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Spurious correlation #2,369 · View random

A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Air pollution in Quincy, Illinois and the second variable is Arson in United States.  The chart goes from 1985 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
Download png
, svg

AI explanation

As air pollution in Quincy, Illinois decreased, it led to clearer skies and improved visibility across the United States. With fewer pollutants obscuring the air, arsonists found it harder to have dramatic, smoky backdrops for their fiery shenanigans. As a result, the overall incidence of arson in the United States decreased. Remember, this is just a lighthearted take on correlations and not meant to be taken as a genuine causation.

Model: dalle-3
Prompt: Create an image that looks like a scene from a Pixar movie. Show a picturesque Quincy, Illinois, with clear blue skies and cleaner air. The city should be depicted as if it's thriving under the absence of smog and haze, with clean streets and vibrant greenery. Meanwhile, showcase a struggling arsonist in another part of the United States, trying to ignite a fire but failing due to the lack of pollution fueling their destructive tendencies. The contrast between the thriving Quincy and the thwarted arsonist should be visually compelling, capturing the impact of cleaner air on both the environment and criminal activities. The depiction should include only scenes, people, and objects, it should not include text or speech bubbles.
This image generation prompt was also generated by AI, using the following sequence:

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You select one of a few potential scene descriptors that seems to go along with the variables described. You respond only with the scene descriptions provided and say nothing else.
User prompt: Here are two variables: Air pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in United States. 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: Psychedelic a meme Concept art An image that looks like it is a scene from a Pixar movie Symbolism
ChatGPT: An image that looks like it is a scene from a Pixar movie

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You describe simple visual scenes that depict the two variables stated. You combine both variables into one scene.
User prompt: Please describe a visual scene that prominently depicts both Air pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in United States, in the following situation: With the air being cleaner, those with a flair for arson found themselves lacking the fuel to really ignite their passion for fire-starting. It's like trying to light a match in a room full of fresh, clean air - just doesn't have the same spark! Without the smog and haze to hide their fiery deeds, it was much harder for these arsonists to kindle their destructive tendencies. The decrease in air pollution really extinguished the flames of their criminal activities, leaving them feeling a bit burnt out. So, you could say, cleaner air led to a drop in fire-related crimes - talk about a breath of fresh air for law enforcement!. Keep the description simple.
ChatGPT: In Quincy, Illinois, the air is now noticeably cleaner, with a clear blue sky overhead. The absence of smog and haze allows for a pristine view of the city. Meanwhile, across the United States, arson incidents have seen a decline. Arsonists are struggling to find the necessary fuel for their destructive fires, as the cleaner air seems to have dampened their ability to ignite flames. It's as if the lack of pollution has taken the spark out of their criminal endeavors.

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: [ An image that looks like it is a scene from a Pixar movie ] and depicting this scene: In Quincy, Illinois, the air is now noticeably cleaner, with a clear blue sky overhead. The absence of smog and haze allows for a pristine view of the city. Meanwhile, across the United States, arson incidents have seen a decline. Arsonists are struggling to find the necessary fuel for their destructive fires, as the cleaner air seems to have dampened their ability to ignite flames. It's as if the lack of pollution has taken the spark out of their criminal endeavors. Keep the visual depiction simple. Do not include any words or speech bubbles.
ChatGPT: Create an image that looks like a scene from a Pixar movie. Show a picturesque Quincy, Illinois, with clear blue skies and cleaner air. The city should be depicted as if it's thriving under the absence of smog and haze, with clean streets and vibrant greenery. Meanwhile, showcase a struggling arsonist in another part of the United States, trying to ignite a fire but failing due to the lack of pollution fueling their destructive tendencies. The contrast between the thriving Quincy and the thwarted arsonist should be visually compelling, capturing the impact of cleaner air on both the environment and criminal activities.

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

I sequence the requests into multiple prompts because I find GPT 3.5 to perform much better with short, well-managed contexts. Thus, I track the context directly in Python and only ask ChatGPT targeted questions.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106 (fine-tuned)
System prompt: You provide humorous responses in the form of plausible sounding explanations for correlations. You assume the correlation is causative for the purpose of the explanation even if it is ridiculous. You do not chat with the user, you only reply with the causal connection explanation and nothing else.
User prompt: Please make up a funny explanation for how a decrease in Air pollution in Quincy, Illinois caused Arson in United States to decrease.\Make it sound serious until the end.

AI academic paper

(Because p < 0.01)
The Fiery Connection: Air Pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in the United States

The Journal of Environmental Criminology and Pollution Analysis

Jan 2024

Reminder: This paper is AI-generated. Not real!
Quick note: This sequence is long and repetitive. That's how the prompt engineering works for this one. I manage the output in Python to format it into this PDF.




Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a witty academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a statistics journal.You write titles and abstracts of goofy academic research papers.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, and add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please draft the title and abstract of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Air pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in United States. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

Make the title seem clever.

Your research team used data from Environmental Protection Agency and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services to assess this nagging question. You found a correlation coefficient of 0.6424787 and p < 0.01 for 1985 to 2022.

Please respond in this format (replace "Lorem ipsum dolor sit" with your title and abstract)

[[TITLE]]
Lorem ipsum dolor sit

[[ABSTRACT]]
Lorem ipsum dolor sit



ChatGPT:
[[TITLE]]
The Fiery Connection: Air Pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in the United States

[[ABSTRACT]]
This study investigates the intriguing relationship between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and the incidence of arson in the United States. Utilizing data from the Environmental Protection Agency and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services spanning the years 1985 to 2022, a robust correlation analysis revealed a striking connection that cannot be "arson," I mean, ignored. The correlation coefficient of 0.6424787, with p < 0.01, suggests a statistically significant association between these seemingly unrelated phenomena.

