Spurious correlation #4,227 · View random
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is GMO use in cotton in Georgia and the second variable is Google searches for 'E.T. phone home'. The chart goes from 2004 to 2022, 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 GMO use in cotton in Georgia and the second variable is Google searches for 'E.T. phone home'. The chart goes from 2004 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time.

Download png, svg

AI explanation

As GMO use in cotton decreased in Georgia, the cotton plants became less appealing to extra-terrestrial life forms. You see, these aliens had been using the cotton fields as landing sites for their intergalactic communications. But with the non-GMO cotton being less attractive, E.T. and friends had to find a new preferred spot to phone home, leading to a decrease in Google searches for "E.T. phone home." It seems even aliens have strong opinions about organic produce! So, by embracing non-GMO cotton, Georgia inadvertently initiated the first contact with a fashion-conscious alien civilization. Who knew that the key to cosmic diplomacy lay in sustainable agricultural practices?

^{Show image generation prompt} Model: dalle-3
Prompt: Please respond with an image generation prompt that would be likely to create an interesting visual using DALLE-3, using the following style: [ Sci-fi fantasy ] and depicting this scene: In a mystical forest, beams of soft, iridescent light pierce through the canopy, casting an ethereal glow on the vibrant flora below. An ancient, towering tree with elegant, intertwining branches serves as the focal point, emanating a sense of wisdom and tranquility. As the sunlight dances among the foliage, mythical creatures emerge from the shadows – majestic unicorns, graceful phoenixes, and wise dragons. They coexist harmoniously, their otherworldly presence blending seamlessly with the nature around them. In the distance, a group of forest spirits is seen, surrounded by a chorus of shimmering fireflies, creating a mesmerizing symphony of light. Amidst this enchanting scene, the forest appears to be an otherworldly sanctuary, where magical beings converge in serene coexistence. Keep the visual depiction simple. Do not include any words or speech bubbles. 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: GMO use in cotton in Georgia and Google searches for 'E.T. phone home'. 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: Cyberpunk Oragami A photo-realistic image Hyper-realistic Sci-fi fantacy
ChatGPT: Sci-fi fantasy

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 GMO use in cotton in Georgia and Google searches for 'E.T. phone home', in the following situation: As GMO use in cotton decreased in Georgia, the cotton plants became less appealing to extra-terrestrial life forms. You see, these aliens had been using the cotton fields as landing sites for their intergalactic communications. But with the non-GMO cotton being less attractive, E.T. and friends had to find a new preferred spot to phone home, leading to a decrease in Google searches for "E.T. phone home." It seems even aliens have strong opinions about organic produce! So, by embracing non-GMO cotton, Georgia inadvertently initiated the first contact with a fashion-conscious alien civilization. Who knew that the key to cosmic diplomacy lay in sustainable agricultural practices?. Keep the description simple.
ChatGPT: In a field in Georgia, rows of non-GMO cotton plants sway gently in the breeze. The familiar white fluff is interspersed with a shimmering, otherworldly glow as a group of stylish extraterrestrial beings touch down, using the cotton fields as their preferred landing spot. Their metallic communication devices light up in excitement as they dial in their intergalactic messages. Meanwhile, on Earth, the Google search bar appears with "E.T. phone home" but instead of a bustling display of searches, there's a noticeable decrease in interest. It seems that the aliens, now satisfied with their new spot, have reduced their need to phone home. And all this, simply because Georgia decided to embrace non-GMO cotton, inadvertently sparking the first fashionable encounter with an alien civilization.

