Spurious correlation #3,684 · View random
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is UFO sightings in Washington and the second variable is Patents granted in the US. The chart goes from 1975 to 2020, and the two variables track closely in value over that time.

A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is UFO sightings in Washington and the second variable is Patents granted in the US. The chart goes from 1975 to 2020, and the two variables track closely in value over that time.

Download png, svg

AI explanation

The increase in UFO sightings in Washington led to a surge in creativity among residents. As people gazed at the mysterious lights in the sky, their minds opened up to new possibilities. This surge in creativity sparked a wave of innovation, prompting more people to develop unique and unconventional ideas. Unable to explain the technology behind these UFOs, individuals and companies rushed to patent their own groundbreaking inventions, leading to a notable increase in patents granted in the US. Who knew that the key to technological advancement was simply looking up at the right moment!

^{Show image generation prompt} Model: dalle-3
Prompt: The image prompt for DALL·E-3 would be: "Generate a realistic depiction of a bustling city in Washington. In the night sky, a mysterious UFO hovers above the city, emitting a soft glow. Bystanders on the street below are amazed as they look up in wonder at the UFO. Nearby, a group of inventors and innovators are gathered in an office building, their faces lit up with excitement as they discuss their latest inventions. The US Patent and Trademark Office is seen in the background, bustling with activity as numerous patents are being granted, reflecting the surge in creative and innovative ideas sparked by the UFO sightings." 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: UFO sightings in Washington and Patents granted in the US. 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: Art nouveau Voxel art Charcoal Minimalism Realistic
ChatGPT: Realistic

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 UFO sightings in Washington and Patents granted in the US, in the following situation: Because increased UFO sightings in Washington led to heightened creativity, resulting in more innovative ideas and inventions, thus driving an increase in patents granted in the US.. Keep the description simple.
ChatGPT: In a bustling city in Washington, a group of amazed bystanders look up at the night sky as a mysterious UFO hovers above the city, emitting a soft glow. As they watch in wonder, a group of inventors and innovators are gathered in a nearby office building, brainstorming and working on new ideas. Their faces are lit up with excitement as they discuss their latest inventions. In the background, the US Patent and Trademark Office is bustling with activity as numerous patents are being granted to these inspired individuals, reflecting the surge in creative and innovative ideas sparked by the UFO sightings in Washington.

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: [ Realistic ] and depicting this scene: In a bustling city in Washington, a group of amazed bystanders look up at the night sky as a mysterious UFO hovers above the city, emitting a soft glow. As they watch in wonder, a group of inventors and innovators are gathered in a nearby office building, brainstorming and working on new ideas. Their faces are lit up with excitement as they discuss their latest inventions. In the background, the US Patent and Trademark Office is bustling with activity as numerous patents are being granted to these inspired individuals, reflecting the surge in creative and innovative ideas sparked by the UFO sightings in Washington. Keep the visual depiction simple. Do not include any words or speech bubbles.
ChatGPT: The image prompt for DALL·E-3 would be: "Generate a realistic depiction of a bustling city in Washington. In the night sky, a mysterious UFO hovers above the city, emitting a soft glow. Bystanders on the street below are amazed as they look up in wonder at the UFO. Nearby, a group of inventors and innovators are gathered in an office building, their faces lit up with excitement as they discuss their latest inventions. The US Patent and Trademark Office is seen in the background, bustling with activity as numerous patents are being granted, reflecting the surge in creative and innovative ideas sparked by the UFO sightings."

*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 UFO sightings in Washington caused Patents granted in the US to increase.\Make it sound serious until the end.

AI academic paper

(Because p < 0.01)

Unidentified Flying Patents: Exploring the UFO-Patent Connection in the United States

The Journal of Extraterrestrial Intellectual Property Law

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 UFO sightings in Washington and Patents granted in the US. Make lots of 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 cite some social media posts you read that seem to be related.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
"Unidentified Flying Patents: Exploring the UFO-Patent Connection in the United States"

[[ABSTRACT]]
This study delves into the intriguing and often ridiculed topic of UFO sightings and their connection to patents granted in the United States. By utilizing data from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), our research team examined the relationship between these two seemingly disparate phenomena. Surprisingly, our findings revealed a remarkably strong correlation, with a correlation coefficient of 0.8369346 and p < 0.01 from 1975 to 2020. This suggests that a higher frequency of UFO sightings in Washington correlates with an increase in patents granted across the US. While the exact causality remains elusive, these results certainly invite further investigation into the curious interplay between extraterrestrial encounters and innovative inventions. Our study provides a fresh perspective on the often-dismissed topic of UFOs and underscores the need for open-minded inquiry in research endeavors.

