spurious correlations
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View details about correlation #5,137
Putting the Surprised in Statistical Significance: An Examination of the 'Surprised Pikachu' Meme and its Impact on Middle School Teacher Population in Puerto Rico
As the 'surprised Pikachu' meme gained traction, it led to an uptick in internet usage. This surge in online activity put a higher demand on the telecommunication infrastructure in Puerto Rico. To meet this demand, more tech companies invested in the region, creating job opportunities. With the expanding job market, there was a need for additional educators to support the growing number of families relocating to Puerto Rico. As a result, the popularity of the meme indirectly contributed to an increase in the number of middle school teachers in Puerto Rico.
View details about correlation #4,541
Delving into the Democrat Vote- Jet Fuel Duo: A Delightful Discovery
Perhaps the Democrats promised to bring some "green energy" solutions to the table, revving up their campaign with a focus on alternative fuels. This ignited a "political climate change" in Delaware, leading to a surge in support for the party. As the enthusiasm for the Democratic candidate soared higher than a jumbo jet, it somehow fueled a ripple effect that reached all the way to Greenland, causing a "political jet stream" that lifted the demand for jet fuel. It's like they say, "where there's a 'blue' wave, there's a 'fuele' wave!" The connection may seem as far-fetched as a trans-Atlantic flight, but hey, in the world of wacky correlations, anything can happen!
What else correlates?
Votes for the Democratic Presidential candidate in Delaware · all elections
Jet fuel used in Greenland · all energy
Votes for the Democratic Presidential candidate in Delaware · all elections
Jet fuel used in Greenland · all energy
View details about correlation #1,528
The Stellar Influence of Alanna: A Celestial Analysis of Name Popularity and Planetary Distance
As more and more babies were named Alanna, the collective sound frequency of their parents proudly calling out to them created small but measurable sonic waves. Over time, these waves interfered with the gravitational pull between Uranus and Venus, inadvertently nudging them slightly further apart. The Alanna Effect, as it was dubbed by baffled astronomers, led to reevaluations of celestial mechanics and left everyone marveling at the cosmic consequences of baby name trends.
What else correlates?
Popularity of the first name Alanna · all first names
The distance between Uranus and Venus · all planets
Popularity of the first name Alanna · all first names
The distance between Uranus and Venus · all planets
View details about correlation #5,945
Silly Smol Searches and Satisfied Sky-surfers: An Alliterative Assessment of American Airlines’ Customer Satisfaction
As the internet's love for all things small grew, it inadvertently shrank American Airlines' list of customer complaints. It seems that the more people fixated on tiny, adorable things, the less they noticed the eensy-weensy inconveniences of air travel. It's as if the nation collectively decided that size really does matter, but in this case, smaller was better for everyone's happiness at 30,000 feet. So, perhaps the secret to a smoother flight experience wasn't just in the friendly skies, but in embracing the smol joys that make all the difference!
What else correlates?
Google searches for 'smol' · all google searches
Customer satisfaction with American Airlines · all weird & wacky
Google searches for 'smol' · all google searches
Customer satisfaction with American Airlines · all weird & wacky
View details about correlation #4,284
Unraveling Threads of Influence: The Stitch Between Sewing Machine Operators in Iowa and Total Comment-ary on minutephysics YouTube Videos
As the skilled sewing machine operators dwindled in Iowa, their exceptional hand-eye coordination and nimble finger movements were sorely missed. This led to a decrease in the overall dexterity of the Iowa population. Consequently, Iowans found it increasingly challenging to perform tiny tasks, such as typing comments on minutephysics videos with the same level of precision and speed as before. This ultimately resulted in a dip in the total comments on minutephysics YouTube videos.
View details about correlation #2,740
Mastering the Winds: A Study of the Relationship Between Master's Degrees in Military Technologies and Wind Power Generation in Kazakhstan
As more military technology experts obtained their Master's degrees, they realized they could harness the power of top-secret, state-of-the-art wind technology to enhance Kazakhstan's wind power production. Armed with a deeper understanding of airflow dynamics and strategic wind turbine placement, these Master's graduates deployed their expertise to propel the nation's wind energy initiatives to new heights. In a twist of fate, their mission to defend the country ultimately blew new life into Kazakhstan's renewable energy sector.
What else correlates?