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: [ Sci-fi fantasy ] and depicting this scene: In a field in Georgia, rows of non-GMO cotton plants sway gently in the breeze. The familiar white fluff is interspersed with a shimmering, otherworldly glow as a group of stylish extraterrestrial beings touch down, using the cotton fields as their preferred landing spot. Their metallic communication devices light up in excitement as they dial in their intergalactic messages. Meanwhile, on Earth, the Google search bar appears with "E.T. phone home" but instead of a bustling display of searches, there's a noticeable decrease in interest. It seems that the aliens, now satisfied with their new spot, have reduced their need to phone home. And all this, simply because Georgia decided to embrace non-GMO cotton, inadvertently sparking the first fashionable encounter with an alien civilization. Keep the visual depiction simple. Do not include any words or speech bubbles.
ChatGPT: Please respond with an image generation prompt that would be likely to create an interesting visual using DALLE-3, using the following style: [ Sci-fi fantasy ] and depicting this scene: In a mystical forest, beams of soft, iridescent light pierce through the canopy, casting an ethereal glow on the vibrant flora below. An ancient, towering tree with elegant, intertwining branches serves as the focal point, emanating a sense of wisdom and tranquility. As the sunlight dances among the foliage, mythical creatures emerge from the shadows – majestic unicorns, graceful phoenixes, and wise dragons. They coexist harmoniously, their otherworldly presence blending seamlessly with the nature around them. In the distance, a group of forest spirits is seen, surrounded by a chorus of shimmering fireflies, creating a mesmerizing symphony of light. Amidst this enchanting scene, the forest appears to be an otherworldly sanctuary, where magical beings converge in serene coexistence. Keep the visual depiction simple. Do not include any words or speech bubbles.

*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 a decrease in GMO use in cotton in Georgia caused E.T. phone home (Google searches for 'E.T. phone home') to decrease.\Make it sound serious until the end.

AI academic paper

(Because p < 0.01)

ET, GMO, and Cotton: Unearthing the Quest for Extraterrestrial Signals

The Journal of Interstellar Agricultural Science

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 goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.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 GMO use in cotton in Georgia and Google searches for 'E.T. phone home'. 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 you might move on to cartoons and children's shows that you watched for research.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
ET, GMO, and Cotton: Unearthing the Quest for Extraterrestrial Signals

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this paper, we delve into the unexpected connection between genetically modified organism (GMO) use in cotton farming in Georgia and the popular phrase "E.T. phone home." While the topic might seem "out of this world," our research team takes a down-to-earth approach to analyze data from the USDA and Google Trends. Our findings reveal a remarkable correlation coefficient of 0.9099107 and p < 0.01 for the years 2004 to 2022. We discovered that as GMO cotton cultivation increased, so did the frequency of Google searches for "E.T. phone home." Our results delve into the fascinating interplay between agricultural practices and pop culture references, shedding new light on the intersection between science and fun. So, buckle up, because this research journey is truly "out of this world!"

-------

And here is the introduction section that led to this literature review:
[[INTRODUCTION]]
INTRODUCTION
The intersection of agricultural practices and popular culture has long provided fertile ground for the cultivation of quirky connections and unexpected correlations. In recent years, the emergence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in cotton farming has sparked both scientific debates and public intrigue. Meanwhile, the enduring cultural fascination with extraterrestrial life, exemplified by the iconic phrase "E.T. phone home," has permeated the collective consciousness since its cinematic debut in 1982.
As researchers, we often find ourselves navigating the peculiar landscape where science meets whimsy, and our latest foray into this domain has unearthed a peculiar correlation between the use of GMOs in cotton farming in Georgia and the frequency of Google searches for "E.T. phone home." While this connection may initially seem more far-fetched than a UFO sighting, our rigorous analysis of USDA data and Google Trends has revealed a statistical relationship that is truly "alien" to conventional agricultural research.
This paper seeks to unravel the intertwined threads of GMO cotton cultivation and the popular refrain from a fictional extraterrestrial visitor, providing a deeper understanding of the unexpected links between agriculture and pop culture. So, fasten your seatbelt and prepare for a journey that transcends the ordinary bounds of scholarly inquiry, because our investigation may just take you on a star-studded adventure through the cosmos of correlation!
Our findings promise to shed new light on not only the impact of agricultural practices on public interest but also the whimsical expressions of human curiosity that span across the agricultural and extraterrestrial landscapes. As we embark on this whimsical yet academically rigorous exploration, we invite readers to join us in uncovering the unexpected bonds between GMOs, cotton, and the interstellar yearning to "phone home." Because, as we often say in the academic world, sometimes the most "out of this world" findings are right within our earthly grasp!

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

ChatGPT:
[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

As we delve into the depths of the unexpected connection between GMO use in cotton farming and the ubiquitous inquiry to "E.T. phone home," it is imperative to survey the existing literature to provide a comprehensive understanding of this peculiar correlation. Smith, Doe, and Jones (2018) conducted a comprehensive analysis of GMO adoption in Georgia's cotton industry, detailing the socioeconomic and agronomic implications of such agricultural innovations. Their study provides valuable insights into the factors influencing the widespread adoption of GMO cotton and the subsequent impact on farming practices.

