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spurious correlations

correlation is not causation

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where each of these is an academic paper
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is The number of mechanical drafters in Colorado and the second variable is Season wins for the Denver Broncos. The chart goes from 2003 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #1,914

Drawing Conclusions: The Drafting of Mechanical Drafters in Colorado and the Quarterback Drafting for the Denver Broncos
As the number of mechanical drafters in Colorado decreased, there was a subtle but significant shift in the airflow dynamics across the state. This unexpected change in air currents led to a slight disruption in the trajectory of footballs during crucial game moments. Essentially, the absence of these drafters inadvertently drafted a new playbook for Mother Nature, giving a whole new meaning to the phrase "air support" for the Denver Broncos.



What else correlates?
The number of mechanical drafters in Colorado · all cccupations
Season wins for the Denver Broncos · all sports
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is How insightful OverSimplified YouTube video titles are and the second variable is Snowfall in Chicago. The chart goes from 2016 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #5,924

SnowWay! The Chilling Influence of OverSimplified YouTube Video Titles on Snowfall in Chicago
As the snow piles up, so does our understanding of history, thanks to these chill-inducing video titles. It's like each flake brings a new perspective, coating our brains in a fresh layer of knowledge. Clearing the way for some seriously enlightening content, this winter wonderland is definitely not flaking out when it comes to sparking curiosity. So, grab a blanket, cozy up, and get ready to have your mind snowverhauled with these insightful Oversimplified video titles. Remember, when it comes to learning, the forecast calls for a blizzard of brilliance! Stay toasty, stay curious, and let it snow, let it Oversimplify!



What else correlates?
How insightful OverSimplified YouTube video titles are · all YouTube
Snowfall in Chicago · all weather
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Popularity of the first name Killian and the second variable is Automotive recalls for issues with the Air Bags. The chart goes from 1990 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #2,599

The Air Bag Flair and the Name Affair: Exploring the Correlation Between Killian and Recalls
As more babies were named Killian, the collective toddler energy apparently disrupted the delicate air bag sensors. It's a little-known phenomenon called 'infantile air bag agitation syndrome.' The automotive industry has a new challenge to address - designing baby-proof air bag systems. It's a real conundrum - how to keep up with the changing demographics of car passengers. But rest assured, car manufacturers are taking a hands-on approach to this unexpected correlation.



What else correlates?
Popularity of the first name Killian · all first names
Automotive recalls for issues with the Air Bags · all weird & wacky
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Butter consumption and the second variable is The number of epidemiologists in Colorado. The chart goes from 2005 to 2020, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #2,246

The Butter Effect: A Statistical Analysis of Butter Consumption and the Proportion of Epidemiologists in Colorado
As butter consumption in Colorado increased, so did the demand for larger sample sizes in epidemiological studies. This led to a surge in funding for public health research, prompting a migration of epidemiologists to the state, lured by the opportunity to conduct margarineally significant studies and spread their knowledge like, well, butter.



What else correlates?
Butter consumption · all food
The number of epidemiologists in Colorado · all cccupations
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Annual US household spending on eggs and the second variable is Emerson Electric Co.'s stock price (EMR). The chart goes from 2002 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #2,009

Eggs-travagant Expenses: Examining the Amusing Association between Annual US Household Spending on Eggs and Emerson Electric Co.'s Stock Price
As household spending on eggs went up, so did the demand for egg-related products, like egg poachers and omelet pans. This surge in demand made Emerson Electric Co.'s stock crackle and pop on the market, leading to an over-easy rise in their stock price. It seems like the secret to their success was simply eggs-quisite!



What else correlates?
Annual US household spending on eggs · all weird & wacky
Emerson Electric Co.'s stock price (EMR) · all stocks
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Popularity of the first name Tyler and the second variable is Gasoline pumped in Italy. The chart goes from 1980 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #1,080

The Pump Factor: Exploring the Tyler-Fueled Relationship Between Name Popularity and Gasoline Consumption in Italy
Perhaps every time someone named Tyler walked by a gas station in Italy, the gas pumps were inexplicably activated by some kind of "Tyler" recognition technology, leading to a surge in gasoline pumped. It's as if the Tylers had some secret power to fuel the Italian gas industry, quite literally. It's a name-based enigma that has left both statisticians and gas station attendants scratching their heads in bewilderment!



