd comics, we scrutinized whether there is a deeper, more romantic connection between these seemingly disparate elements. The results unveiled a surprising correlation coefficient of 0.8828717 and a statistically significant relationship (p < 0.01) between air pollution levels and the publication of xkcd comics about love and romance during the years 2007 to 2023. Our findings suggest that beneath the jokes and puns lie a scientifically intriguing link worthy of further exploration, proving once again that love is indeed in the air, albeit with a touch of pollutants.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[INTRODUCTION]]



ChatGPT:
[[INTRODUCTION]]

The quest to understand the intricacies of human behavior and the environment has led researchers to explore unexpected connections. In this study, we delve into the fascinating link between seemingly disparate elements: air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina, and the publication of xkcd comics about love and romance. While on the surface these two phenomena may appear as unrelated as a cat and a toaster, our investigation seeks to uncover the hidden threads that bind them together.

Love, a topic as old as time, has captivated the hearts and minds of poets, philosophers, and scientists alike. Simultaneously, air pollution, with its less picturesque reputation, has been a long-standing concern for public health and environmental advocates. Yet, could it be that their paths cross in a manner more profound than initially assumed? As we embark on our exploration, we are reminded of the words of the great philosopher Plato: "At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet." Could it be that, at the touch of air pollution, even a poet becomes someone with a runny nose and itchy eyes?

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a researcher in possession of an inquisitive mind must be in want of a worthy research question. Thus, we seek to address the following hypothesis: Is there a discernible relationship between the levels of air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina, and the publication of xkcd comics centered around themes of romance and love? Our inquiry is not merely whimsical; it is driven by the conviction that beneath the surface lies a statistical correlation that is worthy of scrutiny. After all, love may be a many-splendored thing, but can it endure when mixed with pollutants? This inquiry, while light-hearted in its conception, has the potential to shed light on the interplay between artistic expression and environmental factors, demonstrating that cupid's arrow may be influenced by more than just the whims of the heart.

In the pages that follow, we present our findings that challenge conventional wisdom and entertain unexpected correlations, prompting us to consider the possibility that there is indeed more than meets the eye (or the lung, for that matter) when it comes to matters of love and air quality. And as we analyze the data, we cannot help but quip, is love truly in the air, or is it just particulate matter? Let us embark on this journey of scientific investigation, armed with the spirit of inquiry, a dash of humor, and a thirst for discovery. For in the nexus of air pollution and romance comics, we may find a tale as old as time – or at least as old as the EPA database.


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 Air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd comics published about romance. 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 some cartoons and childrens' shows that you watched that are related to the topic.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
The X-Files: Investigating the Ties Between Air Pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd Romance Comics

[[ABSTRACT]]
Love is in the air, but so is pollution. This study delves into the seemingly whimsical yet curiously linked world of xkcd romance comics and the air quality in Oxford, North Carolina. Leveraging data from the Environmental Protection Agency and utilizing cutting-edge AI analysis of xkcd comics, we scrutinized whether there is a deeper, more romantic connection between these seemingly disparate elements. The results unveiled a surprising correlation coefficient of 0.8828717 and a statistically significant relationship (p < 0.01) between air pollution levels and the publication of xkcd comics about love and romance during the years 2007 to 2023. Our findings suggest that beneath the jokes and puns lie a scientifically intriguing link worthy of further exploration, proving once again that love is indeed in the air, albeit with a touch of pollutants.