Additionally, Doe and Smith (2016) explored the public perceptions of GMOs and their influences on consumer behavior, shedding light on the intricate dynamics between agricultural technologies and societal attitudes. Their research underscores the significance of public awareness and understanding of GMOs, which may have unforeseen connections to popular cultural references such as the iconic phrase uttered by the endearing extraterrestrial character in the film "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (1982).

Building on these foundational studies, we turn to the influential work of Lorem et al. (2020), who delved into the realm of internet search behavior and its sociocultural implications. Their analysis uncovered intriguing patterns in Google search trends, hinting at the potential intersections between popular culture and agricultural practices. Little did they know that their findings would pave the way for our own investigation into the intertwined web of GMO cotton cultivation and the timeless fascination with interstellar communication.

Shifting gears slightly, we navigate into the realm of non-fiction literature with "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan (2006), a seminal work exploring the intricacies of modern agricultural systems and their impact on society. While Pollan's masterpiece may not directly address extraterrestrial communication, its examination of agricultural practices serves as a foundational backdrop for our exploration of GMO cotton and its unexpected ties to pop culture references.

In the realm of fiction, the classic novel "The Martian" by Andy Weir (2011) offers a thrilling narrative that blends science, agriculture, and the otherworldly pursuit of survival on the red planet. While our research focuses on Earth-bound activities, the spirit of exploration and discovery inherent in Weir's work resonates with our quest to unearth the mysterious correlation between GMO cotton and the yearning to reach out to extraterrestrial beings.

As we venture further into unexpected literary sources, we cannot overlook the whimsical and endearing world of children's entertainment. The beloved animated series "The Magic School Bus" (1992-1997) takes young viewers on educational escapades through various scientific phenomena. While Ms. Frizzle and her students may not have embarked on a field trip to investigate GMO cotton and intergalactic communication, their adventurous spirit serves as a source of inspiration for our own scholarly exploration.

Stay tuned as we embark on a comedic but enlightening journey to unravel the enigma of ET, GMO, and cotton, where the unexpected correlations may just be "out of this world" in more ways than one!

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.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 GMO use in cotton in Georgia and Google searches for 'E.T. phone home'. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from USDA and Google Trends . You used data from 2004 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]]
ET, GMO, and Cotton: Unearthing the Quest for Extraterrestrial Signals

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this paper, we delve into the unexpected connection between genetically modified organism (GMO) use in cotton farming in Georgia and the popular phrase "E.T. phone home." While the topic might seem "out of this world," our research team takes a down-to-earth approach to analyze data from the USDA and Google Trends. Our findings reveal a remarkable correlation coefficient of 0.9099107 and p < 0.01 for the years 2004 to 2022. We discovered that as GMO cotton cultivation increased, so did the frequency of Google searches for "E.T. phone home." Our results delve into the fascinating interplay between agricultural practices and pop culture references, shedding new light on the intersection between science and fun. So, buckle up, because this research journey is truly "out of this world!"

[[INTRODUCTION]]
INTRODUCTION
The intersection of agricultural practices and popular culture has long provided fertile ground for the cultivation of quirky connections and unexpected correlations. In recent years, the emergence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in cotton farming has sparked both scientific debates and public intrigue. Meanwhile, the enduring cultural fascination with extraterrestrial life, exemplified by the iconic phrase "E.T. phone home," has permeated the collective consciousness since its cinematic debut in 1982.
As researchers, we often find ourselves navigating the peculiar landscape where science meets whimsy, and our latest foray into this domain has unearthed a peculiar correlation between the use of GMOs in cotton farming in Georgia and the frequency of Google searches for "E.T. phone home." While this connection may initially seem more far-fetched than a UFO sighting, our rigorous analysis of USDA data and Google Trends has revealed a statistical relationship that is truly "alien" to conventional agricultural research.
This paper seeks to unravel the intertwined threads of GMO cotton cultivation and the popular refrain from a fictional extraterrestrial visitor, providing a deeper understanding of the unexpected links between agriculture and pop culture. So, fasten your seatbelt and prepare for a journey that transcends the ordinary bounds of scholarly inquiry, because our investigation may just take you on a star-studded adventure through the cosmos of correlation!
Our findings promise to shed new light on not only the impact of agricultural practices on public interest but also the whimsical expressions of human curiosity that span across the agricultural and extraterrestrial landscapes. As we embark on this whimsical yet academically rigorous exploration, we invite readers to join us in uncovering the unexpected bonds between GMOs, cotton, and the interstellar yearning to "phone home." Because, as we often say in the academic world, sometimes the most "out of this world" findings are right within our earthly grasp!

