Spurious correlation #2,211 · View random

AI explanation

As the distance between Mercury and Earth fluctuates, it affects the gravitational pull on Idaho, leading to an increase in job satisfaction among social workers. In a surprising turn of events, the cosmic dance of the planets seems to have a direct impact on the demand for social workers in the gem state.

^{Show image generation prompt} Model: dalle-3
Prompt: Image Generation Prompt: Generate an illustration in the style of a Discovery magazine cover that shows a group of social workers from Idaho working collaboratively in the space between Mercury and Earth. The social workers are depicted forming a circle, engaging in meaningful conversations, and offering support to each other. Their passion and dedication to uplifting their community are evident as they bridge the cosmic gap with empathy and connection. The visual should showcase the distant worlds of Mercury and Earth in the background, symbolizing the interplanetary nature of the social workers' efforts. 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: The distance between Mercury and Earth and The number of social workers in Idaho. 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 Discovery magazine cover image A TIME magazine cover image Psychedelic A Discovery magazine cover image Data cyber art
ChatGPT: A Discovery magazine cover image

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 The distance between Mercury and Earth and The number of social workers in Idaho together. Keep the description simple.
ChatGPT: In the vast space between Mercury and Earth, a large group of social workers from Idaho work together to support and uplift their community. Some of them sit in a circle, sharing their experiences and knowledge, while others are deep in conversation, their passionate voices echoing through the cosmos. As they connect with each other across the interplanetary void, their dedication and empathy bridge the distance between the two distant worlds.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You write and improve image generation prompts for DALLE-3. You maintain the same subjects, but enhance the visuals.
User prompt: Please respond with an image generation prompt that would be likely to create an interesting visual using DALLE-3, using the following style: [ A Discovery magazine cover image ] and depicting this scene: In the vast space between Mercury and Earth, a large group of social workers from Idaho work together to support and uplift their community. Some of them sit in a circle, sharing their experiences and knowledge, while others are deep in conversation, their passionate voices echoing through the cosmos. As they connect with each other across the interplanetary void, their dedication and empathy bridge the distance between the two distant worlds. Keep the visual depiction simple. Do not include any words or speech bubbles.
ChatGPT: Image Generation Prompt: Generate an illustration in the style of a Discovery magazine cover that shows a group of social workers from Idaho working collaboratively in the space between Mercury and Earth. The social workers are depicted forming a circle, engaging in meaningful conversations, and offering support to each other. Their passion and dedication to uplifting their community are evident as they bridge the cosmic gap with empathy and connection. The visual should showcase the distant worlds of Mercury and Earth in the background, symbolizing the interplanetary nature of the social workers' efforts.

*Variations in the User Prompts from chart to chart are just the result of random number generation in Python. I wrote a few arrays of various styles and methods to ask questions to change up the results. Every time this site writes an explanation or generates an image, the script picks from each at random.

I sequence the requests into multiple prompts because I find GPT 3.5 to perform much better with short, well-managed contexts. Thus, I track the context directly in Python and only ask ChatGPT targeted questions.
^{Show prompt for explanation} Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106 (fine-tuned)
System prompt: You provide humorous responses in the form of plausible sounding explanations for correlations. You assume the correlation is causative for the purpose of the explanation even if it is ridiculous. You do not chat with the user, you only reply with the causal connection explanation and nothing else.
User prompt: Please make up a funny explanation for how an increase in The distance between Mercury and Earth caused The number of social workers in Idaho to increase.\Make it sound serious until the end.

AI academic paper

(Because p < 0.01)

Marvelous Mercury's Magnetic Pull on the Magnitude of Idaho's Social Workers

The Journal of Planetary Sociology

Jan 2024

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

^{Show prompt used to generate this paper} Quick note: This sequence is long and repetitive. That's how the prompt engineering works for this one. I manage the output in Python to format it into this PDF.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a dry but witty academic researcher. You speak in the passive voice, and your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal.You draft a literature review section of an academic research paper, that starts out dry for the first few sentences but then becomes hilarious and goofy.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up a literature review section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between The distance between Mercury and Earth and The number of social workers in Idaho. Make it seem dry like academic research paper, but with lots of subtle hidden offhand remarks, 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 devolve ever further, and mention something completely ridiculous, like you conducted literature review by reading the backs of shampoo bottles.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
Marvelous Mercury's Magnetic Pull on the Magnitude of Idaho's Social Workers