-------

And here is the introduction section that led to this literature review:
[[INTRODUCTION]]
The quest to understand the intricacies of human behavior and the environment has led researchers to explore unexpected connections. In this study, we delve into the fascinating link between seemingly disparate elements: air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina, and the publication of xkcd comics about love and romance. While on the surface these two phenomena may appear as unrelated as a cat and a toaster, our investigation seeks to uncover the hidden threads that bind them together.
Love, a topic as old as time, has captivated the hearts and minds of poets, philosophers, and scientists alike. Simultaneously, air pollution, with its less picturesque reputation, has been a long-standing concern for public health and environmental advocates. Yet, could it be that their paths cross in a manner more profound than initially assumed? As we embark on our exploration, we are reminded of the words of the great philosopher Plato: "At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet." Could it be that, at the touch of air pollution, even a poet becomes someone with a runny nose and itchy eyes?
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a researcher in possession of an inquisitive mind must be in want of a worthy research question. Thus, we seek to address the following hypothesis: Is there a discernible relationship between the levels of air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina, and the publication of xkcd comics centered around themes of romance and love? Our inquiry is not merely whimsical; it is driven by the conviction that beneath the surface lies a statistical correlation that is worthy of scrutiny. After all, love may be a many-splendored thing, but can it endure when mixed with pollutants? This inquiry, while light-hearted in its conception, has the potential to shed light on the interplay between artistic expression and environmental factors, demonstrating that cupid's arrow may be influenced by more than just the whims of the heart.
In the pages that follow, we present our findings that challenge conventional wisdom and entertain unexpected correlations, prompting us to consider the possibility that there is indeed more than meets the eye (or the lung, for that matter) when it comes to matters of love and air quality. And as we analyze the data, we cannot help but quip, is love truly in the air, or is it just particulate matter? Let us embark on this journey of scientific investigation, armed with the spirit of inquiry, a dash of humor, and a thirst for discovery. For in the nexus of air pollution and romance comics, we may find a tale as old as time – or at least as old as the EPA database.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]



ChatGPT:
[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

The exploration of seemingly incongruous connections in the scientific world has led researchers to investigate the unlikeliest of correlations. In the realm of environmental studies, Smith et al. (2015) conducted a comprehensive analysis of air pollution in urban areas, highlighting the impact of particulate matter on respiratory health. Meanwhile, Doe (2018) examined the artistic representation of romance in modern digital media, providing insights into the evolving themes and expressions of love in the digital age. These serious studies laid the groundwork for our whimsical yet scientifically intriguing investigation into the relationship between air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina, and the publication of xkcd romance comics.

Building upon this foundation, Jones (2020) offered a thoughtful analysis of the socio-environmental factors influencing artistic creativity, shedding light on the potential interplay between environmental quality and artistic expression. The melding of these concepts, while seemingly far-fetched, forms the basis of our research endeavor, as we seek to unravel the enigmatic connection between air pollution and romance-themed xkcd comics.

Venturing beyond academic literature, we turn our attention to non-fiction works that address the intersection of human emotions and environmental phenomena. "The Hidden Life of Trees" by Peter Wohlleben, although primarily focused on the ecology of forests, invites us to contemplate the intricate relationships between living organisms and their surroundings, akin to our quest to uncover the hidden ties between air quality and love-inspired comics. Similarly, the work of Elizabeth Kolbert in "The Sixth Extinction" prompts us to ponder the profound influence of environmental changes on human culture and artistic expressions, providing an indirect parallel to the curious link we seek to explore.

Amidst the realm of fiction, the novels "Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel García Márquez and "The Air He Breathes" by Brittainy C. Cherry serve as symbolic nods to the intersection of love and environmental elements. While their narrative contexts differ significantly from our empirical investigation, the thematic resonance is undeniable, adding a touch of literary flair to our scholarly pursuit.

Transitioning to popular culture, we are reminded of the whimsical yet thought-provoking children's show "Captain Planet and the Planeteers," which espoused the virtues of environmental stewardship and teamwork, inspiring young minds to ponder the interconnectedness of human actions and environmental well-being. Additionally, the animated series "The Magic School Bus" playfully educated audiences about scientific concepts, inviting us to embrace the spirit of curiosity and wonder as we embark on our own exploratory journey into the peculiar bond between air pollution and xkcd romance comics.

With a lighthearted yet rigorous approach, we embark on our investigation, navigating the realms of empirical research, literature, and popular culture to illuminate the captivating, if somewhat whimsical, relationship between these seemingly unrelated elements. As we meld the serious with the playful, we thrust ourselves into the embrace of scientific inquiry, armed with curiosity and a hint of humor, to dissect the intricate dance between pollutants and passion in our quest to uncover the underlying ties that bind them together.



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 Air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd comics published about romance. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns. Stay serious and dry most of the time, but then occasionally let your wit shine through.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from Environmental Protection Agency and AI analysis of xkcd comics . You used data from 2007 to 2023

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]]
The X-Files: Investigating the Ties Between Air Pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd Romance Comics

[[ABSTRACT]]
Love is in the air, but so is pollution. This study delves into the seemingly whimsical yet curiously linked world of xkcd romance comics and the air quality in Oxford, North Carolina. Leveraging data from the Environmental Protection Agency and utilizing cutting-edge AI analysis of xkcd comics, we scrutinized whether there is a deeper, more romantic connection between these seemingly disparate elements. The results unveiled a surprising correlation coefficient of 0.8828717 and a statistically significant relationship (p < 0.01) between air pollution levels and the publication of xkcd comics about love and romance during the years 2007 to 2023. Our findings suggest that beneath the jokes and puns lie a scientifically intriguing link worthy of further exploration, proving once again that love is indeed in the air, albeit with a touch of pollutants.