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

ChatGPT:

**[[METHODOLOGY]]**

Now that we've set the stage for this zany expedition into the realms of GMO cotton and extraterrestrial yearning, let's unveil the mysterious methodologies employed to unearth the tantalizing correlation between these seemingly divergent domains.

**Data Collection**

First and foremost, our intrepid research team scoured the digital cosmos, navigating the boundless expanses of the internet to procure the necessary data for our investigation. While our voyages took us far and wide, we primarily docked our data ships at the ports of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Google Trends, where we harnessed a treasure trove of information spanning the years 2004 to 2022. We cast our nets wide, capturing the fluctuations in GMO cotton cultivation and the frequency of Google searches for "E.T. phone home" to chart the celestial dance of these intertwined variables.

**GMO Cotton Cultivation Analysis**

To dissect the cultivation of genetically modified cotton in the heartland of Georgia, we employed a blend of statistical sorcery and agricultural acumen. Our research sorcerers brewed potent potions of data analysis, relying on official reports from the USDA to track the adoption of GMO cotton seeds among the verdant fields of the Peach State. With an eagle-eyed focus on acreage devoted to GMO cotton cultivation, we quantified the expansion of this modified crop, observing its growth like celestial bodies in an agro-astronomical constellation.

**Extraterrestrial Enthusiasm on Google Trends**

Turning our telescopes toward digital phenomena, we peered into the colorful cosmos of Google Trends, where the echoes of human curiosity reverberate across the digital ether. Here, we observed the ebb and flow of searches for "E.T. phone home," capturing the fluctuations in public interest in extraterrestrial communication. Like electronic anthropologists delving into the digital remains of society, we tabulated the search volumes to unveil the quirks and quarks of humanity’s cosmic yearnings.

**Statistical Symbiosis**

Ah, statistics—a language as enigmatic as the distant whispers of alien civilizations! In our quest to unravel the tapestry woven by GMO cotton and extraterrestrial musings, we employed the venerable tools of correlation analysis. With diligence and a dash of scientific sorcery, we calculated the correlation coefficient and p-value, unveiling the strength and significance of the bond between GMO cotton cultivation and "E.T. phone home" searches. It was a saga of statistical valiance that would rival even the most epic of space operas, unfolding in the arcane halls of mathematical analysis.

This amalgamation of data sources, agricultural insights, digital sleuthing, and statistical moonlighting paved the way for our research odyssey, leading us to the cosmic conjunction of GMO cotton and extraterrestrial curiosity. So, as we chart the course of our scientific escapade, let us raise our telescopes to the heavens and steer our scholarly ship toward the thrilling realms of results and discussion! Aye, the universe of research indeed holds boundless wonders, both empirical and outlandish.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.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 GMO use in cotton in Georgia and Google searches for 'E.T. phone home'. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Limit your response to 500 tokens.

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

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

[[TITLE]]
ET, GMO, and Cotton: Unearthing the Quest for Extraterrestrial Signals

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this paper, we delve into the unexpected connection between genetically modified organism (GMO) use in cotton farming in Georgia and the popular phrase "E.T. phone home." While the topic might seem "out of this world," our research team takes a down-to-earth approach to analyze data from the USDA and Google Trends. Our findings reveal a remarkable correlation coefficient of 0.9099107 and p < 0.01 for the years 2004 to 2022. We discovered that as GMO cotton cultivation increased, so did the frequency of Google searches for "E.T. phone home." Our results delve into the fascinating interplay between agricultural practices and pop culture references, shedding new light on the intersection between science and fun. So, buckle up, because this research journey is truly "out of this world!"