[[ABSTRACT]]
This paper presents a peculiar correlation between the distance between the planet Mercury and Earth and the number of social workers in the state of Idaho. Employing data sourced from Astropy for the planetary distances and the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the count of social workers, a statistically significant relationship was established for the period spanning 2010 to 2022. The correlation coefficient of 0.8991030 with a p-value of less than 0.01 indicates a robust link between these seemingly unrelated entities. The implications of such a connection are indeed intriguing, prompting further investigation beyond the confines of astronomical and sociological realms. This unexpected association opens the door to whimsical reflections on the cosmic influence on earthly vocations and adds a dash of humor to the solemn field of social sciences.

-------

And here is the introduction section that led to this literature review:
[[INTRODUCTION]]
The relationship between celestial bodies and earthly phenomena has long captivated the human imagination. While the gravitational effects of the moon on ocean tides and human behavior have been studied extensively, the influence of other celestial bodies, such as Mercury, on terrestrial affairs has been relatively unexplored. In this study, we delve into the peculiar connection between the distance separating Mercury and Earth and the number of social workers laboring in the expansive and enigmatic state of Idaho.
Skeptics may scoff at the idea of a relationship between these disparate variables, dismissing it as mere coincidence or cosmic tomfoolery. However, as astute researchers, we are duty-bound to investigate even the most unconventional correlations, lest we miss out on invaluable discoveries lurking in the unlikeliest of places.
The state of Idaho, known for its majestic landscapes and abundant potato crops, may not immediately evoke images of social work, but as we shall soon uncover, its association with the Mercurial orbit merits a second glance. We must tread carefully as we navigate uncharted territory, mindful of the potential to stumble upon revelations that could revolutionize our understanding of the cosmic dance and its manifestations on our earthly endeavors.
As we embark on this cosmic and sociological journey, we invite the reader to join us in this whimsical exploration of the interplay between celestial mechanics and the noble profession of social work. The fusion of the cosmic and the quotidian promises to unveil unexpected connections and inject a dose of levity into the often staid corridors of research and academia.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

ChatGPT:
[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

To contextualize the curious relationship between the distance separating Mercury and Earth and the number of social workers in Idaho, the authors began their literature review with a survey of existing research on celestial influences on earthly phenomena and vocational trends. Smith et al. (2015) expound on the gravitational forces and magnetic fields exerted by celestial bodies, laying the groundwork for potential mechanisms of influence. Doe (2018) investigates the spatial and temporal variations in planetary distances and their potential impacts on human activities, broadening the scope of inquiry into extraterrestrial influences. Jones (2020) delves into the societal dynamics that shape vocational choices, providing a nuanced understanding of the factors that contribute to workforce compositions.

Turning to non-fiction literature, "Cosmic Connections: Exploring the Celestial Ties that Bind" by Astronomer A. N. Tique provides an in-depth exploration of the gravitational interplay between celestial bodies and terrestrial affairs. Similarly, "The Sociological Cosmos: Interstellar Influences on Human Endeavors" by Social Scientist S. Tronomy offers a sociological perspective on the potential ramifications of cosmic phenomena on earthly vocations.

In the realm of fiction, "Mercury Rising: Stellar Secrets and Human Mysteries" by Nebula Author N. Space ventures into speculative realms, blurring the boundaries between celestial mechanics and human destinies, while "Social Work Under the Stars: Cosmic Calls and Intervention Tales" by Fictional Writer W. Erdrift imbues social work with celestial intrigue.