-------

And here is the introduction section that led to this literature review:
[[INTRODUCTION]]
The notion of UFOs and their alleged influence on earthly affairs has long been the subject of ridicule, skepticism, and perhaps a sprinkle of curiosity. Despite the raised eyebrows and dubious smirks from our peers in academia, the intersection of unidentified aerial phenomena and the granting of patents is a topic deserving of serious inquiry. Therefore, in the spirit of scientific exploration and a tinge of whimsy, our research team set out to unravel this cosmic enigma.
While the average researcher might consider the relationship between UFO sightings and patents as gravitational anomalies on the fringe of scientific inquiry, we boldly ventured forth armed with statistical analyses and an open mind. Our quest began with the ever-intriguing dataset from the National UFO Reporting Center, where countless tales of otherworldly encounters find their terrestrial tether. Coupled with the treasure trove of innovation at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), we embarked on a journey through the far reaches of the empirical cosmos to uncover the hidden constellations of correlation.
Armed with our trusty statistical compass and powered by an unyielding dedication to the pursuit of knowledge, we navigated through the twinkling stars of data points and variables. Our initial exploration revealed a correlation coefficient of 0.8369346, which, in scientific parlance, is a rather astronomically significant finding. With a p-value of less than 0.01, our results sparked an intellectual supernova in our research team, leaving us to ponder the celestial dance between UFO sightings and patents.
As we embark on this scholarly odyssey, it behooves us to humor the unlikely relationship between these two disparate phenomena. Perhaps there's a "universal patent office" out there, where extraterrestrial beings are diligently working on their own intellectual property. Or maybe, just maybe, the sight of an otherworldly craft in the night sky triggers a burst of inventive inspiration in the terrestrial minds below. Alas, these are but playful ponderings amidst the rigors of scientific inquiry.
In light of these peculiar findings, we delve deeper into the cosmos of data, armed with a curiosity as vast as the universe itself. Our journey unravels in the following sections, where we peel back the layers of statistical significance and engage in an intellectual pas de deux with the enigmatic interplay between UFO sightings and patents. Join us as we navigate this cosmic dance, armed with data, a pinch of humor, and a steadfast commitment to unraveling the mysteries woven into the fabric of our empirical universe.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

ChatGPT:
[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

The relationship between UFO sightings and patents granted in the United States is a topic that has received limited attention in academic literature. Smith et al. (2015) examined the National UFO Reporting Center database and reported a significant increase in UFO sightings in Washington state over the past decade. Meanwhile, Doe and Jones (2018) conducted a comprehensive analysis of patents granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, revealing a concurrent rise in unconventional and innovative patent applications. While these individual studies offer valuable insights, the crucial nexus between these two occurrences has remained relatively unexplored.

Turning to more general sources, "The UFO Phenomenon: Fact or Fiction" (Smith, 2000) provides a comprehensive overview of historical and contemporary UFO sightings, while "Patents and Innovation: A Comprehensive Analysis" (Doe, 2012) offers a detailed examination of the patent landscape in the United States. Additionally, "Extraterrestrial Encounters and Human Creativity" (Jones, 2016) presents an in-depth analysis of alleged interactions with extraterrestrial beings and their potential influence on human inventiveness. These foundational texts offer a framework for understanding the interplay between UFO sightings and inventive activities within the earthly realm.

In a more whimsical vein, the science fiction novel "UFOs and Intellectual Property: A Cosmic Connection" introduces a fictional narrative that explores the possibility of extraterrestrial involvement in the patent process. Similarly, "The Patented Universe: Alien Innovations Among Us" offers a playful take on the intersection of UFO sightings and inventive endeavors. Despite their fictional nature, these literary works serve as imaginative forays into the nexus of UFOs and patents.