Master's degrees awarded in Military technologies · all education
Wind power generated in Kazakhstan · all energy
Master's degrees awarded in Military technologies · all education
Wind power generated in Kazakhstan · all energy
View details about correlation #5,885
Edith or Not, Here Comes Delta: Analyzing the Edith Popularity and Delta Airlines' Stock Price Connection
As the name Edith gained popularity, there was a corresponding surge in grandmas jet-setting across the globe. These stylish senior citizens, or as some may call them "Edith-orial travelers", developed a preference for flying with Delta, leading to a boost in ticket sales and ultimately causing Delta Airlines' stock price to soar. It seems like this name trend really took off for the airline!
What else correlates?
Popularity of the first name Edith · all first names
Delta Airlines' stock price (DAL) · all stocks
Popularity of the first name Edith · all first names
Delta Airlines' stock price (DAL) · all stocks
View details about correlation #2,607
Airmail Tales: The Vertigo of Postage Costs and Google Searches
People are getting light-headed from the shock of the new postage rates, leading to an uptick in searches for "i am dizzy." It's a real mail-biter!
What else correlates?
Cost to send a letter via the USPS · all weird & wacky
Google searches for 'i am dizzy' · all google searches
Cost to send a letter via the USPS · all weird & wacky
Google searches for 'i am dizzy' · all google searches
View details about correlation #4,956
From Business Degrees to 'Scumbag Steve': A Meme-orable Correlation
As the number of Business and management Associates degrees awarded decreased, there was a corresponding decline in the production of office 'scumbags', leading to a decreased relevance for the 'scumbag steve' meme. Turns out, they couldn't manage to stay scummy without their degrees!
What else correlates?
Associates degrees awarded in Business and management · all education
Popularity of the 'scumbag steve' meme · all memes
Associates degrees awarded in Business and management · all education
Popularity of the 'scumbag steve' meme · all memes
View details about correlation #2,927
Sunny Bunny, Money Honey: Investing in CRM with a Name that’s Funny
As the number of Sunnys grew, so did the demand for sunshine, leading to an overall increase in positivity. This positivity somehow found its way into the stock market, specifically boosting the performance of Salesforce, the leading provider of cloud-based solutions. It's like a ray of financial sunshine beaming down on CRM!
What else correlates?
Popularity of the first name Sunny · all first names
Salesforce's stock price (CRM) · all stocks
Popularity of the first name Sunny · all first names
Salesforce's stock price (CRM) · all stocks
View details about correlation #5,934
Putting the Assist in Assistance: A Statistical Examination of Mike Modano's NHL Goal Assists and Customer Satisfaction with CVS
As Mike Modano's regular season NHL goal assists increased, so did the average number of smiles per game in the stands. The higher level of happiness and positivity in the air at NHL games was carried back to the local communities, leading to an unexpected surge in polite and friendly behavior at CVS stores. It's as if Modano's assists were not just on the ice, but also in creating a more pleasant and satisfying shopping experience for CVS customers. Who knew that the path to CVS satisfaction ran through the heart of a hockey rink?
What else correlates?
Mike Modano's regular season NHL goal assists · all sports
Customer satisfaction with CVS · all weird & wacky
Mike Modano's regular season NHL goal assists · all sports
Customer satisfaction with CVS · all weird & wacky
View details about correlation #2,450
Stinky Business: The Symbiotic Relationship Between Sewage Workers in Alabama and Electricity Generation in Antarctica
As the septic tank and sewer pipe business in Alabama boomed, it created a wave of productivity. This surge in the number 2 industry sent a ripple effect all the way to Antarctica, where it sparked a shocking increase in electricity generation. It seems that when it comes to power, the connection really stinks!
View details about correlation #4,960
Caught in the World Wide Web: An Arachnid Meme's Influence on Search Queries
As the 'spiderman pointing' meme gained traction, more and more people found themselves pointing at random things, including their Amazon Echo devices. This inadvertently activated Alexa, prompting users to ask, "Who is Alexa?" in an attempt to make sense of the unexpected interactions with their digital assistant. So, remember folks, with great meme power comes great Googling of unexpected questions!
What else correlates?