Nevertheless, in pursuit of a comprehensive understanding of the link between Mercurial distances and social work in Idaho, the authors confess to having perused unconventional sources such as the backs of shampoo bottles, tabloid horoscopes, and anecdotes from conspiracy theorists. While these endeavors may elicit raised eyebrows, they have contributed to the authors' appreciation of the whimsical and at times preposterous nature of their investigation, infusing levity into this otherwise earnest pursuit of knowledge.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a dry but witty academic researcher. You speak in the passive voice, and your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal.You draft the methodology section of an academic research paper.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up the methodology section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between The distance between Mercury and Earth and The number of social workers in Idaho. Make it seem dry like academic research paper, but with lots of subtle hidden offhand remarks, jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from Caclculated using Astropy and Bureau of Larbor Statistics . You used data from 2010 to 2022

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]]
Marvelous Mercury's Magnetic Pull on the Magnitude of Idaho's Social Workers

[[ABSTRACT]]
This paper presents a peculiar correlation between the distance between the planet Mercury and Earth and the number of social workers in the state of Idaho. Employing data sourced from Astropy for the planetary distances and the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the count of social workers, a statistically significant relationship was established for the period spanning 2010 to 2022. The correlation coefficient of 0.8991030 with a p-value of less than 0.01 indicates a robust link between these seemingly unrelated entities. The implications of such a connection are indeed intriguing, prompting further investigation beyond the confines of astronomical and sociological realms. This unexpected association opens the door to whimsical reflections on the cosmic influence on earthly vocations and adds a dash of humor to the solemn field of social sciences.

[[INTRODUCTION]]
The relationship between celestial bodies and earthly phenomena has long captivated the human imagination. While the gravitational effects of the moon on ocean tides and human behavior have been studied extensively, the influence of other celestial bodies, such as Mercury, on terrestrial affairs has been relatively unexplored. In this study, we delve into the peculiar connection between the distance separating Mercury and Earth and the number of social workers laboring in the expansive and enigmatic state of Idaho.
Skeptics may scoff at the idea of a relationship between these disparate variables, dismissing it as mere coincidence or cosmic tomfoolery. However, as astute researchers, we are duty-bound to investigate even the most unconventional correlations, lest we miss out on invaluable discoveries lurking in the unlikeliest of places.
The state of Idaho, known for its majestic landscapes and abundant potato crops, may not immediately evoke images of social work, but as we shall soon uncover, its association with the Mercurial orbit merits a second glance. We must tread carefully as we navigate uncharted territory, mindful of the potential to stumble upon revelations that could revolutionize our understanding of the cosmic dance and its manifestations on our earthly endeavors.
As we embark on this cosmic and sociological journey, we invite the reader to join us in this whimsical exploration of the interplay between celestial mechanics and the noble profession of social work. The fusion of the cosmic and the quotidian promises to unveil unexpected connections and inject a dose of levity into the often staid corridors of research and academia.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

ChatGPT:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

The acquisition of data for this peculiar investigation involved a combination of meticulous extraction from various sources and a touch of cosmic serendipity. To determine the distance between Mercury and Earth, the Astropy package served as a reliable conduit for astronomical data, providing precise measurements that formed the foundation of our inquiry. A plethora of astronomical observations, simulations, and models informed the determination of these celestial distances, with the precision befitting such a celestial endeavor.

Turning to the terrestrial aspect of our investigation, the Bureau of Labor Statistics emerged as our steadfast companion in the quest to quantify the number of social workers gracing the state of Idaho. Earning the moniker of "social work sleuths," this team diligently combed through labor surveys, employment reports, and statistical records, adeptly identifying and cataloging these unsung heroes of societal harmony.

The utilization of data spanning the years 2010 to 2022 ensured a comprehensive examination of the planetary and social landscapes during this timeframe. The inclusion of these temporal dimensions enabled the observation of trends, fluctuations, and potentially anomalous fluctuations that might have otherwise eluded our perceptive gazes.

The process of merging these disparate datasets, akin to the cosmic ballet of celestial bodies, required meticulous alignment and calibration to establish meaningful correlations. Leveraging statistical techniques and mathematical algorithms reminiscent of the orbital pathways of celestial objects, we endeavored to unravel the interactions between the distant realm of Mercury and the terrestrial realm of Idaho's social work landscape.

A robust statistical analysis, drawing upon the time-honored principles of correlation coefficients, regression models, and hypothesis testing, lent rigor to our investigation. The correlation coefficient of 0.8991030, accompanied by a p-value of less than 0.01, emerged as a beacon illuminating the significantly intertwined nature of these two ostensibly incongruous spheres, reaffirming the relevance of our audacious inquiry.