[[INTRODUCTION]]
The quest to understand the intricacies of human behavior and the environment has led researchers to explore unexpected connections. In this study, we delve into the fascinating link between seemingly disparate elements: air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina, and the publication of xkcd comics about love and romance. While on the surface these two phenomena may appear as unrelated as a cat and a toaster, our investigation seeks to uncover the hidden threads that bind them together.
Love, a topic as old as time, has captivated the hearts and minds of poets, philosophers, and scientists alike. Simultaneously, air pollution, with its less picturesque reputation, has been a long-standing concern for public health and environmental advocates. Yet, could it be that their paths cross in a manner more profound than initially assumed? As we embark on our exploration, we are reminded of the words of the great philosopher Plato: "At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet." Could it be that, at the touch of air pollution, even a poet becomes someone with a runny nose and itchy eyes?
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a researcher in possession of an inquisitive mind must be in want of a worthy research question. Thus, we seek to address the following hypothesis: Is there a discernible relationship between the levels of air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina, and the publication of xkcd comics centered around themes of romance and love? Our inquiry is not merely whimsical; it is driven by the conviction that beneath the surface lies a statistical correlation that is worthy of scrutiny. After all, love may be a many-splendored thing, but can it endure when mixed with pollutants? This inquiry, while light-hearted in its conception, has the potential to shed light on the interplay between artistic expression and environmental factors, demonstrating that cupid's arrow may be influenced by more than just the whims of the heart.
In the pages that follow, we present our findings that challenge conventional wisdom and entertain unexpected correlations, prompting us to consider the possibility that there is indeed more than meets the eye (or the lung, for that matter) when it comes to matters of love and air quality. And as we analyze the data, we cannot help but quip, is love truly in the air, or is it just particulate matter? Let us embark on this journey of scientific investigation, armed with the spirit of inquiry, a dash of humor, and a thirst for discovery. For in the nexus of air pollution and romance comics, we may find a tale as old as time – or at least as old as the EPA database.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[METHODOLOGY]]



ChatGPT:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

To investigate the tantalizing connection between air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina, and the publication of xkcd romance comics, we employed a multifaceted methodology that combined traditional environmental data analysis with innovative AI techniques for comic interpretation. Our research team delved into the treasure trove of information available from the Environmental Protection Agency, accessing air quality measurements spanning the years 2007 to 2023. These data provided valuable insights into the levels of atmospheric pollutants, allowing us to quantify the extent of airborne particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, and other compounds that form the backdrop of life in Oxford.

Simultaneously, we ventured into the realm of web scraping and computational linguistics to extract and analyze a vast collection of xkcd comics focusing on themes of romance and love. Leveraging advanced AI algorithms, we scrutinized the nuances of each comic, delving into the intricacies of humor, irony, and the fundamental elements that compose the wit and wisdom of xkcd. This comprehensive approach enabled us to identify and categorize the romantic comics with a keen eye for detail, teasing out the subtle interplay between artistic expression and the timeless subject of love.

Our data analysis unfolded with the precision of a well-crafted punchline, as we meticulously correlated the fluctuations in air pollution levels with the publication dates of the identified romance-themed xkcd comics. By employing statistical techniques such as regression analysis and time series modeling, we sought to unravel the underlying patterns and unearth the potential relationship between these seemingly distinctive phenomena.

Moreover, in line with our commitment to robust methodological rigor, we also engaged in cross-validation procedures to validate the robustness of our findings. Our meticulous approach encompassed sensitivity analyses, Monte Carlo simulations, and bootstrapping techniques, ensuring that our correlations were not merely the product of statistical serendipity, but rather representative of a true association.

It is essential to note the limitations inherent in our methodology. Despite our best efforts, interpreting the whimsical and witty creations of xkcd comics poses inherent challenges, as the nuances of humor and satire are often an enigma that even the most advanced AI systems may struggle to fully penetrate. Nevertheless, our convergence of environmental data analysis with comic interpretation presented a novel endeavor that championed the exploration of uncharted territories at the intersection of art, humor, and environmental factors.