Furthermore, the authors came across various social media posts that alluded to the intriguing relationship between UFO sightings and patents. One Reddit user shared an anecdote about witnessing a UFO before receiving a sudden burst of ingenuity for a new invention, sparking a lighthearted discussion about the potential extraterrestrial influence on human innovation. Similarly, a Twitter thread humorously speculated on whether patent applications from outer space are surreptitiously filed at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. While these online conversations are certainly more anecdotal than empirical, they reflect the enduring fascination and curiosity surrounding the UFO-patent connection.

This literature review highlights the scarcity of scholarly inquiries into the entwined realms of UFO sightings and patents and underscores the need for rigorous investigation into this peculiar correlation. As we delve into the empirical cosmos of data and delve deeper into the statistical supernova of correlation between UFO sightings in Washington and patents granted in the United States, our study seeks to shed light on this enigmatic interplay and encourage further academic inquiries into this uncharted territory of cosmic curiosity.

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 UFO sightings in Washington and Patents granted in the US. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns. Sneak in some jokes and clever puns about science, research, statistics, and the variables.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from National UFO Reporting Center and USPTO . You used data from 1975 to 2020

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]]
"Unidentified Flying Patents: Exploring the UFO-Patent Connection in the United States"

[[ABSTRACT]]
This study delves into the intriguing and often ridiculed topic of UFO sightings and their connection to patents granted in the United States. By utilizing data from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), our research team examined the relationship between these two seemingly disparate phenomena. Surprisingly, our findings revealed a remarkably strong correlation, with a correlation coefficient of 0.8369346 and p < 0.01 from 1975 to 2020. This suggests that a higher frequency of UFO sightings in Washington correlates with an increase in patents granted across the US. While the exact causality remains elusive, these results certainly invite further investigation into the curious interplay between extraterrestrial encounters and innovative inventions. Our study provides a fresh perspective on the often-dismissed topic of UFOs and underscores the need for open-minded inquiry in research endeavors.

[[INTRODUCTION]]
The notion of UFOs and their alleged influence on earthly affairs has long been the subject of ridicule, skepticism, and perhaps a sprinkle of curiosity. Despite the raised eyebrows and dubious smirks from our peers in academia, the intersection of unidentified aerial phenomena and the granting of patents is a topic deserving of serious inquiry. Therefore, in the spirit of scientific exploration and a tinge of whimsy, our research team set out to unravel this cosmic enigma.
While the average researcher might consider the relationship between UFO sightings and patents as gravitational anomalies on the fringe of scientific inquiry, we boldly ventured forth armed with statistical analyses and an open mind. Our quest began with the ever-intriguing dataset from the National UFO Reporting Center, where countless tales of otherworldly encounters find their terrestrial tether. Coupled with the treasure trove of innovation at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), we embarked on a journey through the far reaches of the empirical cosmos to uncover the hidden constellations of correlation.
Armed with our trusty statistical compass and powered by an unyielding dedication to the pursuit of knowledge, we navigated through the twinkling stars of data points and variables. Our initial exploration revealed a correlation coefficient of 0.8369346, which, in scientific parlance, is a rather astronomically significant finding. With a p-value of less than 0.01, our results sparked an intellectual supernova in our research team, leaving us to ponder the celestial dance between UFO sightings and patents.
As we embark on this scholarly odyssey, it behooves us to humor the unlikely relationship between these two disparate phenomena. Perhaps there's a "universal patent office" out there, where extraterrestrial beings are diligently working on their own intellectual property. Or maybe, just maybe, the sight of an otherworldly craft in the night sky triggers a burst of inventive inspiration in the terrestrial minds below. Alas, these are but playful ponderings amidst the rigors of scientific inquiry.
In light of these peculiar findings, we delve deeper into the cosmos of data, armed with a curiosity as vast as the universe itself. Our journey unravels in the following sections, where we peel back the layers of statistical significance and engage in an intellectual pas de deux with the enigmatic interplay between UFO sightings and patents. Join us as we navigate this cosmic dance, armed with data, a pinch of humor, and a steadfast commitment to unraveling the mysteries woven into the fabric of our empirical universe.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

ChatGPT:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

To embark on our quest for elucidating the perplexing nexus of UFO sightings and patent grants, we employed a multi-faceted and rigorously curated approach to data collection and analysis. Our source of UFO sighting data was the National UFO Reporting Center, where accounts of extraterrestrial encounters abound like stars in a galactic expanse. We meticulously combed through reports from 1975 to 2020, ensuring that no cosmic conundrum slipped through the cracks of our scrutiny.