The resulting data, brimming with cosmic and terrestrial insights, propelled us into a realm of contemplation where whimsy and wonder intersected with scientific inquiry. The enigmatic relationship between Mercury's distant allure and Idaho's industrious social workers continues to beckon with its tantalizing implications, inviting further exploration and prompting a reevaluation of the interplay between the cosmic canvas and the tapestry of human endeavors.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a dry but witty academic researcher. You speak in the passive voice, and your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal.You draft the discussion section of an academic research paper.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up the discussion section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between The distance between Mercury and Earth and The number of social workers in Idaho. Make it seem dry like academic research paper, but with lots of subtle hidden offhand remarks, jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

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]]
Marvelous Mercury's Magnetic Pull on the Magnitude of Idaho's Social Workers

[[ABSTRACT]]
This paper presents a peculiar correlation between the distance between the planet Mercury and Earth and the number of social workers in the state of Idaho. Employing data sourced from Astropy for the planetary distances and the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the count of social workers, a statistically significant relationship was established for the period spanning 2010 to 2022. The correlation coefficient of 0.8991030 with a p-value of less than 0.01 indicates a robust link between these seemingly unrelated entities. The implications of such a connection are indeed intriguing, prompting further investigation beyond the confines of astronomical and sociological realms. This unexpected association opens the door to whimsical reflections on the cosmic influence on earthly vocations and adds a dash of humor to the solemn field of social sciences.

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]
To contextualize the curious relationship between the distance separating Mercury and Earth and the number of social workers in Idaho, the authors began their literature review with a survey of existing research on celestial influences on earthly phenomena and vocational trends. Smith et al. (2015) expound on the gravitational forces and magnetic fields exerted by celestial bodies, laying the groundwork for potential mechanisms of influence. Doe (2018) investigates the spatial and temporal variations in planetary distances and their potential impacts on human activities, broadening the scope of inquiry into extraterrestrial influences. Jones (2020) delves into the societal dynamics that shape vocational choices, providing a nuanced understanding of the factors that contribute to workforce compositions.
Turning to non-fiction literature, "Cosmic Connections: Exploring the Celestial Ties that Bind" by Astronomer A. N. Tique provides an in-depth exploration of the gravitational interplay between celestial bodies and terrestrial affairs. Similarly, "The Sociological Cosmos: Interstellar Influences on Human Endeavors" by Social Scientist S. Tronomy offers a sociological perspective on the potential ramifications of cosmic phenomena on earthly vocations.
In the realm of fiction, "Mercury Rising: Stellar Secrets and Human Mysteries" by Nebula Author N. Space ventures into speculative realms, blurring the boundaries between celestial mechanics and human destinies, while "Social Work Under the Stars: Cosmic Calls and Intervention Tales" by Fictional Writer W. Erdrift imbues social work with celestial intrigue.
Nevertheless, in pursuit of a comprehensive understanding of the link between Mercurial distances and social work in Idaho, the authors confess to having perused unconventional sources such as the backs of shampoo bottles, tabloid horoscopes, and anecdotes from conspiracy theorists. While these endeavors may elicit raised eyebrows, they have contributed to the authors' appreciation of the whimsical and at times preposterous nature of their investigation, infusing levity into this otherwise earnest pursuit of knowledge.

[[RESULTS]]
The analysis of the relationship between the distance separating the planet Mercury and Earth and the number of social workers in Idaho yielded some truly intriguing findings. Over the period from 2010 to 2022, a strikingly high correlation coefficient of 0.8991030 was observed, indicating a robust association between these seemingly unrelated variables. The relationship was further supported by an r-squared value of 0.8083862, signifying that approximately 80.8% of the variation in the number of social workers in Idaho could be explained by the distance between Mercury and Earth. Moreover, the statistical significance of the correlation, with a p-value of less than 0.01, bolstered the credibility of this unexpected connection.
Figure 1 illustrates the strong correlation between the distance separating Mercury and Earth and the number of social workers in Idaho. The scatterplot unmistakably portrays the remarkable coherence between these disparate entities, lending visual credence to our statistical findings.
These results not only defy conventional expectations but also prompt us to contemplate the whimsical implications of such an association. The conspicuous influence of a distant celestial body on the dynamics of social work in the heartland of Idaho adds an air of enigma and amusement to the otherwise solemn domain of empirical inquiry. This unexpected correlation challenges our established paradigms, teasing us to probe the uncharted realms of cosmic influence on earthly vocations with earnest curiosity and a touch of mirth.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[DISCUSSION]]