In summary, our methodology combined the precision of environmental data analysis with the finesse of computational linguistics and AI interpretation. This interdisciplinary approach underpinned our quest to uncover the unexpected correlations that animate the intricate dance between air pollution and romantic musings as espoused in xkcd comics, encapsulating both a serious pursuit of scientific inquiry and a lighthearted nod to the whimsical world of artistic expression.


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 Air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd comics published about romance. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns. Stay serious and dry most of the time, but then occasionally let your wit shine through.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from Environmental Protection Agency and AI analysis of xkcd comics .

For the time period 2007 to 2023, you found a correlation 0.8828717, r-squared of 0.7794624, 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]]
The X-Files: Investigating the Ties Between Air Pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd Romance Comics

[[ABSTRACT]]
Love is in the air, but so is pollution. This study delves into the seemingly whimsical yet curiously linked world of xkcd romance comics and the air quality in Oxford, North Carolina. Leveraging data from the Environmental Protection Agency and utilizing cutting-edge AI analysis of xkcd comics, we scrutinized whether there is a deeper, more romantic connection between these seemingly disparate elements. The results unveiled a surprising correlation coefficient of 0.8828717 and a statistically significant relationship (p < 0.01) between air pollution levels and the publication of xkcd comics about love and romance during the years 2007 to 2023. Our findings suggest that beneath the jokes and puns lie a scientifically intriguing link worthy of further exploration, proving once again that love is indeed in the air, albeit with a touch of pollutants.

-------

And here is the methodology section that led to this result:
[[METHODOLOGY]]
The quest to understand the intricacies of human behavior and the environment has led researchers to explore unexpected connections. In this study, we delve into the fascinating link between seemingly disparate elements: air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina, and the publication of xkcd comics about love and romance. While on the surface these two phenomena may appear as unrelated as a cat and a toaster, our investigation seeks to uncover the hidden threads that bind them together.
Love, a topic as old as time, has captivated the hearts and minds of poets, philosophers, and scientists alike. Simultaneously, air pollution, with its less picturesque reputation, has been a long-standing concern for public health and environmental advocates. Yet, could it be that their paths cross in a manner more profound than initially assumed? As we embark on our exploration, we are reminded of the words of the great philosopher Plato: "At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet." Could it be that, at the touch of air pollution, even a poet becomes someone with a runny nose and itchy eyes?
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a researcher in possession of an inquisitive mind must be in want of a worthy research question. Thus, we seek to address the following hypothesis: Is there a discernible relationship between the levels of air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina, and the publication of xkcd comics centered around themes of romance and love? Our inquiry is not merely whimsical; it is driven by the conviction that beneath the surface lies a statistical correlation that is worthy of scrutiny. After all, love may be a many-splendored thing, but can it endure when mixed with pollutants? This inquiry, while light-hearted in its conception, has the potential to shed light on the interplay between artistic expression and environmental factors, demonstrating that cupid's arrow may be influenced by more than just the whims of the heart.
In the pages that follow, we present our findings that challenge conventional wisdom and entertain unexpected correlations, prompting us to consider the possibility that there is indeed more than meets the eye (or the lung, for that matter) when it comes to matters of love and air quality. And as we analyze the data, we cannot help but quip, is love truly in the air, or is it just particulate matter? Let us embark on this journey of scientific investigation, armed with the spirit of inquiry, a dash of humor, and a thirst for discovery. For in the nexus of air pollution and romance comics, we may find a tale as old as time – or at least as old as the EPA database.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[RESULTS]]



ChatGPT:

[[RESULTS]]

Our investigation into the potential correlation between air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and the publication of xkcd romance comics has unveiled some captivating findings. Utilizing data from the Environmental Protection Agency and leveraging cutting-edge AI analysis of xkcd comics, we set out to uncover whether there exists a deeper, more romantic connection between these seemingly disparate elements.

Our analysis revealed a remarkable correlation coefficient of 0.8828717 between air pollution levels and the frequency of xkcd comics about love and romance. This strong correlation was further corroborated by an r-squared value of 0.7794624, indicating that approximately 78% of the variation in the publication of romance-themed xkcd comics can be explained by fluctuations in air pollution levels. These results were found to be statistically significant at the p < 0.01 level, highlighting the robustness of the observed relationship.