Our findings raised eyebrows and sparked curiosity, much like arsonists, as we unraveled the smoldering connection between air pollution and arson. To put it simply, it seems that as air pollution levels in Quincy rise, so do the incidences of arson across the country, igniting further interest in this carbon-curious correlation. Our analysis provides valuable insights into the surprising "hot air" between air quality and arson, shedding light on the environmental and social factors that fuel this incendiary relationship.


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

Please make up the introduction section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Air pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in United States. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
The Fiery Connection: Air Pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in the United States

[[ABSTRACT]]
This study investigates the intriguing relationship between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and the incidence of arson in the United States. Utilizing data from the Environmental Protection Agency and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services spanning the years 1985 to 2022, a robust correlation analysis revealed a striking connection that cannot be "arson," I mean, ignored. The correlation coefficient of 0.6424787, with p < 0.01, suggests a statistically significant association between these seemingly unrelated phenomena.

Our findings raised eyebrows and sparked curiosity, much like arsonists, as we unraveled the smoldering connection between air pollution and arson. To put it simply, it seems that as air pollution levels in Quincy rise, so do the incidences of arson across the country, igniting further interest in this carbon-curious correlation. Our analysis provides valuable insights into the surprising "hot air" between air quality and arson, shedding light on the environmental and social factors that fuel this incendiary relationship.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[INTRODUCTION]]



ChatGPT:
[[INTRODUCTION]]

The study of environmental factors and their impact on societal behaviors is a hot topic within the field of criminology. When we think of environmental influences on crime, we often consider factors such as poverty, unemployment, or neighborhood characteristics. However, we seldom stop to ponder whether the quality of the air we breathe could potentially fuel the fiery phenomenon of arson. To spark some interest in this burning question, let's dive into the sizzling connection between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and the incidence of arson in the United States.

Did you hear about the statistician who was found guilty of starting a fire? He was charged with arson-inferential statistics. But I digress.

Arson, the deliberate act of setting fire to property with criminal intent, poses a significant threat to public safety and property, costing the United States billions of dollars annually. Meanwhile, air pollution, particularly from industrial sources, has been a growing concern for both the environment and public health. As researchers, we were eager to fan the flames of curiosity and investigate whether there could be an ember of truth to the notion that these two seemingly unrelated phenomena could be intricately intertwined.

This research draws on a unique blend of arson data from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program and air quality data from the Environmental Protection Agency for the period spanning from 1985 to 2022. Our investigation revealed a correlation that was not just smoke and mirrors but a statistically significant relationship. The correlation coefficient of 0.6424787, with p < 0.01, hovers like a cloud of suspicion over the conventional wisdom that air pollution and arson belong in completely separate silos.

I once asked a fire investigator if he knew any good puns about arson. He said, "No, but I'm sure they'll be lit!"

This unexpected connection ignited our curiosity and led us down a rabbit hole of statistical analysis to better understand the temperature of this relationship. Our findings not only highlight the smoldering association between air quality in Quincy, Illinois, and arson incidents nationwide but also raise important questions about the potential influence of environmental factors on criminal behavior.

As we kindle the flame of inquiry, it is essential to explore the potential mechanisms through which air pollution may fan the flames of criminal behavior, shedding light on the fire-starting factors that lie at the intersection of environmental and social dynamics. Join us as we stoke the fire of knowledge and delve into the fiery connection between air pollution and arson, illuminating the path for future research and policy interventions.


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

Please make up a literature review section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Air pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in United States. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

Speak in the present tense for this section (the authors find...), as is common in academic research paper literature reviews. Name the sources in a format similar to this: In "Book," the authors find lorem and ipsum.

Make up the lorem and ipsum part, but make it sound related to the topic at hand.

Start by naming serious-sounding studies by authors like Smith, Doe, and Jones - but then quickly devolve. Name some real non-fiction books that would be related to the topic. Then name some real fiction books that sound like they could be related. Then name some movies that you watched that are tangentially related to the topic.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
The Fiery Connection: Air Pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in the United States

[[ABSTRACT]]
This study investigates the intriguing relationship between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and the incidence of arson in the United States. Utilizing data from the Environmental Protection Agency and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services spanning the years 1985 to 2022, a robust correlation analysis revealed a striking connection that cannot be "arson," I mean, ignored. The correlation coefficient of 0.6424787, with p < 0.01, suggests a statistically significant association between these seemingly unrelated phenomena.

Our findings raised eyebrows and sparked curiosity, much like arsonists, as we unraveled the smoldering connection between air pollution and arson. To put it simply, it seems that as air pollution levels in Quincy rise, so do the incidences of arson across the country, igniting further interest in this carbon-curious correlation. Our analysis provides valuable insights into the surprising "hot air" between air quality and arson, shedding light on the environmental and social factors that fuel this incendiary relationship.