ChatGPT:

[[DISCUSSION]]

The findings of this study provide compelling evidence for the existence of a robust and statistically significant relationship between the distance separating Mercury and Earth and the number of social workers in Idaho. The substantial correlation coefficient of 0.8991030, accompanied by a p-value of less than 0.01, indicates a strong association that defies conventional expectations. These results corroborate earlier studies that have delved into the potential influences of celestial bodies on terrestrial affairs.

The literature review revealed various intriguing insights that resonate with our current findings. The work of Smith et al. (2015) laid the groundwork for understanding the gravitational forces and magnetic fields exerted by celestial bodies, setting the stage for our investigation into potential cosmic influences on earthly vocations. While initially met with skepticism, their theories have gained newfound support through the unexpected correlation observed in our study. Doe (2018) expanded our understanding by investigating spatial and temporal variations in planetary distances and their potential impacts on human activities. The robust association we have uncovered lends credence to the notion that such variations may indeed play a role in shaping vocational trends, providing empirical support to Doe's speculations.

Furthermore, the unconventional sources we perused during our literature review, including the backs of shampoo bottles, tabloid horoscopes, and anecdotes from conspiracy theorists, have shed an unexpected light on the complex interplay between celestial and earthly phenomena. While these sources were initially intended as an infusion of levity into our earnest pursuit of knowledge, their relevance to our findings cannot be dismissed outright. In fact, they may offer unexplored avenues for future investigation, highlighting the unpredictable and at times whimsical nature of scientific inquiry.

The substantial r-squared value of 0.8083862 further underscores the strength of the relationship between planetary distance and the number of social workers in Idaho. This suggests that approximately 80.8% of the variation in the count of social workers can be explained by the distance between Mercury and Earth, pointing to a remarkably coherent pattern that calls for further exploration. Our results not only challenge established paradigms but also invite us to reflect on the broader implications of celestial influences on earthly vocations with a touch of mirth. This unexpected correlation adds an air of enigma and amusement to the otherwise somber landscape of empirical inquiry, prompting a reevaluation of the boundaries between the cosmic and the quotidian.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a dry but witty academic researcher. You speak in the passive voice, and your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal.You draft the discussion section of goofy academic research papers that sounds like it belongs based on the title and abstract provided.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up a short conclusion of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between The distance between Mercury and Earth and The number of social workers in Idaho. Make it seem dry like academic research paper, but with lots of subtle hidden offhand remarks, jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

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]]
Marvelous Mercury's Magnetic Pull on the Magnitude of Idaho's Social Workers

[[ABSTRACT]]
This paper presents a peculiar correlation between the distance between the planet Mercury and Earth and the number of social workers in the state of Idaho. Employing data sourced from Astropy for the planetary distances and the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the count of social workers, a statistically significant relationship was established for the period spanning 2010 to 2022. The correlation coefficient of 0.8991030 with a p-value of less than 0.01 indicates a robust link between these seemingly unrelated entities. The implications of such a connection are indeed intriguing, prompting further investigation beyond the confines of astronomical and sociological realms. This unexpected association opens the door to whimsical reflections on the cosmic influence on earthly vocations and adds a dash of humor to the solemn field of social sciences.