Moreover, our findings, encapsulated in the form of a scatterplot (Fig. 1), visually demonstrate the strong correlation between air pollution levels and the occurrence of romance-themed xkcd comics during the years 2007 to 2023. The striking alignment of data points in the scatterplot reaffirms the robustness and strength of the observed relationship.

In conclusion, our research has unearthed a surprising and scientifically intriguing link between air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and the publication of xkcd romance comics. These findings challenge conventional wisdom and offer a glimpse into the interplay between artistic expression and environmental factors. The statistically significant correlation observed prompts us to consider the possibility that matters of love and air quality are more interconnected than previously thought. This research not only sheds light on a captivating correlation but also serves as a reminder that sometimes, love is indeed in the air, albeit with a touch of pollutants - a tale as old as time, or at least as old as the EPA database.


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 Air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd comics published about romance. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns. Stay serious and dry most of the time, but then occasionally let your wit shine through.

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]]
The X-Files: Investigating the Ties Between Air Pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd Romance Comics

[[ABSTRACT]]
Love is in the air, but so is pollution. This study delves into the seemingly whimsical yet curiously linked world of xkcd romance comics and the air quality in Oxford, North Carolina. Leveraging data from the Environmental Protection Agency and utilizing cutting-edge AI analysis of xkcd comics, we scrutinized whether there is a deeper, more romantic connection between these seemingly disparate elements. The results unveiled a surprising correlation coefficient of 0.8828717 and a statistically significant relationship (p < 0.01) between air pollution levels and the publication of xkcd comics about love and romance during the years 2007 to 2023. Our findings suggest that beneath the jokes and puns lie a scientifically intriguing link worthy of further exploration, proving once again that love is indeed in the air, albeit with a touch of pollutants.

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]
The exploration of seemingly incongruous connections in the scientific world has led researchers to investigate the unlikeliest of correlations. In the realm of environmental studies, Smith et al. (2015) conducted a comprehensive analysis of air pollution in urban areas, highlighting the impact of particulate matter on respiratory health. Meanwhile, Doe (2018) examined the artistic representation of romance in modern digital media, providing insights into the evolving themes and expressions of love in the digital age. These serious studies laid the groundwork for our whimsical yet scientifically intriguing investigation into the relationship between air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina, and the publication of xkcd romance comics.
Building upon this foundation, Jones (2020) offered a thoughtful analysis of the socio-environmental factors influencing artistic creativity, shedding light on the potential interplay between environmental quality and artistic expression. The melding of these concepts, while seemingly far-fetched, forms the basis of our research endeavor, as we seek to unravel the enigmatic connection between air pollution and romance-themed xkcd comics.
Venturing beyond academic literature, we turn our attention to non-fiction works that address the intersection of human emotions and environmental phenomena. "The Hidden Life of Trees" by Peter Wohlleben, although primarily focused on the ecology of forests, invites us to contemplate the intricate relationships between living organisms and their surroundings, akin to our quest to uncover the hidden ties between air quality and love-inspired comics. Similarly, the work of Elizabeth Kolbert in "The Sixth Extinction" prompts us to ponder the profound influence of environmental changes on human culture and artistic expressions, providing an indirect parallel to the curious link we seek to explore.
Amidst the realm of fiction, the novels "Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel García Márquez and "The Air He Breathes" by Brittainy C. Cherry serve as symbolic nods to the intersection of love and environmental elements. While their narrative contexts differ significantly from our empirical investigation, the thematic resonance is undeniable, adding a touch of literary flair to our scholarly pursuit.
Transitioning to popular culture, we are reminded of the whimsical yet thought-provoking children's show "Captain Planet and the Planeteers," which espoused the virtues of environmental stewardship and teamwork, inspiring young minds to ponder the interconnectedness of human actions and environmental well-being. Additionally, the animated series "The Magic School Bus" playfully educated audiences about scientific concepts, inviting us to embrace the spirit of curiosity and wonder as we embark on our own exploratory journey into the peculiar bond between air pollution and xkcd romance comics.
With a lighthearted yet rigorous approach, we embark on our investigation, navigating the realms of empirical research, literature, and popular culture to illuminate the captivating, if somewhat whimsical, relationship between these seemingly unrelated elements. As we meld the serious with the playful, we thrust ourselves into the embrace of scientific inquiry, armed with curiosity and a hint of humor, to dissect the intricate dance between pollutants and passion in our quest to uncover the underlying ties that bind them together.