-------

And here is the introduction section that led to this literature review:
[[INTRODUCTION]]
The study of environmental factors and their impact on societal behaviors is a hot topic within the field of criminology. When we think of environmental influences on crime, we often consider factors such as poverty, unemployment, or neighborhood characteristics. However, we seldom stop to ponder whether the quality of the air we breathe could potentially fuel the fiery phenomenon of arson. To spark some interest in this burning question, let's dive into the sizzling connection between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and the incidence of arson in the United States.
Did you hear about the statistician who was found guilty of starting a fire? He was charged with arson-inferential statistics. But I digress.
Arson, the deliberate act of setting fire to property with criminal intent, poses a significant threat to public safety and property, costing the United States billions of dollars annually. Meanwhile, air pollution, particularly from industrial sources, has been a growing concern for both the environment and public health. As researchers, we were eager to fan the flames of curiosity and investigate whether there could be an ember of truth to the notion that these two seemingly unrelated phenomena could be intricately intertwined.
This research draws on a unique blend of arson data from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program and air quality data from the Environmental Protection Agency for the period spanning from 1985 to 2022. Our investigation revealed a correlation that was not just smoke and mirrors but a statistically significant relationship. The correlation coefficient of 0.6424787, with p < 0.01, hovers like a cloud of suspicion over the conventional wisdom that air pollution and arson belong in completely separate silos.
I once asked a fire investigator if he knew any good puns about arson. He said, "No, but I'm sure they'll be lit!"
This unexpected connection ignited our curiosity and led us down a rabbit hole of statistical analysis to better understand the temperature of this relationship. Our findings not only highlight the smoldering association between air quality in Quincy, Illinois, and arson incidents nationwide but also raise important questions about the potential influence of environmental factors on criminal behavior.
As we kindle the flame of inquiry, it is essential to explore the potential mechanisms through which air pollution may fan the flames of criminal behavior, shedding light on the fire-starting factors that lie at the intersection of environmental and social dynamics. Join us as we stoke the fire of knowledge and delve into the fiery connection between air pollution and arson, illuminating the path for future research and policy interventions.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]



ChatGPT:
[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

As we embark on our quest to uncover the fiery connection between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and arson in the United States, we turn our attention to the existing body of literature that has explored related themes. Smith et al. (2010) investigated the impact of environmental factors on criminal behavior, shedding light on the potential interplay between air quality and arson. Similarly, Doe and Jones (2015) delved into the societal repercussions of air pollution, hinting at the incendiary possibilities that may arise from compromised air quality. These studies set the stage for our investigation, igniting our curiosity to delve deeper into the smoking-hot relationship that lies at the intersection of environmental science and criminology.

In "Environmental Factors and Criminal Behavior," Smith et al. (2010) propose a theoretical framework that considers the influence of environmental factors on a range of criminal activities. This framework kindles our interest in understanding the potential mechanisms through which air pollution may fuel the fiery phenomenon of arson, adding fuel to the fire of our research endeavors.

Doe and Jones (2015) highlight the pervasive impact of air pollution on public health and well-being, emphasizing the far-reaching consequences of compromised air quality. Their insights spark a flame of inquiry as we contemplate the ripple effects of air pollution that extend beyond respiratory health and into the realm of criminal behavior. It's almost as if they were breathing life into our own research, fanning the flames of curiosity with each turn of the page.

And now for a change of pace, let's shift our focus to some non-fiction books that have kindled our interest in the combustible correlation between air pollution and arson. "Choked: Life and Breath in the Age of Air Pollution" by Beth Gardiner offers a thought-provoking exploration of the impact of air pollution on communities, prompting us to contemplate the potential repercussions of inhaling more than just knowledge. Meanwhile, "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Tales of Industrial Espionage in America" by Andris Zieds provides a captivating account of corporate malfeasance, stoking our curiosity about the potential role of industrial activities in igniting not just corporate rivalries, but also the flames of criminal intent.

Moving on to the world of fiction, we find ourselves drawn to literary works that, much like our research, ignite a sense of intrigue and possibility. "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" by Caitlin Doughty goes beyond the literal implications of its title, veering into the realm of metaphorical smoke and its potential to cloud our perceptions of causality. Meanwhile, "Playing with Fire" by Tess Gerritsen captivates us with its tale of arson investigators and the smoldering secrets they uncover, as we find ourselves drawn to the allure of fire-related mysteries.

In the spirit of kindling our imaginations, we turn to cinematic works that have tangentially fueled our exploration of arson and its potential connections to air pollution. "Backdraft" takes us on a thrilling journey through the world of firefighting and arson investigation, offering a cinematic blaze of inspiration for our research endeavors. On a lighter note, "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" kindles our laughter with its iconic line, "I love lamp," reminding us that in the midst of serious inquiry, a touch of humor can light up our perspectives on even the most smoldering of topics.

And with that, we stoke the fire of knowledge and set our sights on unraveling the burning questions that lie at the heart of our investigation.


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

Please make up the methodology section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Air pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in United States. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from Environmental Protection Agency and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services . You used data from 1985 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]]
The Fiery Connection: Air Pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in the United States

[[ABSTRACT]]
This study investigates the intriguing relationship between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and the incidence of arson in the United States. Utilizing data from the Environmental Protection Agency and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services spanning the years 1985 to 2022, a robust correlation analysis revealed a striking connection that cannot be "arson," I mean, ignored. The correlation coefficient of 0.6424787, with p < 0.01, suggests a statistically significant association between these seemingly unrelated phenomena.

Our findings raised eyebrows and sparked curiosity, much like arsonists, as we unraveled the smoldering connection between air pollution and arson. To put it simply, it seems that as air pollution levels in Quincy rise, so do the incidences of arson across the country, igniting further interest in this carbon-curious correlation. Our analysis provides valuable insights into the surprising "hot air" between air quality and arson, shedding light on the environmental and social factors that fuel this incendiary relationship.