What else correlates?
Popularity of the first name Tyler · all first names
Gasoline pumped in Italy · all energy
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is The distance between Venus and Mercury and the second variable is The number of nursing assistants in Indiana. The chart goes from 2012 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #2,732

Vexing Venus and Mercurial Metrics: Exploring the Eccentric Relationship Between Planetary Proximity and Nursing Personnel in Indiana
As the distance between Venus and Mercury shrinks, their gravitational pull forms a cosmic vacuum cleaner effect. This inadvertently sucks up the motivation for nursing assistant jobs in Indiana, leading to a decrease in their numbers. It's a case of celestial bodies creating celestial job changes!



What else correlates?
The distance between Venus and Mercury · all planets
The number of nursing assistants in Indiana · all cccupations
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Associates degrees awarded in Science technologies and the second variable is Google searches for 'avocado toast'. The chart goes from 2011 to 2021, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #2,965

Avocado Toast Boasts: Associating Science Technicians with Brunch Addicts
As more students studied science technologies, they engineered a way to create perfectly ripe avocados on demand, leading to a surge in avocado toast popularity. It's a toast to technological advancements in brunch cuisine!



What else correlates?
Associates degrees awarded in Science technologies · all education
Google searches for 'avocado toast' · all google searches
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Popularity of the first name Blanca and the second variable is Robberies in Texas. The chart goes from 1985 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #2,498

The White Robbery: Unraveling the Correlation Between the Popularity of the Name Blanca and Robberies in Texas
As the popularity of the name Blanca decreased, there were fewer people named Blanca in Texas. This led to a significant decline in the formation of all-female heist crews, who were notorious for their daring Texas bank robberies. With fewer Blanca's participating, the overall violent crime rate in Texas naturally saw a decrease.



What else correlates?
Popularity of the first name Blanca · all first names
Robberies in Texas · all random state specific
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is The number of movies Amy Poehler appeared in and the second variable is Popularity of the 'whip nae nae' meme. The chart goes from 2015 to 2023, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #5,865

Whip it Good: The Amy Poehler Effect on the 'Whip Nae Nae' Meme Phenomenon
As the number of movies Amy Poehler appeared in decreased, there were less Leslie Knope-inspired dance moves to go around. This led to a shortage in quirky, yet endearing dance materials, ultimately causing a decline in the popularity of the 'whip nae nae' meme.



What else correlates?
The number of movies Amy Poehler appeared in · all films & actors
Popularity of the 'whip nae nae' meme · all memes
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Google searches for 'Taylor Swift' and the second variable is Fossil fuel use in British Virgin Islands. The chart goes from 2006 to 2021, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #5,825

Shake It Off: Unearthing the Correlation between Taylor Swift Searches and Fossil Fuel Usage in British Virgin Islands
As Taylor Swift's music and drama captivated the residents of British Virgin Islands, they found themselves embroiled in a whirlwind of emotions. In an attempt to power through the heartbreaks and shake off the bad vibes, they impulsively cranked up their air conditioners, leading to a surge in fossil fuel use. It seems that in this island paradise, Taylor's chart-topping hits inadvertently became the soundtrack to unsustainable energy consumption.



What else correlates?
Google searches for 'Taylor Swift' · all google searches
Fossil fuel use in British Virgin Islands · all energy
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Number of public school students in 9th grade and the second variable is Bank of America's stock price (BAC). The chart goes from 2002 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #1,828

Number Crunching: The 9th Grade Effect on Bank of America's Stock Price
As the number of 9th graders enrolled in public school rises, so does the demand for school supplies. This spike in demand leads to an unexpected boon for Bank of America, as students and parents rush to open new savings accounts to budget for the academic year. It's truly a case of BAC-to-school banking, where even the slightest increase in young scholars translates to greater interest in the stock market.



What else correlates?
Number of public school students in 9th grade · all education
Bank of America's stock price (BAC) · all stocks
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Searches for 'never gonna give you up' and the second variable is Google searches for 'who is elon musk'. The chart goes from 2006 to 2023, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #4,986

Rickrolling Over Elon: A Meme-orable Correlation
As the 'never gonna give you up' meme gained traction, more and more people couldn't resist clicking on mysterious links, leading them down internet rabbit holes. One minute they're enjoying a retro rickroll, the next they're questioning the nature of reality and the enigmatic presence of a certain real-life Tony Stark.



What else correlates?
Searches for 'never gonna give you up' · all memes
Google searches for 'who is elon musk' · all google searches
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is The number of physicists in California and the second variable is Michael Schumacher's Formula One Ranking. The chart goes from 2003 to 2012, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #3,705

Physics Folks and Schumacher's Strokes: The Link Between California Physicists and Formula One Rankings
As the number of physicists in California rose, so did the development of advanced car technology. These physicists were really driving innovation in the automotive industry, leading to faster and more efficient race cars. It seems they were the ones who truly understood the physics of speed, propelling Michael Schumacher to higher rankings. It was a case of Golden State of Mind meets Pole Position!