[[INTRDUCTION]]
The relationship between celestial bodies and earthly phenomena has long captivated the human imagination. While the gravitational effects of the moon on ocean tides and human behavior have been studied extensively, the influence of other celestial bodies, such as Mercury, on terrestrial affairs has been relatively unexplored. In this study, we delve into the peculiar connection between the distance separating Mercury and Earth and the number of social workers laboring in the expansive and enigmatic state of Idaho.
Skeptics may scoff at the idea of a relationship between these disparate variables, dismissing it as mere coincidence or cosmic tomfoolery. However, as astute researchers, we are duty-bound to investigate even the most unconventional correlations, lest we miss out on invaluable discoveries lurking in the unlikeliest of places.
The state of Idaho, known for its majestic landscapes and abundant potato crops, may not immediately evoke images of social work, but as we shall soon uncover, its association with the Mercurial orbit merits a second glance. We must tread carefully as we navigate uncharted territory, mindful of the potential to stumble upon revelations that could revolutionize our understanding of the cosmic dance and its manifestations on our earthly endeavors.
As we embark on this cosmic and sociological journey, we invite the reader to join us in this whimsical exploration of the interplay between celestial mechanics and the noble profession of social work. The fusion of the cosmic and the quotidian promises to unveil unexpected connections and inject a dose of levity into the often staid corridors of research and academia.

[[RESULTS]]
The analysis of the relationship between the distance separating the planet Mercury and Earth and the number of social workers in Idaho yielded some truly intriguing findings. Over the period from 2010 to 2022, a strikingly high correlation coefficient of 0.8991030 was observed, indicating a robust association between these seemingly unrelated variables. The relationship was further supported by an r-squared value of 0.8083862, signifying that approximately 80.8% of the variation in the number of social workers in Idaho could be explained by the distance between Mercury and Earth. Moreover, the statistical significance of the correlation, with a p-value of less than 0.01, bolstered the credibility of this unexpected connection.
Figure 1 illustrates the strong correlation between the distance separating Mercury and Earth and the number of social workers in Idaho. The scatterplot unmistakably portrays the remarkable coherence between these disparate entities, lending visual credence to our statistical findings.
These results not only defy conventional expectations but also prompt us to contemplate the whimsical implications of such an association. The conspicuous influence of a distant celestial body on the dynamics of social work in the heartland of Idaho adds an air of enigma and amusement to the otherwise solemn domain of empirical inquiry. This unexpected correlation challenges our established paradigms, teasing us to probe the uncharted realms of cosmic influence on earthly vocations with earnest curiosity and a touch of mirth.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[CONCLUSION]]

ChatGPT:

[[CONCLUSION]]

In conclusion, the unexpected correlation observed between the distance separating Mercury and Earth and the number of social workers in Idaho underscores the whimsical interconnectedness of celestial dynamics and earthly vocations. While our findings may elicit a chuckle or two, they also beckon us to contemplate the profound influence of cosmic forces on the everyday tapestry of human endeavors. The statistical robustness of the relationship, with a correlation coefficient of 0.8991030 and a p-value of less than 0.01, dispels any lingering doubts about the legitimacy of this unconventional association.

The implications of our research extend beyond the confines of astronomy and sociology, venturing into the realm of cosmic humor and existential intrigue. This curious link between celestial mechanics and the perturbations of social work in Idaho invites us to ponder the capricious dance of the universe and its subtle influence on the ebb and flow of human professions. As we revel in the serendipity of this discovery, let us not overlook the delightful incongruity that accompanies the gravitas of our scholarly pursuits.

In light of these revelatory findings, it is evident that the cosmic whims of Mercury extend their tantalizing influence into the realm of social work in Idaho. This unforeseen connection challenges us to embrace the playfulness of the cosmos, even as we unravel the intricate threads of empirical inquiry. However, it is advised that no further research in this domain is pursued, as we might risk unraveling the delightfully enigmatic mystery that this correlation presents.

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 Marvelous Mercury's Magnetic Pull on the Magnitude of Idaho's Social Workers. Respond only with the name of a fictional academic journal.

ChatGPT:

The Journal of Planetary Sociology

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 Marvelous Mercury's Magnetic Pull on the Magnitude of Idaho's Social Workers. Respond only with the name of a fictional organization.

ChatGPT:

National Association of Planetary Psychology

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 Marvelous Mercury's Magnetic Pull on the Magnitude of Idaho's Social Workers with an abstract of This paper presents a peculiar correlation between the distance between the planet Mercury and Earth and the number of social workers in the state of Idaho. Employing data sourced from Astropy for the planetary distances and the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the count of social workers, a statistically significant relationship was established for the period spanning 2010 to 2022. The correlation coefficient of 0.8991030 with a p-value of less than 0.01 indicates a robust link between these seemingly unrelated entities. The implications of such a connection are indeed intriguing, prompting further investigation beyond the confines of astronomical and sociological realms. This unexpected association opens the door to whimsical reflections on the cosmic influence on earthly vocations and adds a dash of humor to the solemn field of social sciences.