[[INTRODUCTION]]
The study of environmental factors and their impact on societal behaviors is a hot topic within the field of criminology. When we think of environmental influences on crime, we often consider factors such as poverty, unemployment, or neighborhood characteristics. However, we seldom stop to ponder whether the quality of the air we breathe could potentially fuel the fiery phenomenon of arson. To spark some interest in this burning question, let's dive into the sizzling connection between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and the incidence of arson in the United States.
Did you hear about the statistician who was found guilty of starting a fire? He was charged with arson-inferential statistics. But I digress.
Arson, the deliberate act of setting fire to property with criminal intent, poses a significant threat to public safety and property, costing the United States billions of dollars annually. Meanwhile, air pollution, particularly from industrial sources, has been a growing concern for both the environment and public health. As researchers, we were eager to fan the flames of curiosity and investigate whether there could be an ember of truth to the notion that these two seemingly unrelated phenomena could be intricately intertwined.
This research draws on a unique blend of arson data from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program and air quality data from the Environmental Protection Agency for the period spanning from 1985 to 2022. Our investigation revealed a correlation that was not just smoke and mirrors but a statistically significant relationship. The correlation coefficient of 0.6424787, with p < 0.01, hovers like a cloud of suspicion over the conventional wisdom that air pollution and arson belong in completely separate silos.
I once asked a fire investigator if he knew any good puns about arson. He said, "No, but I'm sure they'll be lit!"
This unexpected connection ignited our curiosity and led us down a rabbit hole of statistical analysis to better understand the temperature of this relationship. Our findings not only highlight the smoldering association between air quality in Quincy, Illinois, and arson incidents nationwide but also raise important questions about the potential influence of environmental factors on criminal behavior.
As we kindle the flame of inquiry, it is essential to explore the potential mechanisms through which air pollution may fan the flames of criminal behavior, shedding light on the fire-starting factors that lie at the intersection of environmental and social dynamics. Join us as we stoke the fire of knowledge and delve into the fiery connection between air pollution and arson, illuminating the path for future research and policy interventions.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[METHODOLOGY]]



ChatGPT:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

To kindle the flames of our investigation, we employed a scorching-hot mix of statistical methods to explore the link between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and arson incidents across the United States. Our research team embarked on a quest to gather data from various sources, channeling our inner fire-fighters to tame the complexities of this sizzling correlation.

First, we harnessed the power of the Environmental Protection Agency's air quality measurements, utilizing a flaming-hot scatterplot analysis to sizzle out any potential outliers. This approach allowed us to visualize the smoky relationship between air pollution levels in Quincy and the national prevalence of arson incidents, providing us with a fiery snapshot of the data.

On the arson front, we turned to the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services, harvesting a scorching array of arson incident data spanning from 1985 to 2022. Our team then deployed a blazing-fast time series analysis to track the temporal evolution of arson occurrences, ensuring that our findings did not go up in smoke due to temporal confounders.

Next, we stoked the inferno of statistical analysis by employing a searing multiple regression model, incorporating a myriad of potentially ignitable covariates such as temperature, population density, and socioeconomic indicators. This approach allowed us to disentangle the specific contribution of air pollution in Quincy to the national arson landscape, ensuring that we didn't get burned by spurious correlations.

To further fan the flames of inquiry, we conducted a scalding sensitivity analysis, probing the robustness of our findings to variations in data aggregation and model specifications. This step ensured that our results were as resilient as a well-constructed firebreak, withstanding the heat of academic scrutiny.

Finally, we unleashing a scorching-hot spatial analysis to explore whether the fiery relationship between air pollution in Quincy and arson incidents extended its reach across geographical boundaries. This approach provided us with a 360-degree view of the hotspot of interactions, illuminating the potential diffusion of this incendiary connection.

As we navigated the fiery landscape of statistical analysis, we endeavored to extinguish any sources of bias and ensure that our findings blazed a trail of rigorous and robust evidence. Our goal was to kindle the flames of knowledge and shed light on the unsuspecting link between air pollution and arson, providing a fiery foundation for further research and policy interventions.

I once asked a fire investigator if he knew any good puns about arson. He said, "No, but I'm sure they'll be lit!"


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a witty academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a statistics journal.You draft the results section of an academic research paper. You speak in the past tense (you found...).
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up the results section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Air pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in United States. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from Environmental Protection Agency and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services .

For the time period 1985 to 2022, you found a correlation 0.6424787, r-squared of 0.4127788, and p < 0.01.

One figure will be included. The figure (Fig. 1) is a scatterplot showing the strong correlation between the two variables. You don't need to specify where; I will add the figure.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
The Fiery Connection: Air Pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in the United States

[[ABSTRACT]]
This study investigates the intriguing relationship between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and the incidence of arson in the United States. Utilizing data from the Environmental Protection Agency and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services spanning the years 1985 to 2022, a robust correlation analysis revealed a striking connection that cannot be "arson," I mean, ignored. The correlation coefficient of 0.6424787, with p < 0.01, suggests a statistically significant association between these seemingly unrelated phenomena.

Our findings raised eyebrows and sparked curiosity, much like arsonists, as we unraveled the smoldering connection between air pollution and arson. To put it simply, it seems that as air pollution levels in Quincy rise, so do the incidences of arson across the country, igniting further interest in this carbon-curious correlation. Our analysis provides valuable insights into the surprising "hot air" between air quality and arson, shedding light on the environmental and social factors that fuel this incendiary relationship.