Simultaneously, we cast our investigative gaze upon the expansive repository of innovation housed within the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). We extracted information on patents granted during the same period, uncovering a celestial symphony of inventive intellect within the earthly realm.

With our celestial data points in hand, we orchestrated an interstellar ballet of statistical analyses. The correlation between UFO sightings in Washington and the number of patents granted across the US was calculated using the illustrious Pearson correlation coefficient, a stalwart tool in the astronomer's toolkit of statistical methods.

In navigating the cosmic sea of data, we took great care to account for potential confounding variables and cosmic quirks that could influence our findings. Meteorological phenomena, anthropogenic activities, and celestial aberrations were considered and controlled for in our analysis, ensuring that our observations remained as steadfast as the orbit of a celestial body.

The statistical significance of our findings was assessed through the venerable p-value, a metric that often serves as the lodestar guiding researchers through the celestial expanse of hypothesis testing. With a p-value of less than 0.01, our results shimmered like a distant quasar, beckoning the scientific community to ponder the enigmatic correlations that transcend the boundaries of our terrestrial encumbrances.

In the spirit of scholarly transparency, we acknowledge the limitations of our study. While we navigated the cosmic ocean of data with zeal and precision, the nature of correlation does not bestow upon us the blessing of causation. As such, our findings merely allude to the cosmic waltz between UFO sightings and patents, leaving the exact mechanics of this celestial dance to the inquisitive minds of future researchers.

As we charted our course through this uncharted cosmos of inquiry, the magnetic allure of curiosity propelled us forward, infusing our methodological endeavors with a dash of whimsy. With our methodological compass pointing true north towards empirical enlightenment, we set sail on the theoretical seas, dissecting the celestial conundrum of UFO sightings and patent grants with unyielding resolve and the occasional nod to cosmic humor.

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 UFO sightings in Washington and Patents granted in the US. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns. Sneak in some jokes and clever puns about science, research, statistics, and the variables.

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]]
"Unidentified Flying Patents: Exploring the UFO-Patent Connection in the United States"

[[ABSTRACT]]
This study delves into the intriguing and often ridiculed topic of UFO sightings and their connection to patents granted in the United States. By utilizing data from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), our research team examined the relationship between these two seemingly disparate phenomena. Surprisingly, our findings revealed a remarkably strong correlation, with a correlation coefficient of 0.8369346 and p < 0.01 from 1975 to 2020. This suggests that a higher frequency of UFO sightings in Washington correlates with an increase in patents granted across the US. While the exact causality remains elusive, these results certainly invite further investigation into the curious interplay between extraterrestrial encounters and innovative inventions. Our study provides a fresh perspective on the often-dismissed topic of UFOs and underscores the need for open-minded inquiry in research endeavors.

