spurious correlations
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View details about correlation #5,851
In Caine Sight: The Astonishing Correlation Between Michael Caine's Film Appearances and Democratic Votes in Maryland
Michael Caine's unmatchable on-screen charm and wit inadvertently wooed the residents of Maryland, prompting them to lean towards the charismatic and confident demeanor often exhibited by Democratic candidates. As Caine graced the silver screen, his subtle influence seeped into the subconscious of Marylanders, swaying their political preferences towards the party that exuded a similar aura of sophistication and poise. His prolific presence in films became the reel reason behind the unexpected surge in Democratic votes in the state, proving that in the game of politics, as in the art of acting, sometimes, it's simply a matter of mastering the Caine effect.
View details about correlation #2,810
Harmonious Degrees and Radiant Beams: A Melodious Study of Music and Dance Degrees and Solar Power in Costa Rica
As the number of music and dance graduates boogied on up, they created a high-energy, solar-powered dance revolution. These bright sparks brought a whole new meaning to the term "solar panel" as they tapped into renewable rhythms, proving that when it comes to groovy moves and solar grooves, the sky's the limit!
What else correlates?
Associates degrees awarded in Music and dance · all education
Solar power generated in Costa Rica · all energy
Associates degrees awarded in Music and dance · all education
Solar power generated in Costa Rica · all energy
View details about correlation #4,112
Aubrey's Energizing Effect: An Examination of the Relationship Between the Popularity of the Name Aubrey and Exxon Mobil's Stock Price
Parents naming their kids Aubrey are investing more in fancy cars, leading to an increase in gas consumption and therefore, an uptick in demand for Exxon Mobil's products. Looks like the name Aubrey is driving more than just social media popularity!
What else correlates?
Popularity of the first name Aubrey · all first names
Exxon Mobil's stock price (XOM) · all stocks
Popularity of the first name Aubrey · all first names
Exxon Mobil's stock price (XOM) · all stocks
View details about correlation #2,848
Feeling Ginned Up: The Cotton Connection Between GMOs and Processed Fruit Spending in US Households
As households spent less on processed fruits, there was a decrease in fruit sticker production. This led to a nationwide sticker shortage. To fill the sticker gap, cotton in Louisiana was genetically modified to produce sticker-like tags, but it unexpectedly led to a decrease in GMO use in cotton.
What else correlates?
US household spending on processed fruits · all weird & wacky
GMO use in cotton in Louisiana · all food
US household spending on processed fruits · all weird & wacky
GMO use in cotton in Louisiana · all food
View details about correlation #2,461
Air-Mail Pollution: A Postmasterful Analysis of the Relationship Between Air Pollution in Des Moines and the Number of Postmasters in Iowa
As the air cleared in Des Moines, it seems the postmasters weren't the only ones feeling a bit "un-stationed." It's possible that with cleaner air, postal workers and machinery were operating more efficiently, leading to a reduced need for postmasters statewide. It's a classic case of smog being the only thing propping up those postage-oriented job positions!
What else correlates?
Air pollution in Des Moines · all weather
The number of postmasters in Iowa · all cccupations
Air pollution in Des Moines · all weather
The number of postmasters in Iowa · all cccupations
View details about correlation #1,705
Smashing Avocado Toast and Flipping Biomass: An Unlikely Connection
The avocado trees were loving the sustainable energy vibes and producing extra delicious avocados for the toast!
What else correlates?
Biomass power generated in Philippines · all energy
Google searches for 'avocado toast' · all google searches
Biomass power generated in Philippines · all energy
Google searches for 'avocado toast' · all google searches
View details about correlation #4,852
Mirthful Memes and Mississippi's Senatorial Selections: A Playful Probing of the Expanding Brain Phenomenon
As the 'expanding brain' meme gained traction, it sparked a surge in cognitive activity, leading Mississippi Democrats to make the biggest brain move of all: casting their votes for Senators who aligned with their values. It's like they say, when the expanding brain meme goes up, Democratic turnout in Mississippi goes up even more!
What else correlates?
Popularity of the 'expanding brain' meme · all memes
Votes for Democratic Senators in Mississippi · all elections
Popularity of the 'expanding brain' meme · all memes
Votes for Democratic Senators in Mississippi · all elections
View details about correlation #5,912
The Alix Paradox: An Exploration of the Correlation between the Popularity of the Name Alix and Carjackings in the United States
As the name Alix fell out of favor, there were fewer people inadvertently summoning cars with their mere presence. This led to a decrease in opportunities for carjackings across the country.
What else correlates?
Popularity of the first name Alix · all first names
Carjackings in the US · all weird & wacky
Popularity of the first name Alix · all first names
Carjackings in the US · all weird & wacky
View details about correlation #1,339
Shining a Light on Stellar Stock Performance: The Celestial Connection Between Saturn's Distance and Baidu's Stock Price
As the gap widened, Saturn started to exude a new gravitational pull on Earth, leading to a rise in fortune for Baidu. It seems the farther Saturn shined, the more Baidu's stock aligned. This celestial separation somehow cosmically boosted Baidu's performance, proving that even in the stock market, space matters.
What else correlates?
The distance between Saturn and the Sun · all planets
Baidu's stock price (BIDU) · all stocks
The distance between Saturn and the Sun · all planets
Baidu's stock price (BIDU) · all stocks
View details about correlation #5,208
Catching Z's or Searching 'Red Pill Blue Pill' Please? Exploring the Correlation Between Internet Memes and Fatigue
The 'red pill blue pill' meme led to heated debates and late-night pondering, prompting people to stay up and overthink their life choices. Now they're realizing that the real struggle isn't choosing a pill, but finding the energy to get through the day. Remember, sometimes the meme chooses you!