ChatGPT:

Mercury distance, Earth distance, social workers count, Idaho, correlation, Astropy, Bureau of Labor Statistics, statistically significant relationship, correlation coefficient, p-value, cosmic influence, whimsical reflections, social sciences

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

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Data details

The distance between Mercury and Earth
Detailed data title: The average distance between Mercury and Earth as measured on the first day of each month
Source: Caclculated using Astropy
Additional Info: ^{See full details} I wrote a Python script using Astropy to calculate the distance between the named planets on the first day of each month for every year.

See what else correlates with The distance between Mercury and Earth

The number of social workers in Idaho
Detailed data title: BLS estimate of healthcare social workers in Idaho
Source: Bureau of Larbor Statistics
See what else correlates with The number of social workers in Idaho

Correlation r = 0.8991030 (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 = 0.8083862 (Coefficient of determination)
This means 80.8% of the change in the one variable (i.e., The number of social workers in Idaho) is predictable based on the change in the other (i.e., The distance between Mercury and Earth) over the 13 years from 2010 through 2022.

p < 0.01, which is statistically significant(Null hypothesis significance test)
The p-value is 2.91E-5.^Show 0.0000290596813420902140000000
The p-value is a measure of how probable it is that we would randomly find a result this extreme.^Note More specifically the p-value is a measure of how probable it is that we would randomly find a result this extreme if we had only tested one pair of variables one time.

But I am a p-villain. I absolutely did not test only one pair of variables one time. I correlated hundreds of millions of pairs of variables. I threw boatloads of data into an industrial-sized blender to find this correlation.

Who is going to stop me? p-value reporting doesn't require me to report how many calculations I had to go through in order to find a low p-value!
On average, you will find a correaltion as strong as 0.9 in 0.00291% of random cases. Said differently, if you correlated 34,412 random variables^Note You don't actually need 34 thousand variables to find a correlation like this one. 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.

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 12 degrees of freedom, ^Note Degrees of freedom is a measure of how many free components we are testing. In this case it is 12 because we have two variables measured over a period of 13 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.

[ 0.69, 0.97 ] 95% correlation confidence interval (using the Fisher z-transformation)
^{Read more about the confidence interval} The confidence interval is an estimate the range of the value of the correlation coefficient, using the correlation itself as an input. The values are meant to be the low and high end of the correlation coefficient with 95% confidence.

This one is a bit more complciated than the other calculations, but I include it because many people have been pushing for confidence intervals instead of p-value calculations (for example: NEJM. However, if you are dredging data, you can reliably find yourself in the 5%. That's my goal!

All values for the years included above: ^Note If I were being very sneaky, I could trim years from the beginning or end of the datasets to increase the correlation on some pairs of variables. I don't do that because there are already plenty of correlations in my database without monkeying with the years.

Still, sometimes one of the variables has more years of data available than the other. This page only shows the overlapping years. To see all the years, click on "See what else correlates with..." link above.

	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
The distance between Mercury and Earth (Planetary distance (AU))	1.02607	1.0174	1.04225	1.04405	1.05554	1.04324	1.04231	1.01646	1.02748	1.04617	1.05058	1.05105	1.04426
The number of social workers in Idaho (Laborers)	490	490	630	610	700	640	550	480	480	570	640	660	670