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]
The relationship between UFO sightings and patents granted in the United States is a topic that has received limited attention in academic literature. Smith et al. (2015) examined the National UFO Reporting Center database and reported a significant increase in UFO sightings in Washington state over the past decade. Meanwhile, Doe and Jones (2018) conducted a comprehensive analysis of patents granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, revealing a concurrent rise in unconventional and innovative patent applications. While these individual studies offer valuable insights, the crucial nexus between these two occurrences has remained relatively unexplored.
Turning to more general sources, "The UFO Phenomenon: Fact or Fiction" (Smith, 2000) provides a comprehensive overview of historical and contemporary UFO sightings, while "Patents and Innovation: A Comprehensive Analysis" (Doe, 2012) offers a detailed examination of the patent landscape in the United States. Additionally, "Extraterrestrial Encounters and Human Creativity" (Jones, 2016) presents an in-depth analysis of alleged interactions with extraterrestrial beings and their potential influence on human inventiveness. These foundational texts offer a framework for understanding the interplay between UFO sightings and inventive activities within the earthly realm.
In a more whimsical vein, the science fiction novel "UFOs and Intellectual Property: A Cosmic Connection" introduces a fictional narrative that explores the possibility of extraterrestrial involvement in the patent process. Similarly, "The Patented Universe: Alien Innovations Among Us" offers a playful take on the intersection of UFO sightings and inventive endeavors. Despite their fictional nature, these literary works serve as imaginative forays into the nexus of UFOs and patents.
Furthermore, the authors came across various social media posts that alluded to the intriguing relationship between UFO sightings and patents. One Reddit user shared an anecdote about witnessing a UFO before receiving a sudden burst of ingenuity for a new invention, sparking a lighthearted discussion about the potential extraterrestrial influence on human innovation. Similarly, a Twitter thread humorously speculated on whether patent applications from outer space are surreptitiously filed at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. While these online conversations are certainly more anecdotal than empirical, they reflect the enduring fascination and curiosity surrounding the UFO-patent connection.
This literature review highlights the scarcity of scholarly inquiries into the entwined realms of UFO sightings and patents and underscores the need for rigorous investigation into this peculiar correlation. As we delve into the empirical cosmos of data and delve deeper into the statistical supernova of correlation between UFO sightings in Washington and patents granted in the United States, our study seeks to shed light on this enigmatic interplay and encourage further academic inquiries into this uncharted territory of cosmic curiosity.

[[RESULTS]]
The results of our study revealed a correlation coefficient of 0.8369346, indicating a remarkably strong relationship between UFO sightings in Washington and the number of patents granted in the United States from 1975 to 2020. This finding, accompanied by an r-squared value of 0.7004595 and a p-value of less than 0.01, indicates a statistically significant association.
Figure 1 presents a visual representation of this compelling correlation, portraying a scatterplot that unmistakably depicts the upward trend between the frequency of UFO sightings and the number of patents granted. It seems that the presence of unidentified flying objects is accompanied by a surge in earthly innovations – a potential cosmic collaboration of sorts!
The implications of our findings are as intriguing as they are captivating. While we cannot surmise causality from this association, it does raise some thought-provoking questions. Could extraterrestrial visitors be bestowing inventive ideas upon us, perhaps in an attempt to subtly guide human progress? Or are earthly inventors simply more inspired when gazing upon the starry skies, stimulating a surge of intellectual creativity? The answers remain shrouded in the cosmic mist, beckoning for future explorations by inquisitive minds.
Our study offers a fresh perspective on the often-dismissed domain of UFO phenomena and encourages further investigation into the interplay between celestial encounters and human innovation. The juxtaposition of these seemingly unrelated realms not only challenges traditional scientific boundaries, but also presents an opportunity for the amalgamation of curiosity and empirical inquiry.
Alas, the enigma of the UFO-patent connection persists as an enticing puzzle, one that beckons researchers to continue exploring the cosmos of correlations and causality with the fervor and fascination of a starry-eyed stargazer.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[DISCUSSION]]

ChatGPT:

[[DISCUSSION]]

The striking correlation between UFO sightings in Washington and patents granted in the United States from 1975 to 2020 unveiled in our study not only raises eyebrows but also prompts contemplation of the cosmic forces at play in the realm of invention. The remarkable correlation coefficient of 0.8369346 and the statistically significant p-value of less than 0.01 lend credence to the notion that there may indeed be an enigmatic interplay between extraterrestrial occurrences and human ingenuity.

Our findings resonate with the work of Smith et al. (2015), who laid the groundwork by documenting a surge in UFO sightings in Washington state. It appears that the cosmic influx of unidentified flying objects may unleash a wave of imaginative prowess across the nation, as postulated by Doe and Jones (2018) in their analysis of innovative patent applications. It is as if the UFOs, whether driven by intergalactic curiosity or a desire to inspire, are engaging in a cosmic tango with earthly inventiveness, resulting in an otherworldly surge of patent applications.

From a statistical perspective, our results affirm the supposition put forth in "The Patented Universe: Alien Innovations Among Us" that there might indeed be a celestial correlation lurking within the patent landscape. The scatterplot in Figure 1 vividly illustrates the upward trajectory of patents as UFO sightings multiply, painting a picture of celestial inspiration fueling inventive fervor.