What else correlates?
Popularity of the 'red pill blue pill' meme · all memes
Google searches for 'i am tired' · all google searches
Popularity of the 'red pill blue pill' meme · all memes
Google searches for 'i am tired' · all google searches
View details about correlation #5,838
The Cage Effect: Nicolas Cage's Movie Appearances and Libertarian Votes in Georgia
As Nicolas Cage's on-screen presence grew, so did the desire for a truly independent choice, leading Georgians to vote for the Libertarian candidate in hopes of experiencing a National Treasure of a leader who could Face/Off against conventional politics, Con Air their way to smaller government, and perhaps even leave behind a Ghost Rider legacy of individual freedoms. Cage's cinematic prolificness may have ignited a Leaving Las Vegas effect on voters, driving them to seek a Adaptation of the status quo, and ultimately, to declare their declaration of independence at the polls. It seems that in this case, the Cagelier the choice, the more it Con Air-inspiringly led to a desire for political Face/Off... or maybe, just maybe, it's all a part of the Cage's master plan to one day play the lead role in "The Rock: Presidential Edition".
View details about correlation #2,018
Clear Air, Gerard's Flair: A Tale of Anchorage's Name and Air
Fewer people were pronouncing the hard "G" in his name, leading to a reduction in gas emissions during speech.
What else correlates?
Popularity of the first name Gerard · all first names
Air pollution in Anchorage · all weather
Popularity of the first name Gerard · all first names
Air pollution in Anchorage · all weather
View details about correlation #1,268
Forest and Conservation Workers: A Tree-mendous Impact on Barclays' Stock Price
As the number of forest and conservation workers in New Jersey decreases, there are fewer people available to stop the spread of invasive financial weed species, leading to a decrease in natural stock value and ultimately causing Barclays' stock price (BCS) to decrease.
What else correlates?
The number of forest and conservation workers in New Jersey · all cccupations
Barclays' stock price (BCS) · all stocks
The number of forest and conservation workers in New Jersey · all cccupations
Barclays' stock price (BCS) · all stocks
View details about correlation #5,207
Diesel and Memes: Evaluating the Surprising Relationship Between Highway Diesel Consumption in the US and the Popularity of the 'Willy Wonka' Meme
Fewer diesel fumes meant less air pollution, leading to clearer thinking. With clearer thinking, people realized that the Willy Wonka meme was overused and not as funny as they once thought.
What else correlates?
Highway diesel consumption in US · all weird & wacky
Popularity of the 'willy wonka' meme · all memes
Highway diesel consumption in US · all weird & wacky
Popularity of the 'willy wonka' meme · all memes
View details about correlation #2,605
Soylent Green and Clean Power: Unveiling the Soy-Ful Connection between GMO Soybeans in Iowa and Geothermal Energy in Russia
As the GMO soybeans in Iowa flourished, they unknowingly formed a vast underground network, inadvertently connecting with the extensive root systems of Russian dandelions. This unprecedented transcontinental plant communication created a synergy that boosted geothermal power production in Russia. Essentially, it was a case of soy-powered dandelion technology, proving once and for all that when life gives you GMO soybeans, you also get a whole new way to generate energy, brought to you by the collaborative efforts of international flora.
What else correlates?
GMO use in soybeans in Iowa · all food
Geothermal power generated in Russia · all energy
GMO use in soybeans in Iowa · all food
Geothermal power generated in Russia · all energy
View details about correlation #4,240
The Sarah Flare: A Correlation Between the Name and Desire to Parle Español
Fewer Saras were available to serenade with "Despacito," leading to a nationwide decrease in Spanish language inspiration. The lack of Sarahs to impress with basic Spanish phrases like "Hola" and "¿Cómo estás?" meant that the motivation to learn Spanish dwindled. Without a Sarah to woo with their limited Spanish skills, people just didn't see the point in mastering the language. It seems like Sarah had unknowingly become the unofficial ambassador for Spanish language enthusiasts everywhere!
What else correlates?
Popularity of the first name Sarah · all first names
Google searches for 'learn spanish' · all google searches
Popularity of the first name Sarah · all first names
Google searches for 'learn spanish' · all google searches
View details about correlation #1,033
Astrodollars: Exploring the Celestial and Fiscal Orbits - The Relationship Between Neptune's Distance from the Sun and NASA's Budget as a Percentage of the US Federal Budget
As Neptune moved closer, it got too close for comfort, creating gravitational budget cuts at NASA. The astronomical expenses simply couldn't be kept afloat, sinking their funding to new depths. It seems even in space, the budget has no limit - it's truly out of this world!
View details about correlation #4,987
Mystery of the Meme: Mutual Links Between ‘not sure if’ Popularity and UFO Sightings in Alaska
As the 'not sure if' meme gained popularity, it inadvertently transmitted cryptic signals into outer space, piquing the curiosity of extraterrestrial beings. These aliens, mistaking the memes for a form of human communication, decided to investigate the source of these perplexing messages, leading to an unusual surge in UFO sightings in Alaska. The 'not sure if' meme: Confusing humans and aliens alike.
What else correlates?
Popularity of the 'not sure if' meme · all memes
UFO sightings in Alaska · all random state specific
Popularity of the 'not sure if' meme · all memes
UFO sightings in Alaska · 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