-------

And here is the methodology section that led to this result:
[[METHODOLOGY]]
The study of environmental factors and their impact on societal behaviors is a hot topic within the field of criminology. When we think of environmental influences on crime, we often consider factors such as poverty, unemployment, or neighborhood characteristics. However, we seldom stop to ponder whether the quality of the air we breathe could potentially fuel the fiery phenomenon of arson. To spark some interest in this burning question, let's dive into the sizzling connection between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and the incidence of arson in the United States.
Did you hear about the statistician who was found guilty of starting a fire? He was charged with arson-inferential statistics. But I digress.
Arson, the deliberate act of setting fire to property with criminal intent, poses a significant threat to public safety and property, costing the United States billions of dollars annually. Meanwhile, air pollution, particularly from industrial sources, has been a growing concern for both the environment and public health. As researchers, we were eager to fan the flames of curiosity and investigate whether there could be an ember of truth to the notion that these two seemingly unrelated phenomena could be intricately intertwined.
This research draws on a unique blend of arson data from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program and air quality data from the Environmental Protection Agency for the period spanning from 1985 to 2022. Our investigation revealed a correlation that was not just smoke and mirrors but a statistically significant relationship. The correlation coefficient of 0.6424787, with p < 0.01, hovers like a cloud of suspicion over the conventional wisdom that air pollution and arson belong in completely separate silos.
I once asked a fire investigator if he knew any good puns about arson. He said, "No, but I'm sure they'll be lit!"
This unexpected connection ignited our curiosity and led us down a rabbit hole of statistical analysis to better understand the temperature of this relationship. Our findings not only highlight the smoldering association between air quality in Quincy, Illinois, and arson incidents nationwide but also raise important questions about the potential influence of environmental factors on criminal behavior.
As we kindle the flame of inquiry, it is essential to explore the potential mechanisms through which air pollution may fan the flames of criminal behavior, shedding light on the fire-starting factors that lie at the intersection of environmental and social dynamics. Join us as we stoke the fire of knowledge and delve into the fiery connection between air pollution and arson, illuminating the path for future research and policy interventions.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[RESULTS]]



ChatGPT:

[[RESULTS]]

The analysis of the relationship between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and arson in the United States yielded some enlightening findings. We found a robust correlation coefficient of 0.6424787, indicating a noteworthy positive relationship between these two variables. In other words, as air pollution levels in Quincy increased, so did the incidence of arson across the country. This connection was not just a "smokescreen" but a statistically significant association with a p-value of less than 0.01.

Fig. 1 illustrates the strong positive correlation between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and the incidence of arson in the United States. The scatterplot depicts a clear pattern, akin to the way a trail of evidence leads back to a mischievous fire-starter.

Our results point to a compelling linkage between air quality in Quincy and arson occurrences, igniting further interest in understanding the mechanisms underpinning this incendiary relationship. These findings are nothing to "shrug" off, as they shed light on the unanticipated connection between environmental and criminal factors.

In a nutshell, our research suggests that air pollution and arson are not merely "blowing smoke" but are indeed intertwined in a statistically significant manner. These results kindle the flame of inquiry, fueling the fire for future investigations into the environmental and social dynamics that influence criminal behavior.

Overall, our study presents novel insights into the fiery connection between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and arson in the United States, casting a spotlight on this unexpected relationship and igniting the flame of curiosity for further exploration.


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

Please make up the discussion section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Air pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in United States. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

Limit your response to 500 tokens.

Here are the title, abstract, literature review, and results sections. Please harken back to 1-2 of the goofy items in the literature review, but pretend to take them completely seriously. Discuss how your results supported the prior research.

Do not write a conclusion. I will add a conclusion after this.

[[TITLE]]
The Fiery Connection: Air Pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in the United States

[[ABSTRACT]]
This study investigates the intriguing relationship between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and the incidence of arson in the United States. Utilizing data from the Environmental Protection Agency and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services spanning the years 1985 to 2022, a robust correlation analysis revealed a striking connection that cannot be "arson," I mean, ignored. The correlation coefficient of 0.6424787, with p < 0.01, suggests a statistically significant association between these seemingly unrelated phenomena.

Our findings raised eyebrows and sparked curiosity, much like arsonists, as we unraveled the smoldering connection between air pollution and arson. To put it simply, it seems that as air pollution levels in Quincy rise, so do the incidences of arson across the country, igniting further interest in this carbon-curious correlation. Our analysis provides valuable insights into the surprising "hot air" between air quality and arson, shedding light on the environmental and social factors that fuel this incendiary relationship.

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]
As we embark on our quest to uncover the fiery connection between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and arson in the United States, we turn our attention to the existing body of literature that has explored related themes. Smith et al. (2010) investigated the impact of environmental factors on criminal behavior, shedding light on the potential interplay between air quality and arson. Similarly, Doe and Jones (2015) delved into the societal repercussions of air pollution, hinting at the incendiary possibilities that may arise from compromised air quality. These studies set the stage for our investigation, igniting our curiosity to delve deeper into the smoking-hot relationship that lies at the intersection of environmental science and criminology.
In "Environmental Factors and Criminal Behavior," Smith et al. (2010) propose a theoretical framework that considers the influence of environmental factors on a range of criminal activities. This framework kindles our interest in understanding the potential mechanisms through which air pollution may fuel the fiery phenomenon of arson, adding fuel to the fire of our research endeavors.
Doe and Jones (2015) highlight the pervasive impact of air pollution on public health and well-being, emphasizing the far-reaching consequences of compromised air quality. Their insights spark a flame of inquiry as we contemplate the ripple effects of air pollution that extend beyond respiratory health and into the realm of criminal behavior. It's almost as if they were breathing life into our own research, fanning the flames of curiosity with each turn of the page.
And now for a change of pace, let's shift our focus to some non-fiction books that have kindled our interest in the combustible correlation between air pollution and arson. "Choked: Life and Breath in the Age of Air Pollution" by Beth Gardiner offers a thought-provoking exploration of the impact of air pollution on communities, prompting us to contemplate the potential repercussions of inhaling more than just knowledge. Meanwhile, "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Tales of Industrial Espionage in America" by Andris Zieds provides a captivating account of corporate malfeasance, stoking our curiosity about the potential role of industrial activities in igniting not just corporate rivalries, but also the flames of criminal intent.
Moving on to the world of fiction, we find ourselves drawn to literary works that, much like our research, ignite a sense of intrigue and possibility. "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" by Caitlin Doughty goes beyond the literal implications of its title, veering into the realm of metaphorical smoke and its potential to cloud our perceptions of causality. Meanwhile, "Playing with Fire" by Tess Gerritsen captivates us with its tale of arson investigators and the smoldering secrets they uncover, as we find ourselves drawn to the allure of fire-related mysteries.
In the spirit of kindling our imaginations, we turn to cinematic works that have tangentially fueled our exploration of arson and its potential connections to air pollution. "Backdraft" takes us on a thrilling journey through the world of firefighting and arson investigation, offering a cinematic blaze of inspiration for our research endeavors. On a lighter note, "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" kindles our laughter with its iconic line, "I love lamp," reminding us that in the midst of serious inquiry, a touch of humor can light up our perspectives on even the most smoldering of topics.
And with that, we stoke the fire of knowledge and set our sights on unraveling the burning questions that lie at the heart of our investigation.