Why this works

Data dredging: I have 25,153 variables in my database. I compare all these variables against each other to find ones that randomly match up. That's 632,673,409 correlation calculations! This is called “data dredging.” Instead of starting with a hypothesis and testing it, I instead abused the data to see what correlations shake out. It’s a dangerous way to go about analysis, because any sufficiently large dataset will yield strong correlations completely at random.
Lack of causal connection: There is probably^Note Because these pages are automatically generated, it's possible that the two variables you are viewing are in fact causually related. I take steps to prevent the obvious ones from showing on the site (I don't let data about the weather in one city correlate with the weather in a neighboring city, for example), but sometimes they still pop up. If they are related, cool! You found a loophole.
no direct connection between these variables, despite what the AI says above. This is exacerbated by the fact that I used "Years" as the base variable. Lots of things happen in a year that are not related to each other! Most studies would use something like "one person" in stead of "one year" to be the "thing" studied.
Observations not independent: For many variables, sequential years are not independent of each other. If a population of people is continuously doing something every day, there is no reason to think they would suddenly change how they are doing that thing on January 1. A simple^Note Personally I don't find any p-value calculation to be 'simple,' but you know what I mean.
p-value calculation does not take this into account, so mathematically it appears less probable than it really is.

Try it yourself

You can calculate the values on this page on your own! Try running the Python code to see the calculation results. ^{Show the steps to do this.} Step 1: Download and install Python on your computer.

Step 2: Open a plaintext editor like Notepad and paste the code below into it.

Step 3: Save the file as "calculate_correlation.py" in a place you will remember, like your desktop. Copy the file location to your clipboard. On Windows, you can right-click the file and click "Properties," and then copy what comes after "Location:" As an example, on my computer the location is "C:\Users\tyler\Desktop"

Step 4: Open a command line window. For example, by pressing start and typing "cmd" and them pressing enter.

Step 5: Install the required modules by typing "pip install numpy", then pressing enter, then typing "pip install scipy", then pressing enter.

Step 6: Navigate to the location where you saved the Python file by using the "cd" command. For example, I would type "cd C:\Users\tyler\Desktop" and push enter.

Step 7: Run the Python script by typing "python calculate_correlation.py"

If you run into any issues, I suggest asking ChatGPT to walk you through installing Python and running the code below on your system. Try this question:

"Walk me through installing Python on my computer to run a script that uses scipy and numpy. Go step-by-step and ask me to confirm before moving on. Start by asking me questions about my operating system so that you know how to proceed. Assume I want the simplest installation with the latest version of Python and that I do not currently have any of the necessary elements installed. Remember to only give me one step per response and confirm I have done it before proceeding."

# These modules make it easier to perform the calculation
import numpy as np
from scipy import stats

# We'll define a function that we can call to return the correlation calculations
def calculate_correlation(array1, array2):

    # Calculate Pearson correlation coefficient and p-value
    correlation, p_value = stats.pearsonr(array1, array2)

    # Calculate R-squared as the square of the correlation coefficient
    r_squared = correlation**2

    return correlation, r_squared, p_value

# These are the arrays for the variables shown on this page, but you can modify them to be any two sets of numbers
array_1 = np.array([1.02607,1.0174,1.04225,1.04405,1.05554,1.04324,1.04231,1.01646,1.02748,1.04617,1.05058,1.05105,1.04426,])
array_2 = np.array([490,490,630,610,700,640,550,480,480,570,640,660,670,])
array_1_name = "The distance between Mercury and Earth"
array_2_name = "The number of social workers in Idaho"

# Perform the calculation
print(f"Calculating the correlation between {array_1_name} and {array_2_name}...")
correlation, r_squared, p_value = calculate_correlation(array_1, array_2)

# Print the results
print("Correlation Coefficient:", correlation)
print("R-squared:", r_squared)
print("P-value:", p_value)

Reuseable content

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

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

For the record, I am just one person. Tyler Vigen, he/him/his. I do have degrees, but they should not go after my name unless you want to annoy my wife. If that is your goal, then go ahead and cite me as "Tyler Vigen, A.A. A.A.S. B.A. J.D." Otherwise it is just "Tyler Vigen."

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

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

Download images for these variables:

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

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

Alternatively you can use a tool like Inkscape.
High resolution line chart, optimized for mobile
Alternative high resolution line chart
Scatterplot
Portable line chart (png)
Portable line chart (png), optimized for mobile
Line chart for only The distance between Mercury and Earth
Line chart for only The number of social workers in Idaho
AI-generated correlation image
The spurious research paper: Marvelous Mercury's Magnetic Pull on the Magnitude of Idaho's Social Workers

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Correlation ID: 2211 · Black Variable ID: 1939 · Red Variable ID: 18001


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