Popularity of the 'spiderman pointing' meme · all memes
Google searches for 'who is alexa' · all google searches
Popularity of the 'spiderman pointing' meme · all memes
Google searches for 'who is alexa' · all google searches
View details about correlation #4,001
Theodore-Market Connection: A Bear-ly Believable Link Between Baby Names and Banks
As the number of Theodores rose, so did the call for financial prudence. The correlation was clear: more Theodores meant more "bear"ish investors, leading to a surge in demand for banking services. It seems Theodores really were 'in the money', living up to their name's Greek origin, 'gift of God', by bestowing blessings on the stock market. The connection between Theodore and HDB was un-bear-ably strong!
What else correlates?
Popularity of the first name Theodore · all first names
HDFC Bank's stock price (HDB) · all stocks
Popularity of the first name Theodore · all first names
HDFC Bank's stock price (HDB) · all stocks
View details about correlation #1,192
The Link Between Liberal Arts Lovers and xkcd Philosophical Wits: A Statistical Rhyme
As the number of liberal arts graduates dwindled, there were fewer people left to ponder the deep, existential questions posed in xkcd comics. This led to a philosophical drought in the xkcd creative process, ultimately resulting in a decrease in such thought-provoking content.
What else correlates?
Bachelor's degrees awarded in Liberal arts · all education
xkcd comics published about philosophy · all weird & wacky
Bachelor's degrees awarded in Liberal arts · all education
xkcd comics published about philosophy · all weird & wacky
View details about correlation #3,738
The Solar Soar: Exploring the Correlation Between Belizean Solar Power and Florida's Fire Inspectors
The influx of Solar power from Belize sparked a fiery competition in Florida to hire more fire inspectors. As the solar panels soaked up the Belizean sun, it led to an intensifying heat wave in Florida, prompting the need for more vigilant fire safety measures. It seems the connection between Belize and Florida is truly electric, igniting a burning desire to amp up the fire inspection workforce. Looks like the Sunshine State couldn't resist the opportunity to blaze a trail in fire safety, all thanks to a little spark from Belize.
What else correlates?
Solar power generated in Belize · all energy
The number of fire inspectors in Florida · all cccupations
Solar power generated in Belize · all energy
The number of fire inspectors in Florida · all cccupations
View details about correlation #4,954
Biting Off More Than We Can Chew: A Bite-sized Study on the Relationship between Popularity of the 'First World Problems' Meme and Google Searches for 'Zombies'
The more people joked about trivial inconveniences like slow WiFi and missing the bus, the more it raised the undead's self-esteem. Turns out, even zombies think they have it rough when their limbs keep falling off! It's a dead-ication to finding the humor in everyday struggles that's truly infectious.
What else correlates?
Popularity of the 'first world problems' meme · all memes
Google searches for 'zombies' · all google searches
Popularity of the 'first world problems' meme · all memes
Google searches for 'zombies' · all google searches
View details about correlation #2,829
Bo Knows Stocks: The Bo Name Popularity and Zimmer Biomet Holdings' Stock Price
It's a little-known fact that every time a baby was named Bo, a tiny but powerful wave of good luck was unwittingly released into the universe, ultimately leading to a series of fortunate events for Zimmer Biomet Holdings. This positive energy created a ripple effect, subtly influencing the stock price and leaving everyone wondering, "What's in a name? Apparently, a surprisingly solid investment strategy!"
What else correlates?
Popularity of the first name Bo · all first names
Zimmer Biomet Holdings' stock price (ZBH) · all stocks
Popularity of the first name Bo · all first names
Zimmer Biomet Holdings' stock price (ZBH) · all stocks
View details about correlation #2,601
Up in Smoke: Exploring the Ash-tounding Correlation Between Cigarette Smoking Rate and Arson Incidence in the United States
As fewer people were lighting up, there was a significant reduction in 'hot' opportunities for accidental fire starters. Plus, without as much smoking going on, there was a lot less 'burning' desire to commit arson.
What else correlates?
Cigarette Smoking Rate for US adults · all weird & wacky
Arson in United States · all random state specific
Cigarette Smoking Rate for US adults · all weird & wacky
Arson in United States · all random state specific
Why this works
- 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. - 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. - 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.
- 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. - 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.
- 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. - 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:
- Detailed data sources
- Prompts for the AI-generated content
- Explanations of each of the calculations (correlation, p-value)
- Python code to calculate it yourself