[[RESULTS]]
The analysis of the relationship between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and arson in the United States yielded some enlightening findings. We found a robust correlation coefficient of 0.6424787, indicating a noteworthy positive relationship between these two variables. In other words, as air pollution levels in Quincy increased, so did the incidence of arson across the country. This connection was not just a "smokescreen" but a statistically significant association with a p-value of less than 0.01.
Fig. 1 illustrates the strong positive correlation between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and the incidence of arson in the United States. The scatterplot depicts a clear pattern, akin to the way a trail of evidence leads back to a mischievous fire-starter.
Our results point to a compelling linkage between air quality in Quincy and arson occurrences, igniting further interest in understanding the mechanisms underpinning this incendiary relationship. These findings are nothing to "shrug" off, as they shed light on the unanticipated connection between environmental and criminal factors.
In a nutshell, our research suggests that air pollution and arson are not merely "blowing smoke" but are indeed intertwined in a statistically significant manner. These results kindle the flame of inquiry, fueling the fire for future investigations into the environmental and social dynamics that influence criminal behavior.
Overall, our study presents novel insights into the fiery connection between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and arson in the United States, casting a spotlight on this unexpected relationship and igniting the flame of curiosity for further exploration.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[DISCUSSION]]



ChatGPT:

[[DISCUSSION]]

Our findings offer compelling support for the literature that has hinted at the smoldering connection between air pollution and arson. The robust correlation coefficient of 0.6424787 aligns with the theoretical framework proposed by Smith et al. (2010), reinforcing the notion that environmental factors, including air quality, may indeed fuel criminal behavior. It seems that compromised air quality in Quincy, Illinois acts as a "spark" that ignites a chain reaction, leading to an increase in arson incidents across the United States. These results shed light on the potential mechanisms through which air pollution may fan the flames of criminal intent, providing empirical evidence for the "fuel" that drives this fiery relationship.

Likewise, the insights offered by Doe and Jones (2015) regarding the pervasive impact of air pollution find resonance in our findings. The correlation between air pollution in Quincy and arson occurrences seems to extend beyond the realm of respiratory health and well-being, transcending into the domain of criminal behavior. It's as if the ripple effects of compromised air quality extend beyond mere "smoke and mirrors," shaping the incendiary landscape of criminal activity on a national scale.

Our study also resonates with the captivating narratives of literary and cinematic works that have kindled our intrigue. The robust positive correlation we uncovered resembles a trail of evidence, akin to the plotlines of arson mysteries that captivate our imagination. In a way, our research journey mirrors the climax of a thrilling movie, where the pieces of the puzzle finally fall into place, illuminating the unexpected connection between air pollution and arson.

In summary, our findings not only provide empirical support for the literature that has helped ignite our pursuit but also shine a spotlight on the need for further investigation into the complex interplay between environmental and social factors in shaping criminal behavior. The statistically significant association between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and arson in the United States is not just "hot air"; it represents a burning question that warrants continued exploration. This unexpected relationship has lit a fire under our research endeavors, igniting the flame of curiosity and driving us to delve deeper into the environmental and social dynamics that fuel this fiery connection.


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

Please make up a short conclusion of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Air pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in United States. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

Limit your response to 300 tokens. At the very end, assert that no more research is needed in this area.

Here are the title, abstract, introduction, and results sections.
[[TITLE]]
The Fiery Connection: Air Pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in the United States

[[ABSTRACT]]
This study investigates the intriguing relationship between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and the incidence of arson in the United States. Utilizing data from the Environmental Protection Agency and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services spanning the years 1985 to 2022, a robust correlation analysis revealed a striking connection that cannot be "arson," I mean, ignored. The correlation coefficient of 0.6424787, with p < 0.01, suggests a statistically significant association between these seemingly unrelated phenomena.

Our findings raised eyebrows and sparked curiosity, much like arsonists, as we unraveled the smoldering connection between air pollution and arson. To put it simply, it seems that as air pollution levels in Quincy rise, so do the incidences of arson across the country, igniting further interest in this carbon-curious correlation. Our analysis provides valuable insights into the surprising "hot air" between air quality and arson, shedding light on the environmental and social factors that fuel this incendiary relationship.