What else correlates?
The number of physicists in California · all cccupations
Michael Schumacher's Formula One Ranking · all weird & wacky
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is The distance between Uranus and the moon and the second variable is Electricity generation in Japan. The chart goes from 1980 to 2021, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #2,730

The Lunar Shock: Exploring the Uranus-Moon Distance and Electricity Generation in Japan
The gravitational tug-of-war between Uranus and the moon created cosmic ripples that energized Earth's magnetic field, leading to a boost in electricity generation in Japan. As the celestial dance unfolded, the power networks on our planet found themselves unexpectedly charged up, proving once and for all that when it comes to electricity, even astronomical distances can't keep the spark away!



What else correlates?
The distance between Uranus and the moon · all planets
Electricity generation in Japan · all energy
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Associates degrees awarded in History and the second variable is Centene's stock price (CNC). The chart goes from 2011 to 2021, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #2,709

: Historical Histories: A Hilarious Hodgepodge of Associates degrees and Centene's Stock Price
As the number of history buffs with Associate's degrees rises, so does their appreciation for the importance of coverage. It's like these grads are creating a health insurance Renaissance, leading to a boom in demand for Centene's services. It's clear that when it comes to shaping Centene's success, these history-minded individuals are making a real, ahistorical impact on the stock price.



What else correlates?
Associates degrees awarded in History · all education
Centene's stock price (CNC) · all stocks
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Per capita consumption of margarine and the second variable is The divorce rate in Maine. The chart goes from 2000 to 2009, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
View details about correlation #5,920

Spreading Love and Margarine: An Examination of the Butter-Splitter Correlation in Maine
Perhaps as people used less margarine, they became less slippery in their relationships. The lack of artificial spread may have kept the couples from buttering each other up, leading to a decrease in overall marital strife. That's the reality when you can't believe it's not butter - it's a recipe for marital success. Alternatively, it could be that as the margarine consumption decreased, so did the overall slickness in the state, leading to fewer instances of partners feeling like they couldn't grip the marriage.



What else correlates?
Per capita consumption of margarine · all food
The divorce rate in Maine · all random state specific
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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.” Fun fact: the chart used on the wikipedia page to demonstrate data dredging is also from me. I've been being naughty with data since 2014.
    Instead of starting with a hypothesis and testing it, I instead tossed a bunch of data in a blender to see what correlations would 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 no direct connection between these variables, despite what the AI says above. 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.
    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. You will often see trend-lines form. 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 naive p-value calculation does not take this into account. You will calculate a lower chance of "randomly" achieving the result than represents reality.

    To be more specific: p-value tests are probability values, where you are calculating the probability of achieving a result at least as extreme as you found completely by chance. When calculating a p-value, you need to assert how many "degrees of freedom" your variable has. I count each year (minus one) as a "degree of freedom," but this is misleading for continuous variables.

    This kind of thing can creep up on you pretty easily when using p-values, which is why it's best to take it as "one of many" inputs that help you assess the results of your analysis.
  4. Y-axes doesn't start at zero: I truncated the Y-axes of the graphs above. I also used a line graph, which makes the visual connection stand out more than it deserves. Nothing against line graphs. They are great at telling a story when you have linear data! But visually it is deceptive because the only data is at the points on the graph, not the lines on the graph. In between each point, the data could have been doing anything. Like going for a random walk by itself!
    Mathematically what I showed is true, but it is intentionally misleading. If you click on any of the charts that abuse this, you can scroll down to see a version that starts at zero.
  5. Confounding variable: Confounding variables (like global pandemics) will cause two variables to look connected when in fact a "sneaky third" variable is influencing both of them behind the scenes.
  6. Outliers: Some datasets here have outliers which drag up the correlation. 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.

    Because this page is automatically generated, I don't know whether any of the charts displayed on it have outliers. I'm just a footnote. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
    I intentionally mishandeled outliers, which makes the correlation look extra strong.
  7. Low n: There are not many data points included in some of these charts. You can do analyses with low ns! But you shouldn't data dredge with a low n.
    Even if the p-value is high, we should be suspicious of using so few datapoints in a correlation.

Pro-tip: click on any correlation to see:

Project by Tyler Vigen
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