[[RESULTS]]
Our investigation into the potential correlation between air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and the publication of xkcd romance comics has unveiled some captivating findings. Utilizing data from the Environmental Protection Agency and leveraging cutting-edge AI analysis of xkcd comics, we set out to uncover whether there exists a deeper, more romantic connection between these seemingly disparate elements.
Our analysis revealed a remarkable correlation coefficient of 0.8828717 between air pollution levels and the frequency of xkcd comics about love and romance. This strong correlation was further corroborated by an r-squared value of 0.7794624, indicating that approximately 78% of the variation in the publication of romance-themed xkcd comics can be explained by fluctuations in air pollution levels. These results were found to be statistically significant at the p < 0.01 level, highlighting the robustness of the observed relationship.
Moreover, our findings, encapsulated in the form of a scatterplot (Fig. 1), visually demonstrate the strong correlation between air pollution levels and the occurrence of romance-themed xkcd comics during the years 2007 to 2023. The striking alignment of data points in the scatterplot reaffirms the robustness and strength of the observed relationship.
In conclusion, our research has unearthed a surprising and scientifically intriguing link between air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and the publication of xkcd romance comics. These findings challenge conventional wisdom and offer a glimpse into the interplay between artistic expression and environmental factors. The statistically significant correlation observed prompts us to consider the possibility that matters of love and air quality are more interconnected than previously thought. This research not only sheds light on a captivating correlation but also serves as a reminder that sometimes, love is indeed in the air, albeit with a touch of pollutants - a tale as old as time, or at least as old as the EPA database.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[DISCUSSION]]



ChatGPT:

The results of our study reveal a remarkable correlation between air pollution levels in Oxford, North Carolina and the publication of xkcd romance comics. This unexpected relationship, while initially whimsical in nature, is supported by prior research that has delved into the unlikely correlations in the scientific realm.

Smith et al. (2015) explored the impact of particulate matter on respiratory health in urban areas, providing a serious backdrop for our investigation into the potential link between air quality and artistic expression. The robust correlation coefficient of 0.8828717 obtained in our study echoes the need for further exploration of how environmental factors can influence creative endeavors. This connection, seemingly far-fetched, is underpinned by the findings of Doe (2018), who examined the evolving themes of love in digital media, validating our pursuit of uncovering the deeper, more romantic implications of air pollution.

In addition, Jones (2020) shed light on the socio-environmental factors that influence artistic creativity, indirectly laying the groundwork for our investigation. The statistically significant relationship we uncovered supports the notion that environmental quality may indeed play a role in shaping artistic expression, particularly in the domain of romance-themed comics.

Our findings not only align with previous literature but also defy conventional expectations, emphasizing the importance of embracing curiosity and wonder in scientific inquiry. The strong correlation observed, as visually depicted in the scatterplot, underscores the substantial influence of air pollution on the publication of romance-themed xkcd comics. This unexpected correlation challenges preconceived notions and prompts a reevaluation of the interconnectedness of environmental factors and artistic creations.

Despite the lighthearted nature of our inquiry, the statistically significant relationship between air pollution and romance-themed xkcd comics presents a compelling case for the intersection of seemingly disparate phenomena. This unexpected connection highlights the intriguing dance between pollutants and passion, demonstrating that matters of love may indeed be intertwined with environmental variables. Our study not only supports the need for further exploration but also serves as a reminder that science, like romance, often surprises us with delightful twists and unexpected connections.


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 Air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd comics published about romance. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns. Stay serious and dry most of the time, but then occasionally let your wit shine through.

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]]
The X-Files: Investigating the Ties Between Air Pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd Romance Comics

[[ABSTRACT]]
Love is in the air, but so is pollution. This study delves into the seemingly whimsical yet curiously linked world of xkcd romance comics and the air quality in Oxford, North Carolina. Leveraging data from the Environmental Protection Agency and utilizing cutting-edge AI analysis of xkcd comics, we scrutinized whether there is a deeper, more romantic connection between these seemingly disparate elements. The results unveiled a surprising correlation coefficient of 0.8828717 and a statistically significant relationship (p < 0.01) between air pollution levels and the publication of xkcd comics about love and romance during the years 2007 to 2023. Our findings suggest that beneath the jokes and puns lie a scientifically intriguing link worthy of further exploration, proving once again that love is indeed in the air, albeit with a touch of pollutants.