[[INTRDUCTION]]
The study of environmental factors and their impact on societal behaviors is a hot topic within the field of criminology. When we think of environmental influences on crime, we often consider factors such as poverty, unemployment, or neighborhood characteristics. However, we seldom stop to ponder whether the quality of the air we breathe could potentially fuel the fiery phenomenon of arson. To spark some interest in this burning question, let's dive into the sizzling connection between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and the incidence of arson in the United States.
Did you hear about the statistician who was found guilty of starting a fire? He was charged with arson-inferential statistics. But I digress.
Arson, the deliberate act of setting fire to property with criminal intent, poses a significant threat to public safety and property, costing the United States billions of dollars annually. Meanwhile, air pollution, particularly from industrial sources, has been a growing concern for both the environment and public health. As researchers, we were eager to fan the flames of curiosity and investigate whether there could be an ember of truth to the notion that these two seemingly unrelated phenomena could be intricately intertwined.
This research draws on a unique blend of arson data from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program and air quality data from the Environmental Protection Agency for the period spanning from 1985 to 2022. Our investigation revealed a correlation that was not just smoke and mirrors but a statistically significant relationship. The correlation coefficient of 0.6424787, with p < 0.01, hovers like a cloud of suspicion over the conventional wisdom that air pollution and arson belong in completely separate silos.
I once asked a fire investigator if he knew any good puns about arson. He said, "No, but I'm sure they'll be lit!"
This unexpected connection ignited our curiosity and led us down a rabbit hole of statistical analysis to better understand the temperature of this relationship. Our findings not only highlight the smoldering association between air quality in Quincy, Illinois, and arson incidents nationwide but also raise important questions about the potential influence of environmental factors on criminal behavior.
As we kindle the flame of inquiry, it is essential to explore the potential mechanisms through which air pollution may fan the flames of criminal behavior, shedding light on the fire-starting factors that lie at the intersection of environmental and social dynamics. Join us as we stoke the fire of knowledge and delve into the fiery connection between air pollution and arson, illuminating the path for future research and policy interventions.

[[RESULTS]]
The analysis of the relationship between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and arson in the United States yielded some enlightening findings. We found a robust correlation coefficient of 0.6424787, indicating a noteworthy positive relationship between these two variables. In other words, as air pollution levels in Quincy increased, so did the incidence of arson across the country. This connection was not just a "smokescreen" but a statistically significant association with a p-value of less than 0.01.
Fig. 1 illustrates the strong positive correlation between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and the incidence of arson in the United States. The scatterplot depicts a clear pattern, akin to the way a trail of evidence leads back to a mischievous fire-starter.
Our results point to a compelling linkage between air quality in Quincy and arson occurrences, igniting further interest in understanding the mechanisms underpinning this incendiary relationship. These findings are nothing to "shrug" off, as they shed light on the unanticipated connection between environmental and criminal factors.
In a nutshell, our research suggests that air pollution and arson are not merely "blowing smoke" but are indeed intertwined in a statistically significant manner. These results kindle the flame of inquiry, fueling the fire for future investigations into the environmental and social dynamics that influence criminal behavior.
Overall, our study presents novel insights into the fiery connection between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and arson in the United States, casting a spotlight on this unexpected relationship and igniting the flame of curiosity for further exploration.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[CONCLUSION]]



ChatGPT:

[[CONCLUSION]]

In conclusion, our research has, dare I say, sparked a flame of understanding in uncovering the surprising relationship between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and the incidence of arson in the United States. Our findings illuminate a statistically significant correlation, indicating that as air pollution levels rise in Quincy, so do the occurrences of arson nationwide. It seems that the old adage "where there's smoke, there's fire" holds true in this case, quite literally.

Our investigation has not only set alight the connection between air quality and arson but has also ignited further inquiry into the mechanisms driving this fiery relationship. As we reflect on these scorching findings, it becomes evident that environmental factors may play a substantial role in fueling criminal behavior, adding a unique dimension to the field of criminology.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it is imperative to emphasize the significance of our findings in emphasizing the need to integrate environmental considerations into the broader dialogue on crime prevention and public safety. This research acts as a proverbial smoke alarm, alerting us to the potential impact of air pollution on criminal activity and highlighting the necessity of addressing environmental factors in shaping effective strategies for crime reduction.

As the saying goes, "don't start a fire you can't put out," and it seems that our research has sparked a fire that cannot be extinguished. Therefore, in the spirit of fire safety, we assert that no further research is needed in this area. Let's put a lid on it and call it a day!

It's been a burning pleasure to shed light on this blazing connection and to fan the flames of knowledge in this scintillating field. Thank you for joining us on this fiery journey, and may the embers of curiosity continue to smolder in future endeavors. Remember, when it comes to research, where there's smoke, there's data!


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You provide fictional names of academic journals. You say nothing else, and you do not chat with the user.
User prompt: Please provide the name of a funny but plausible sounding research, scientific, or academic journal that would publish a paper entited The Fiery Connection: Air Pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in the United States. Respond only with the name of a fictional academic journal.

ChatGPT:

The Journal of Environmental Criminology and Pollution Analysis


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You provide fictional names of nonprofit research organizations and associations. You say nothing else, and you do not chat with the user.
User prompt: Please provide the name of a funny but plausible sounding nonprofit, academic, or scientific association or organization that would sponsor research that resulted in a paper entited The Fiery Connection: Air Pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in the United States. Respond only with the name of a fictional organization.

ChatGPT:

The Society for Investigative Environmental Criminology and Atmospheric Studies (SIECAS)


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You provide potential search keywords separated by commas. You say nothing else, and you do not chat with the user.
User prompt: Please provide potential search keywords for a paper titled The Fiery Connection: Air Pollution in Quincy, Illinois and Arson in the United States with an abstract of This study investigates the intriguing relationship between air pollution in Quincy, Illinois, and the incidence of arson in the United States. Utilizing data from the Environmental Protection Agency and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services spanning the years 1985 to 2022, a robust correlation analysis revealed a striking connection that cannot be "arson," I mean, ignored. The correlation coefficient of 0.6424787, with p < 0.01, suggests a statistically significant association between these seemingly unrelated phenomena.
Our findings raised eyebrows and sparked curiosity, much like arsonists, as we unraveled the smoldering connection between air pollution and arson. To put it simply, it seems that as air pollution levels in Quincy rise, so do the incidences of arson across the country, igniting further interest in this carbon-curious correlation. Our analysis provides valuable insights into the surprising "hot air" between air quality and arson, shedding light on the environmental and social factors that fuel this incendiary relationship.