Nonetheless, the burning question remains: What underpins this enthralling correlation? One cannot help but wonder if UFO sightings serve as cosmic catalysts, sprinkling stardust upon the fields of human creativity, or if earthly inventors, gazing skyward, find themselves awash in a wave of cosmic inspiration that propels them toward innovative frontiers. The cosmic forces at play evoke a sense of wonder and invite researchers to contemplate the enigmatic cosmic ballet that unfolds between UFO sightings and patents granted.

As our study ignites a cosmic conversation within the academic cosmos, it is imperative to approach further research with a blend of empirical rigor and lighthearted inquiry. The fusion of statistical scrutiny and whimsical wonderment offers a celestial stage upon which the UFO-patent connection can unfold, inviting researchers to dance with the data and ponder the cosmic conundrum that lies at the crux of our findings. The UFO-patent connection stands as an intriguing enigma, challenging researchers to aspire to the heights of cosmic curiosity and inspire a celestial symphony of scholarly inquiry.

In conclusion, the entwinement of UFO sightings and patents granted beckons forth a confluence of cosmic contemplation and empirical scrutiny, inviting researchers to embark on a cosmic quest to unravel the celestial mysteries that underpin the earthly tapestry of inventive innovation.

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 UFO sightings in Washington and Patents granted in the US. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns. Sneak in some jokes and clever puns about science, research, statistics, and the variables.

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]]
"Unidentified Flying Patents: Exploring the UFO-Patent Connection in the United States"

[[ABSTRACT]]
This study delves into the intriguing and often ridiculed topic of UFO sightings and their connection to patents granted in the United States. By utilizing data from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), our research team examined the relationship between these two seemingly disparate phenomena. Surprisingly, our findings revealed a remarkably strong correlation, with a correlation coefficient of 0.8369346 and p < 0.01 from 1975 to 2020. This suggests that a higher frequency of UFO sightings in Washington correlates with an increase in patents granted across the US. While the exact causality remains elusive, these results certainly invite further investigation into the curious interplay between extraterrestrial encounters and innovative inventions. Our study provides a fresh perspective on the often-dismissed topic of UFOs and underscores the need for open-minded inquiry in research endeavors.

[[INTRDUCTION]]
The notion of UFOs and their alleged influence on earthly affairs has long been the subject of ridicule, skepticism, and perhaps a sprinkle of curiosity. Despite the raised eyebrows and dubious smirks from our peers in academia, the intersection of unidentified aerial phenomena and the granting of patents is a topic deserving of serious inquiry. Therefore, in the spirit of scientific exploration and a tinge of whimsy, our research team set out to unravel this cosmic enigma.
While the average researcher might consider the relationship between UFO sightings and patents as gravitational anomalies on the fringe of scientific inquiry, we boldly ventured forth armed with statistical analyses and an open mind. Our quest began with the ever-intriguing dataset from the National UFO Reporting Center, where countless tales of otherworldly encounters find their terrestrial tether. Coupled with the treasure trove of innovation at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), we embarked on a journey through the far reaches of the empirical cosmos to uncover the hidden constellations of correlation.
Armed with our trusty statistical compass and powered by an unyielding dedication to the pursuit of knowledge, we navigated through the twinkling stars of data points and variables. Our initial exploration revealed a correlation coefficient of 0.8369346, which, in scientific parlance, is a rather astronomically significant finding. With a p-value of less than 0.01, our results sparked an intellectual supernova in our research team, leaving us to ponder the celestial dance between UFO sightings and patents.
As we embark on this scholarly odyssey, it behooves us to humor the unlikely relationship between these two disparate phenomena. Perhaps there's a "universal patent office" out there, where extraterrestrial beings are diligently working on their own intellectual property. Or maybe, just maybe, the sight of an otherworldly craft in the night sky triggers a burst of inventive inspiration in the terrestrial minds below. Alas, these are but playful ponderings amidst the rigors of scientific inquiry.
In light of these peculiar findings, we delve deeper into the cosmos of data, armed with a curiosity as vast as the universe itself. Our journey unravels in the following sections, where we peel back the layers of statistical significance and engage in an intellectual pas de deux with the enigmatic interplay between UFO sightings and patents. Join us as we navigate this cosmic dance, armed with data, a pinch of humor, and a steadfast commitment to unraveling the mysteries woven into the fabric of our empirical universe.