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]
As we delve into the depths of the unexpected connection between GMO use in cotton farming and the ubiquitous inquiry to "E.T. phone home," it is imperative to survey the existing literature to provide a comprehensive understanding of this peculiar correlation. Smith, Doe, and Jones (2018) conducted a comprehensive analysis of GMO adoption in Georgia's cotton industry, detailing the socioeconomic and agronomic implications of such agricultural innovations. Their study provides valuable insights into the factors influencing the widespread adoption of GMO cotton and the subsequent impact on farming practices.
Additionally, Doe and Smith (2016) explored the public perceptions of GMOs and their influences on consumer behavior, shedding light on the intricate dynamics between agricultural technologies and societal attitudes. Their research underscores the significance of public awareness and understanding of GMOs, which may have unforeseen connections to popular cultural references such as the iconic phrase uttered by the endearing extraterrestrial character in the film "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (1982).
Building on these foundational studies, we turn to the influential work of Lorem et al. (2020), who delved into the realm of internet search behavior and its sociocultural implications. Their analysis uncovered intriguing patterns in Google search trends, hinting at the potential intersections between popular culture and agricultural practices. Little did they know that their findings would pave the way for our own investigation into the intertwined web of GMO cotton cultivation and the timeless fascination with interstellar communication.
Shifting gears slightly, we navigate into the realm of non-fiction literature with "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan (2006), a seminal work exploring the intricacies of modern agricultural systems and their impact on society. While Pollan's masterpiece may not directly address extraterrestrial communication, its examination of agricultural practices serves as a foundational backdrop for our exploration of GMO cotton and its unexpected ties to pop culture references.
In the realm of fiction, the classic novel "The Martian" by Andy Weir (2011) offers a thrilling narrative that blends science, agriculture, and the otherworldly pursuit of survival on the red planet. While our research focuses on Earth-bound activities, the spirit of exploration and discovery inherent in Weir's work resonates with our quest to unearth the mysterious correlation between GMO cotton and the yearning to reach out to extraterrestrial beings.
As we venture further into unexpected literary sources, we cannot overlook the whimsical and endearing world of children's entertainment. The beloved animated series "The Magic School Bus" (1992-1997) takes young viewers on educational escapades through various scientific phenomena. While Ms. Frizzle and her students may not have embarked on a field trip to investigate GMO cotton and intergalactic communication, their adventurous spirit serves as a source of inspiration for our own scholarly exploration.
Stay tuned as we embark on a comedic but enlightening journey to unravel the enigma of ET, GMO, and cotton, where the unexpected correlations may just be "out of this world" in more ways than one!

[[RESULTS]]
Our data analysis revealed a striking correlation between the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in cotton farming in Georgia and the frequency of Google searches for the phrase "E.T. phone home." The correlation coefficient between these two variables was calculated to be 0.9099107, indicating a strong positive relationship. This result suggests that as GMO cotton cultivation increased, so did the public's interest in reaching out to extraterrestrial visitors, or at the very least, attempting to make contact with a friendly alien famous for glowing fingers and a penchant for bicycles.
The r-squared value of 0.8279375 further confirmed the robustness of the relationship, indicating that approximately 82.79% of the variation in Google searches for "E.T. phone home" can be explained by the variation in GMO cotton use in Georgia. This finding leaves us with just a little over 17% of unexplained variation - a mystery worthy of an extraterrestrial investigation!
The statistical significance of our results was evident with a p-value of less than 0.01, cementing the relationship as statistically meaningful and not merely a cosmic coincidence. The probability of such a strong association occurring by chance is lower than E.T.'s chances of getting stranded on Earth without a functioning communication device!
To visually elucidate the correlation we uncovered, we present Fig. 1, a scatterplot that graphically depicts the strong positive relationship between GMO cotton use and the frequency of Google searches for "E.T. phone home." While the figure may not contain any intergalactic images or flying bicycles, it does offer a visual representation of our groundbreaking finding that bridges the agricultural domain with the far reaches of outer space.
In summary, our results provide compelling evidence of a curious interplay between agricultural practices and popular culture, highlighting the potential influence of GMO cotton cultivation on public intrigue about interstellar communication. This research invites further exploration into the whimsical connections that connect the fields of science and entertainment, demonstrating that sometimes, truth is stranger than science fiction and that the crops we sow may have unexpected effects on the cosmic curiosity of our society.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[DISCUSSION]]

ChatGPT:

[[DISCUSSION]]

Our findings corroborate and extend the existing literature on GMO cotton cultivation in Georgia and its unforeseen correlation with the iconic phrase "E.T. phone home." The results of Smith, Doe, and Jones (2018) are reinforced by our discovery of a strong positive relationship between GMO cotton use and Google searches for E.T., demonstrating that the impact of agricultural innovations stretches beyond earthly matters and into the realm of intergalactic intrigue.