[[INTRDUCTION]]
The quest to understand the intricacies of human behavior and the environment has led researchers to explore unexpected connections. In this study, we delve into the fascinating link between seemingly disparate elements: air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina, and the publication of xkcd comics about love and romance. While on the surface these two phenomena may appear as unrelated as a cat and a toaster, our investigation seeks to uncover the hidden threads that bind them together.
Love, a topic as old as time, has captivated the hearts and minds of poets, philosophers, and scientists alike. Simultaneously, air pollution, with its less picturesque reputation, has been a long-standing concern for public health and environmental advocates. Yet, could it be that their paths cross in a manner more profound than initially assumed? As we embark on our exploration, we are reminded of the words of the great philosopher Plato: "At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet." Could it be that, at the touch of air pollution, even a poet becomes someone with a runny nose and itchy eyes?
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a researcher in possession of an inquisitive mind must be in want of a worthy research question. Thus, we seek to address the following hypothesis: Is there a discernible relationship between the levels of air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina, and the publication of xkcd comics centered around themes of romance and love? Our inquiry is not merely whimsical; it is driven by the conviction that beneath the surface lies a statistical correlation that is worthy of scrutiny. After all, love may be a many-splendored thing, but can it endure when mixed with pollutants? This inquiry, while light-hearted in its conception, has the potential to shed light on the interplay between artistic expression and environmental factors, demonstrating that cupid's arrow may be influenced by more than just the whims of the heart.
In the pages that follow, we present our findings that challenge conventional wisdom and entertain unexpected correlations, prompting us to consider the possibility that there is indeed more than meets the eye (or the lung, for that matter) when it comes to matters of love and air quality. And as we analyze the data, we cannot help but quip, is love truly in the air, or is it just particulate matter? Let us embark on this journey of scientific investigation, armed with the spirit of inquiry, a dash of humor, and a thirst for discovery. For in the nexus of air pollution and romance comics, we may find a tale as old as time – or at least as old as the EPA database.

[[RESULTS]]
Our investigation into the potential correlation between air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and the publication of xkcd romance comics has unveiled some captivating findings. Utilizing data from the Environmental Protection Agency and leveraging cutting-edge AI analysis of xkcd comics, we set out to uncover whether there exists a deeper, more romantic connection between these seemingly disparate elements.
Our analysis revealed a remarkable correlation coefficient of 0.8828717 between air pollution levels and the frequency of xkcd comics about love and romance. This strong correlation was further corroborated by an r-squared value of 0.7794624, indicating that approximately 78% of the variation in the publication of romance-themed xkcd comics can be explained by fluctuations in air pollution levels. These results were found to be statistically significant at the p < 0.01 level, highlighting the robustness of the observed relationship.
Moreover, our findings, encapsulated in the form of a scatterplot (Fig. 1), visually demonstrate the strong correlation between air pollution levels and the occurrence of romance-themed xkcd comics during the years 2007 to 2023. The striking alignment of data points in the scatterplot reaffirms the robustness and strength of the observed relationship.
In conclusion, our research has unearthed a surprising and scientifically intriguing link between air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and the publication of xkcd romance comics. These findings challenge conventional wisdom and offer a glimpse into the interplay between artistic expression and environmental factors. The statistically significant correlation observed prompts us to consider the possibility that matters of love and air quality are more interconnected than previously thought. This research not only sheds light on a captivating correlation but also serves as a reminder that sometimes, love is indeed in the air, albeit with a touch of pollutants - a tale as old as time, or at least as old as the EPA database.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[CONCLUSION]]



ChatGPT:

[[CONCLUSION]]
In the realm of academe, we often find ourselves unearthing connections that tickle the intellect and pique the curiosity, even in the most unexpected places. Our exploration into the association between air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina, and the publication of xkcd romance comics has not only enriched our understanding but has also evoked a sense of amusement at the whimsical interplay of seemingly unrelated phenomena. As we navigate through the labyrinth of data and statistical analyses, one cannot help but marvel at the boisterous tango of pollutants and passion, as if Mother Nature were choreographing a ballet of statistical significance.
The robust correlation coefficient of 0.8828717 and the compelling r-squared value of 0.7794624 unveiled in our study emphasize an entwined narrative that is as engaging as it is statistically rigorous. It is as if the scent of love lingers in the air, intertwining with the molecules of carbon monoxide and ozone, creating a concoction that titillates the senses and ignites the imagination. Our scatterplot (Fig. 1) serves as a visual testament to the enchanting correlation, inviting onlookers to ponder whether the pen of the comic artist is swayed by the winds of pollution.
This research not only broadens our scientific horizons but also paints a humorous tableau of the intersection between art and environmental factors. It offers a reminder that love, much like a canary in a coal mine, may be more attuned to the subtle fluctuations in air quality than previously acknowledged. As we draw the curtains on this remarkable investigation, we must acknowledge that in the grand theater of scientific inquiry, there are moments where the cosmos unfolds its playful side, urging us to embrace the unexpected and relish the confluence of the serious and the whimsical.
In light of these compelling findings, we assert that further investigation into the intersection of air pollution and romantic artistic expression, specifically through the medium of xkcd comics, is not only warranted but necessary for a comprehensive appreciation of the human and environmental experience. As such, it is our esteemed recommendation that no more research is needed in this area. After all, when the heart and the lungs conspire, the result is a tale more captivating than the plot of any romantic comedy.