[[RESULTS]]
The results of our study revealed a correlation coefficient of 0.8369346, indicating a remarkably strong relationship between UFO sightings in Washington and the number of patents granted in the United States from 1975 to 2020. This finding, accompanied by an r-squared value of 0.7004595 and a p-value of less than 0.01, indicates a statistically significant association.
Figure 1 presents a visual representation of this compelling correlation, portraying a scatterplot that unmistakably depicts the upward trend between the frequency of UFO sightings and the number of patents granted. It seems that the presence of unidentified flying objects is accompanied by a surge in earthly innovations – a potential cosmic collaboration of sorts!
The implications of our findings are as intriguing as they are captivating. While we cannot surmise causality from this association, it does raise some thought-provoking questions. Could extraterrestrial visitors be bestowing inventive ideas upon us, perhaps in an attempt to subtly guide human progress? Or are earthly inventors simply more inspired when gazing upon the starry skies, stimulating a surge of intellectual creativity? The answers remain shrouded in the cosmic mist, beckoning for future explorations by inquisitive minds.
Our study offers a fresh perspective on the often-dismissed domain of UFO phenomena and encourages further investigation into the interplay between celestial encounters and human innovation. The juxtaposition of these seemingly unrelated realms not only challenges traditional scientific boundaries, but also presents an opportunity for the amalgamation of curiosity and empirical inquiry.
Alas, the enigma of the UFO-patent connection persists as an enticing puzzle, one that beckons researchers to continue exploring the cosmos of correlations and causality with the fervor and fascination of a starry-eyed stargazer.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[CONCLUSION]]

ChatGPT:

[[CONCLUSION]]

In conclusion, our research has shed light on the peculiar correlation between UFO sightings and patents granted in the United States, leaving us to ponder the cosmic dance of influences at play. The statistically significant relationship we have unveiled tantalizingly beckons us to consider the celestial hand in earthly innovation, though we must tread carefully through the asteroid field of causality before making any definitive claims.

As we wrap up this scholarly soiree through the cosmos of correlation, it is hard not to marvel at the whimsical possibilities lurking amidst the statistical significances. Perhaps the erratic flight patterns of UFOs serve as unintentional R&D scouts for the intergalactic community, meticulously cataloging our intellectual progress for an elusive cosmic patent filing. Or perchance, the mere sight of an otherworldly craft hovering in the night sky triggers a surge of inventive gusto in the minds of mortal inventors, compelling them to reach for the stars in their creations.

While we cannot deny the allure of these playfully pondered possibilities, we must exercise caution in interpreting these findings. Correlation, as we solemnly remind ourselves, does not imply causation, regardless of how irresistible the narrative may seem.

In the spirit of scientific inquiry and a dash of cosmic curiosity, our research nudges open the door to a realm where the terrestrial and extraterrestrial meet, beckoning others to join in the intellectual rumba of cosmic investigation. But before we launch into fervent pursuit of potential UFO-inspired inventions or alien intellectual property offices, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the limits of our current study.

We are forced to conclude that, for now, the mysteries of the UFO-patent connection will remain hanging in the expanse of the empirical cosmos, their teasing enigma daring future researchers to plunge headfirst into the celestial unknown. But as for ourselves, we assert that no further research is needed in this area -- at least until the little green men come knocking on our laboratory doors demanding royalties for their otherworldly inspirations.

In this peculiar marriage of UFOs and patents, we bid adieu to this adventure in academic wonderment, armed with our scientific compass, an array of statistical tools, and perhaps just a sprinkle of cosmic humor.

In the immortal words of Douglas Adams, "So long, and thanks for all the patents."

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 Unidentified Flying Patents: Exploring the UFO-Patent Connection in the United States. Respond only with the name of a fictional academic journal.

ChatGPT:

The Journal of Extraterrestrial Intellectual Property Law

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 Unidentified Flying Patents: Exploring the UFO-Patent Connection in the United States. Respond only with the name of a fictional organization.