Doe and Smith's (2016) investigation into public perceptions of GMOs takes on a new dimension as we unveil the unexpected connection between GMO cotton and the enduring fascination with extraterrestrial communication. It appears that public awareness and attitudes toward genetically modified organisms may have unforeseen ties to popular culture references, a notion as peculiar as E.T.'s penchant for Reese's Pieces.

Building upon Lorem et al.'s (2020) exploration of internet search behavior, our findings not only validate but also amplify the potential intersections between agricultural practices and popular culture. Indeed, the implications of GMO cotton on public curiosity about extraterrestrial life are as captivating as the suspense of waiting for E.T. to finally phone home.

Our research uncovers a cosmic correlation with a statistical significance that rivals the improbability of a human-alien bike ride. The robust correlation coefficient and r-squared value stand as a testament to the strength and explanatory power of the relationship between GMO cotton use and the quest to connect with E.T., demonstrating that this dynamic is not merely a product of chance, but rather a meaningful affinity as intriguing as the mysteries of the universe.

In light of these findings, it is clear that the influence of agriculture extends beyond the boundaries of fields and yields, reaching into pop culture and perhaps even the stars themselves. As we navigate this cosmic intersection of agriculture and entertainment, we are reminded that sometimes, a phone call to the stars may be just a cotton field away. Our journey through this research has certainly been an otherworldly adventure, proving that the connection between GMO cotton and E.T.'s interstellar appeal is not just a flight of fancy, but a statistical reality that tickles the scientific imagination.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.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 GMO use in cotton in Georgia and Google searches for 'E.T. phone home'. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

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

Here are the title, abstract, introduction, and results sections.
[[TITLE]]
ET, GMO, and Cotton: Unearthing the Quest for Extraterrestrial Signals

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this paper, we delve into the unexpected connection between genetically modified organism (GMO) use in cotton farming in Georgia and the popular phrase "E.T. phone home." While the topic might seem "out of this world," our research team takes a down-to-earth approach to analyze data from the USDA and Google Trends. Our findings reveal a remarkable correlation coefficient of 0.9099107 and p < 0.01 for the years 2004 to 2022. We discovered that as GMO cotton cultivation increased, so did the frequency of Google searches for "E.T. phone home." Our results delve into the fascinating interplay between agricultural practices and pop culture references, shedding new light on the intersection between science and fun. So, buckle up, because this research journey is truly "out of this world!"

[[INTRDUCTION]]
INTRODUCTION
The intersection of agricultural practices and popular culture has long provided fertile ground for the cultivation of quirky connections and unexpected correlations. In recent years, the emergence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in cotton farming has sparked both scientific debates and public intrigue. Meanwhile, the enduring cultural fascination with extraterrestrial life, exemplified by the iconic phrase "E.T. phone home," has permeated the collective consciousness since its cinematic debut in 1982.
As researchers, we often find ourselves navigating the peculiar landscape where science meets whimsy, and our latest foray into this domain has unearthed a peculiar correlation between the use of GMOs in cotton farming in Georgia and the frequency of Google searches for "E.T. phone home." While this connection may initially seem more far-fetched than a UFO sighting, our rigorous analysis of USDA data and Google Trends has revealed a statistical relationship that is truly "alien" to conventional agricultural research.
This paper seeks to unravel the intertwined threads of GMO cotton cultivation and the popular refrain from a fictional extraterrestrial visitor, providing a deeper understanding of the unexpected links between agriculture and pop culture. So, fasten your seatbelt and prepare for a journey that transcends the ordinary bounds of scholarly inquiry, because our investigation may just take you on a star-studded adventure through the cosmos of correlation!
Our findings promise to shed new light on not only the impact of agricultural practices on public interest but also the whimsical expressions of human curiosity that span across the agricultural and extraterrestrial landscapes. As we embark on this whimsical yet academically rigorous exploration, we invite readers to join us in uncovering the unexpected bonds between GMOs, cotton, and the interstellar yearning to "phone home." Because, as we often say in the academic world, sometimes the most "out of this world" findings are right within our earthly grasp!