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 The X-Files: Investigating the Ties Between Air Pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd Romance Comics. Respond only with the name of a fictional academic journal.

ChatGPT:

The Journal of Irreverent Ecological 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 The X-Files: Investigating the Ties Between Air Pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd Romance Comics. Respond only with the name of a fictional organization.

ChatGPT:

The Institute for Comic and Environmental Studies (ICES)


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 The X-Files: Investigating the Ties Between Air Pollution in Oxford, North Carolina and xkcd Romance Comics with an abstract of Love is in the air, but so is pollution. This study delves into the seemingly whimsical yet curiously linked world of xkcd romance comics and the air quality in Oxford, North Carolina. Leveraging data from the Environmental Protection Agency and utilizing cutting-edge AI analysis of xkcd comics, we scrutinized whether there is a deeper, more romantic connection between these seemingly disparate elements. The results unveiled a surprising correlation coefficient of 0.8828717 and a statistically significant relationship (p < 0.01) between air pollution levels and the publication of xkcd comics about love and romance during the years 2007 to 2023. Our findings suggest that beneath the jokes and puns lie a scientifically intriguing link worthy of further exploration, proving once again that love is indeed in the air, albeit with a touch of pollutants.

ChatGPT:

XKCD romance comics, Air quality in Oxford North Carolina, Pollution and romance, Environmental Protection Agency data analysis, AI analysis of XKCD comics, Correlation between air pollution and romance comics, Relationship between air quality and romance, Air pollution levels and publication of romance comics, Scientific exploration of love and air pollution

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



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Data details

Air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina
Detailed data title: Percentage of days with air quality at 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' or worse in Oxford, NC
Source: Environmental Protection Agency
See what else correlates with Air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina

xkcd comics published about romance
Detailed data title: The number of xkcd comics published each year about romance
Source: AI analysis of xkcd comics
Additional Info: I designed a Python workflow to perform OCR on every xkcd comic, feed that text into a large language model, and ask the model whether this comic was about the category named in the title.

See what else correlates with xkcd comics published about romance

Correlation r = 0.8828717 (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 = 0.7794624 (Coefficient of determination)
This means 77.9% of the change in the one variable (i.e., xkcd comics published about romance) is predictable based on the change in the other (i.e., Air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina) over the 17 years from 2007 through 2023.

p < 0.01, which is statistically significant(Null hypothesis significance test)
The p-value is 2.7E-6. 0.0000026909300367448510000000
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 0.88 in 0.00027% of random cases. Said differently, if you correlated 371,619 random variables You don't actually need 371 thousand 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 16 degrees of freedom, Degrees of freedom is a measure of how many free components we are testing. In this case it is 16 because we have two variables measured over a period of 17 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.

[ 0.7, 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.
20072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina (Bad air quality days)12.61687.009351.401872.803741.886792.336450000000000.4098360.546448
xkcd comics published about romance (xkcd comics)38352128111834323115635




Why this works

  1. Data dredging: I have 25,237 variables in my database. I compare all these variables against each other to find ones that randomly match up. That's 636,906,169 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.




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([12.6168,7.00935,1.40187,2.80374,1.88679,2.33645,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0.409836,0.546448,])
array_2 = np.array([38,35,21,28,11,18,3,4,3,2,3,1,1,5,6,3,5,])
array_1_name = "Air pollution in Oxford, North Carolina"
array_2_name = "xkcd comics published about romance"

# 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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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.

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Correlation ID: 5712 · Black Variable ID: 21031 · Red Variable ID: 20013
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