ChatGPT:

Quincy, Illinois air pollution, arson in the United States, air pollution correlation with arson, Environmental Protection Agency air pollution data, FBI arson statistics, air pollution and crime correlation, Quincy air quality and arson correlation

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



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Data details

Air pollution in Quincy, Illinois
Detailed data title: Percentage of days with air quality at 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' or worse in Quincy, IL-MO
Source: Environmental Protection Agency
See what else correlates with Air pollution in Quincy, Illinois

Arson in United States
Detailed data title: The arson rate per 100,000 residents in United States
Source: FBI Criminal Justice Information Services
See what else correlates with Arson in United States

Correlation r = 0.6424787 (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 = 0.4127788 (Coefficient of determination)
This means 41.3% of the change in the one variable (i.e., Arson in United States) is predictable based on the change in the other (i.e., Air pollution in Quincy, Illinois) over the 38 years from 1985 through 2022.

p < 0.01, which is statistically significant(Null hypothesis significance test)
The p-value is 1.4E-5. 0.0000136874694197496260000000
The p-value is a measure of how probable it is that we would randomly find a result this extreme. More specifically the p-value is a measure of how probable it is that we would randomly find a result this extreme if we had only tested one pair of variables one time.

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

Who is going to stop me? p-value reporting doesn't require me to report how many calculations I had to go through in order to find a low p-value!
On average, you will find a correaltion as strong as 0.64 in 0.0014% of random cases. Said differently, if you correlated 73,060 random variables You don't actually need 73 thousand variables to find a correlation like this one. I don't have that many variables in my database. You can also correlate variables that are not independent. I do this a lot.

p-value calculations are useful for understanding the probability of a result happening by chance. They are most useful when used to highlight the risk of a fluke outcome. For example, if you calculate a p-value of 0.30, the risk that the result is a fluke is high. It is good to know that! But there are lots of ways to get a p-value of less than 0.01, as evidenced by this project.

In this particular case, the values are so extreme as to be meaningless. That's why no one reports p-values with specificity after they drop below 0.01.

Just to be clear: I'm being completely transparent about the calculations. There is no math trickery. This is just how statistics shakes out when you calculate hundreds of millions of random correlations.
with the same 37 degrees of freedom, Degrees of freedom is a measure of how many free components we are testing. In this case it is 37 because we have two variables measured over a period of 38 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.

[ 0.41, 0.8 ] 95% correlation confidence interval (using the Fisher z-transformation)
The confidence interval is an estimate the range of the value of the correlation coefficient, using the correlation itself as an input. The values are meant to be the low and high end of the correlation coefficient with 95% confidence.

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


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

Still, sometimes one of the variables has more years of data available than the other. This page only shows the overlapping years. To see all the years, click on "See what else correlates with..." link above.
19851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Air pollution in Quincy, Illinois (Bad air quality days)5.056182.884622.631584.532581.470590.2949852.528092.662720.2747250.2824862.234641.917810.279331.666672.191781.09892.203862.19781.1080304.109591.104971.79641000.28328601.3736300000.40983600000
Arson in United States (Arson rate)43.646.342.54141.441.74140.837.339.636.734.632.629.728.824.727.726.82523.623.124.422.621.619.518.117.517.614.914.513.714.113.2121113.98.911.6




Why this works

  1. 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.
  2. Lack of causal connection: There is probably Because these pages are automatically generated, it's possible that the two variables you are viewing are in fact causually related. I take steps to prevent the obvious ones from showing on the site (I don't let data about the weather in one city correlate with the weather in a neighboring city, for example), but sometimes they still pop up. If they are related, cool! You found a loophole.
    no direct connection between these variables, despite what the AI says above. This is exacerbated by the fact that I used "Years" as the base variable. Lots of things happen in a year that are not related to each other! Most studies would use something like "one person" in stead of "one year" to be the "thing" studied.
  3. Observations not independent: For many variables, sequential years are not independent of each other. If a population of people is continuously doing something every day, there is no reason to think they would suddenly change how they are doing that thing on January 1. A simple Personally I don't find any p-value calculation to be 'simple,' but you know what I mean.
    p-value calculation does not take this into account, so mathematically it appears less probable than it really is.




Try it yourself

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

    return correlation, r_squared, p_value

# These are the arrays for the variables shown on this page, but you can modify them to be any two sets of numbers
array_1 = np.array([5.05618,2.88462,2.63158,4.53258,1.47059,0.294985,2.52809,2.66272,0.274725,0.282486,2.23464,1.91781,0.27933,1.66667,2.19178,1.0989,2.20386,2.1978,1.10803,0,4.10959,1.10497,1.79641,0,0,0.283286,0,1.37363,0,0,0,0,0.409836,0,0,0,0,0,])
array_2 = np.array([43.6,46.3,42.5,41,41.4,41.7,41,40.8,37.3,39.6,36.7,34.6,32.6,29.7,28.8,24.7,27.7,26.8,25,23.6,23.1,24.4,22.6,21.6,19.5,18.1,17.5,17.6,14.9,14.5,13.7,14.1,13.2,12,11,13.9,8.9,11.6,])
array_1_name = "Air pollution in Quincy, Illinois"
array_2_name = "Arson in United States"

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

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



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Correlation ID: 2369 · Black Variable ID: 21111 · Red Variable ID: 20038
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