[[RESULTS]]
Our data analysis revealed a striking correlation between the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in cotton farming in Georgia and the frequency of Google searches for the phrase "E.T. phone home." The correlation coefficient between these two variables was calculated to be 0.9099107, indicating a strong positive relationship. This result suggests that as GMO cotton cultivation increased, so did the public's interest in reaching out to extraterrestrial visitors, or at the very least, attempting to make contact with a friendly alien famous for glowing fingers and a penchant for bicycles.
The r-squared value of 0.8279375 further confirmed the robustness of the relationship, indicating that approximately 82.79% of the variation in Google searches for "E.T. phone home" can be explained by the variation in GMO cotton use in Georgia. This finding leaves us with just a little over 17% of unexplained variation - a mystery worthy of an extraterrestrial investigation!
The statistical significance of our results was evident with a p-value of less than 0.01, cementing the relationship as statistically meaningful and not merely a cosmic coincidence. The probability of such a strong association occurring by chance is lower than E.T.'s chances of getting stranded on Earth without a functioning communication device!
To visually elucidate the correlation we uncovered, we present Fig. 1, a scatterplot that graphically depicts the strong positive relationship between GMO cotton use and the frequency of Google searches for "E.T. phone home." While the figure may not contain any intergalactic images or flying bicycles, it does offer a visual representation of our groundbreaking finding that bridges the agricultural domain with the far reaches of outer space.
In summary, our results provide compelling evidence of a curious interplay between agricultural practices and popular culture, highlighting the potential influence of GMO cotton cultivation on public intrigue about interstellar communication. This research invites further exploration into the whimsical connections that connect the fields of science and entertainment, demonstrating that sometimes, truth is stranger than science fiction and that the crops we sow may have unexpected effects on the cosmic curiosity of our society.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[CONCLUSION]]

ChatGPT:

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, our investigation into the interstellar synergy between GMO cotton in Georgia and the iconic pop culture phrase "E.T. phone home" has unearthed a cornucopia of extraterrestrial intrigue. The correlation coefficient of 0.9099107 between GMO cotton use and Google searches for E.T. invokes a cosmic dance of statistical significance that's more otherworldly than a Martian disco.

Our results suggest that as GMO cotton cultivation soared, so did the urge to send out an intergalactic message, beckoning E.T. to return home, or at least to pick up his misplaced mobile phone. The robust r-squared value of 0.8279375 encapsulates the cosmic allure of this connection, leaving us with just enough unexplained variation to launch an alien treasure hunt.

The p-value of less than 0.01 cements this relationship as statistically sound, ruling out the possibility that this correlation is as random as finding a UFO-shaped potato in a field of non-GMO spuds.

In the grand tapestry of agricultural and astrological investigations, our study serves as a starry reminder that sometimes, the cosmic symbiosis of GMO cotton and E.T. references can't be explained solely by Earthly reasoning. As we wrap up our findings, we assert that no further research is needed in this area, as we've reached conclusions that are simply "out of this world." So, as E.T. would say, "Be good," and let's leave these peculiar correlations to the stars!

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 ET, GMO, and Cotton: Unearthing the Quest for Extraterrestrial Signals. Respond only with the name of a fictional academic journal.

ChatGPT:

The Journal of Interstellar Agricultural Science

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 ET, GMO, and Cotton: Unearthing the Quest for Extraterrestrial Signals. Respond only with the name of a fictional organization.

ChatGPT:

The Intergalactic Genetics and Agricultural Consortium

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 ET, GMO, and Cotton: Unearthing the Quest for Extraterrestrial Signals with an abstract of In this paper, we delve into the unexpected connection between genetically modified organism (GMO) use in cotton farming in Georgia and the popular phrase "E.T. phone home." While the topic might seem "out of this world," our research team takes a down-to-earth approach to analyze data from the USDA and Google Trends. Our findings reveal a remarkable correlation coefficient of 0.9099107 and p < 0.01 for the years 2004 to 2022. We discovered that as GMO cotton cultivation increased, so did the frequency of Google searches for "E.T. phone home." Our results delve into the fascinating interplay between agricultural practices and pop culture references, shedding new light on the intersection between science and fun. So, buckle up, because this research journey is truly "out of this world!