ChatGPT:

The Society for Extraterrestrial Intellectual Property Rights (SEIPR)

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 Unidentified Flying Patents: Exploring the UFO-Patent Connection in the United States with an abstract of This study delves into the intriguing and often ridiculed topic of UFO sightings and their connection to patents granted in the United States. By utilizing data from the National UFO Reporting Center and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), our research team examined the relationship between these two seemingly disparate phenomena. Surprisingly, our findings revealed a remarkably strong correlation, with a correlation coefficient of 0.8369346 and p < 0.01 from 1975 to 2020. This suggests that a higher frequency of UFO sightings in Washington correlates with an increase in patents granted across the US. While the exact causality remains elusive, these results certainly invite further investigation into the curious interplay between extraterrestrial encounters and innovative inventions. Our study provides a fresh perspective on the often-dismissed topic of UFOs and underscores the need for open-minded inquiry in research endeavors.

ChatGPT:

UFO sightings, patents, United States Patent and Trademark Office, correlation, National UFO Reporting Center, extraterrestrial encounters, innovative inventions, causality, research, Washington, correlation coefficient, USPTO, unidentified flying objects

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

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Data details

UFO sightings in Washington
Detailed data title: UFO sightings reported in Washington
Source: National UFO Reporting Center
See what else correlates with UFO sightings in Washington

Patents granted in the US
Detailed data title: Total number of patents granted in the US
Source: USPTO
See what else correlates with Patents granted in the US

Correlation r = 0.8369346 (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 = 0.7004595 (Coefficient of determination)
This means 70% of the change in the one variable (i.e., Patents granted in the US) is predictable based on the change in the other (i.e., UFO sightings in Washington) over the 46 years from 1975 through 2020.

p < 0.01, which is statistically significant(Null hypothesis significance test)
The p-value is 4.3E-13.^Show 0.0000000000004296612355098892
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 0.84 in 4.3E-11% of random cases. Said differently, if you correlated 2,327,414,989,656 random variables^Note You don't actually need 2 trillion 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 45 degrees of freedom, ^Note Degrees of freedom is a measure of how many free components we are testing. In this case it is 45 because we have two variables measured over a period of 46 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.

[ 0.72, 0.91 ] 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.

	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
UFO sightings in Washington (UFO sightings)	15	11	7	15	9	14	6	9	3	4	7	7	6	11	8	8	6	11	18	16	43	35	79	138	220	189	206	198	232	233	191	166	213	194	218	261	289	411	306	356	265	217	199	159	204	288
Patents granted in the US (Patents granted)	76810	75388	69781	70514	52413	66170	71064	63276	61982	72650	77245	76862	89385	84272	102533	99077	106696	107394	109746	113587	113834	121696	124069	163142	169085	175979	183970	184375	187012	181299	157718	196405	182899	185224	191927	244341	247713	276788	302948	326032	325980	333583	351403	339992	391103	388900

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.
Outlandish outliers: There are "outliers" in this data.^Note In concept, "outlier" just means "way different than the rest of your dataset." When calculating a correlation like this, they are particularly impactful because a single outlier can substantially increase your correlation.

For the purposes of this project, I counted a point as an outlier if it the residual was two standard deviations from the mean.

(This bullet point only shows up in the details page on charts that do, in fact, have outliers.)
They stand out on the scatterplot above: notice the dots that are far away from any other dots. I intentionally mishandeled outliers, which makes the correlation look extra strong.

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([15,11,7,15,9,14,6,9,3,4,7,7,6,11,8,8,6,11,18,16,43,35,79,138,220,189,206,198,232,233,191,166,213,194,218,261,289,411,306,356,265,217,199,159,204,288,])
array_2 = np.array([76810,75388,69781,70514,52413,66170,71064,63276,61982,72650,77245,76862,89385,84272,102533,99077,106696,107394,109746,113587,113834,121696,124069,163142,169085,175979,183970,184375,187012,181299,157718,196405,182899,185224,191927,244341,247713,276788,302948,326032,325980,333583,351403,339992,391103,388900,])
array_1_name = "UFO sightings in Washington"
array_2_name = "Patents granted in the US"

# 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 UFO sightings in Washington
Line chart for only Patents granted in the US
AI-generated correlation image
The spurious research paper: Unidentified Flying Patents: Exploring the UFO-Patent Connection in the United States

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Correlation ID: 3684 · Black Variable ID: 1150 · Red Variable ID: 848


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