ChatGPT:

extraterrestrial signals, GMO cotton farming, Georgia, genetically modified organism, E.T. phone home, USDA data, Google Trends, correlation coefficient, pop culture references, agricultural practices, science and fun

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

Random correlation

Discover a new correlation

View all correlations

View all research papers

Report an error

Data details

GMO use in cotton in Georgia
Detailed data title: Percent of cotton planted in Georgia that is genetically modified to be herbicide-tolerant (HT), but not insect-resistant (Bt)
Source: USDA
See what else correlates with GMO use in cotton in Georgia

Google searches for 'E.T. phone home'
Detailed data title: Relative volume of Google searches for 'E.T. phone home' (Worldwide, without quotes)
Source: Google Trends
Additional Info: ^{See full details} Relative search volume (not absolute numbers)

See what else correlates with Google searches for 'E.T. phone home'

Correlation r = 0.9099107 (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 = 0.8279375 (Coefficient of determination)
This means 82.8% of the change in the one variable (i.e., Google searches for 'E.T. phone home') is predictable based on the change in the other (i.e., GMO use in cotton in Georgia) over the 19 years from 2004 through 2022.

p < 0.01, which is statistically significant(Null hypothesis significance test)
The p-value is 6.61E-8.^Show 0.0000000660734488056906700000
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 0.91 in 6.61E-6% of random cases. Said differently, if you correlated 15,134,672 random variables^Note You don't actually need 15 million 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 18 degrees of freedom, ^Note Degrees of freedom is a measure of how many free components we are testing. In this case it is 18 because we have two variables measured over a period of 19 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.

[ 0.78, 0.97 ] 95% correlation confidence interval (using the Fisher z-transformation)
^{Read more about the confidence interval} The confidence interval is an estimate the range of the value of the correlation coefficient, using the correlation itself as an input. The values are meant to be the low and high end of the correlation coefficient with 95% confidence.

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

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

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

	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
GMO use in cotton in Georgia (GMO cotton %)	23	11	13	10	5	7	8	6	7	10	4	5	5	4	3	1	3	4	1
Google searches for 'E.T. phone home' (Rel. search volume)	41.5833	22.3333	17.4167	9.33333	9.83333	11	11.8333	7.91667	6.91667	6.08333	5.08333	4.91667	4.91667	5.16667	4	3.58333	5.5	5.41667	6

Why this works

Data dredging: I have 25,237 variables in my database. I compare all these variables against each other to find ones that randomly match up. That's 636,906,169 correlation calculations! This is called “data dredging.” Instead of starting with a hypothesis and testing it, I instead abused the data to see what correlations shake out. It’s a dangerous way to go about analysis, because any sufficiently large dataset will yield strong correlations completely at random.
Lack of causal connection: There is probably^Note Because these pages are automatically generated, it's possible that the two variables you are viewing are in fact causually related. I take steps to prevent the obvious ones from showing on the site (I don't let data about the weather in one city correlate with the weather in a neighboring city, for example), but sometimes they still pop up. If they are related, cool! You found a loophole.
no direct connection between these variables, despite what the AI says above. This is exacerbated by the fact that I used "Years" as the base variable. Lots of things happen in a year that are not related to each other! Most studies would use something like "one person" in stead of "one year" to be the "thing" studied.
Observations not independent: For many variables, sequential years are not independent of each other. If a population of people is continuously doing something every day, there is no reason to think they would suddenly change how they are doing that thing on January 1. A simple^Note Personally I don't find any p-value calculation to be 'simple,' but you know what I mean.
p-value calculation does not take this into account, so mathematically it appears less probable than it really is.

Try it yourself

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    return correlation, r_squared, p_value

# These are the arrays for the variables shown on this page, but you can modify them to be any two sets of numbers
array_1 = np.array([23,11,13,10,5,7,8,6,7,10,4,5,5,4,3,1,3,4,1,])
array_2 = np.array([41.5833,22.3333,17.4167,9.33333,9.83333,11,11.8333,7.91667,6.91667,6.08333,5.08333,4.91667,4.91667,5.16667,4,3.58333,5.5,5.41667,6,])
array_1_name = "GMO use in cotton in Georgia"
array_2_name = "Google searches for 'E.T. phone home'"

# 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 GMO use in cotton in Georgia
Line chart for only Google searches for 'E.T. phone home'
AI-generated correlation image
The spurious research paper: ET, GMO, and Cotton: Unearthing the Quest for Extraterrestrial Signals

View another random correlation

How fun was this correlation?

Your rating is much appreciated!

Correlation ID: 4227 · Black Variable ID: 782 · Red Variable ID: 1391


Problem variable:
Issue:
Additional details: Optional
Confirm you are a human: