Spurious correlation #4,792 · View random
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Votes for Republican Senators in Arizona and the second variable is UFO sightings in Arizona. The chart goes from 1976 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 Votes for Republican Senators in Arizona and the second variable is UFO sightings in Arizona. The chart goes from 1976 to 2020, and the two variables track closely in value over that time.

Download png, svg

AI explanation

As Republican support rose, some constituents felt alienated, leading to an upsurge in UFO reports. Remember, when it comes to politics, the truth is out there!

^{Show image generation prompt} Model: dalle-3
Prompt: Generate an image in the style of a TIME magazine cover, with a desert landscape in Arizona as the backdrop. Show a group of determined Republican voters casting their ballots for Senators, with the night sky above them illuminated by a streak of light resembling a UFO. The voters are focused and resolved, creating a contrast with the mysterious and intriguing UFO sighting in the sky. Keep the visual depiction clear and free of text 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: Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and UFO sightings in Arizona. 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: Symbolism 3D Pixar Style a Polaroid photo A TIME magazine cover image Cute 2D animation
ChatGPT: A TIME magazine cover image

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You describe simple visual scenes that depict the two variables stated. You combine both variables into one scene.
User prompt: Please describe a visual scene that prominently depicts both Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and UFO sightings in Arizona, in the following situation: As Republican support rose, some constituents felt alienated, leading to an upsurge in UFO reports. Remember, when it comes to politics, the truth is out there!. Keep the description simple.
ChatGPT: In a desert landscape in Arizona, a gathering of Republican voters can be seen casting their ballots for Senators, while in the night sky above them, a bright light streaks across, resembling a UFO. The Republican voters appear determined and focused, while the UFO sighting adds an element of mystery and intrigue to the scene.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You write and improve image generation prompts for DALLE-3. You maintain the same subjects, but enhance the visuals.
User prompt: Please respond with an image generation prompt that would be likely to create an interesting visual using DALLE-3, using the following style: [ A TIME magazine cover image ] and depicting this scene: In a desert landscape in Arizona, a gathering of Republican voters can be seen casting their ballots for Senators, while in the night sky above them, a bright light streaks across, resembling a UFO. The Republican voters appear determined and focused, while the UFO sighting adds an element of mystery and intrigue to the scene. Keep the visual depiction simple. Do not include any words or speech bubbles.
ChatGPT: Generate an image in the style of a TIME magazine cover, with a desert landscape in Arizona as the backdrop. Show a group of determined Republican voters casting their ballots for Senators, with the night sky above them illuminated by a streak of light resembling a UFO. The voters are focused and resolved, creating a contrast with the mysterious and intriguing UFO sighting in the sky. Keep the visual depiction clear and free of text 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 an increase in Republican votes for Senators in Arizona caused UFO sightings in Arizona to increase. Add a funny one-liner at the end.

AI academic paper

(Because p < 0.01)

Are Republican Senators Secretly Alien Ambassadors? A Correlative Analysis of GOP Votes and UFO Sightings in Arizona

The Journal of Extraterrestrial Political 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 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 Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and UFO sightings in Arizona. 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 devolve ever further, and mention something completely ridiculous, like you conducted literature review by reading the backs of shampoo bottles.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
"Are Republican Senators Secretly Alien Ambassadors? A Correlative Analysis of GOP Votes and UFO Sightings in Arizona"

[[ABSTRACT]]
This study leverages data from the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and National UFO Reporting Center to explore a peculiar linkage between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and reported sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). The correlation coefficient of 0.8856585 and p < 0.01 for the years 1976 to 2020 presents a compelling case for a potential connection between conservative political preferences and extraterrestrial visitations. We delve into the implications of these findings, offering a whimsical yet intriguing perspective on the intersection of political affiliations and otherworldly phenomena. Our results warrant further investigation and may inspire unconventional discussions on the diverse factors influencing constituent behavior and electoral outcomes in the American Southwest.

-------

And here is the introduction section that led to this literature review:
[[INTRODUCTION]]
The night sky has long been a source of fascination and mystery, beckoning us to ponder the existence of extraterrestrial life forms and their potential influence on our earthly affairs. Meanwhile, in the realm of politics, the interplay of ideologies and electoral outcomes continues to captivate scholars and pundits alike. Could these two seemingly disparate domains be more interconnected than we ever imagined? Our study ventures beyond the bounds of conventional political analysis to uncover an unexpected correlation between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and the enigmatic sightings of UFOs.
While it may seem like a flight of fancy to link political affiliations with intergalactic visitations, our analysis of robust data sources from esteemed institutions has yielded a striking degree of correlation. We tread the fine line between scientific rigor and speculative inquiry as we embark on this unusual intellectual voyage. Our findings may prompt some to quip about "alien constituents" or even entertain the notion of clandestine alliances between Republican Senators and extraterrestrial envoys. However, we approach this matter with the gravitas it warrants, recognizing the need for thorough examination of this unorthodox relationship.
The American Southwest, renowned for its vast deserts and clear skies, has been a hotbed of UFO sightings. At the same time, the region has been a bastion of conservative politics, with Arizona serving as a focal point of Republican support. Could there be a cosmic connection between these seemingly incongruent phenomena? As we probe the depths of this strange confluence, we invite the reader to embark on a journey of intellectual curiosity and whimsical contemplation. After all, in the grand tapestry of the universe, who's to say that politics and extraterrestrial encounters cannot intersect in peculiar and serendipitous ways?

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

ChatGPT:
[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

In "Smith et al. (2020)," the authors find a positive correlation between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and reported UFO sightings in Arizona. This surprising alignment between political leanings and extraterrestrial encounters prompts a reevaluation of traditional voter-behavior models. Similarly, "Doe and Johnson (2015)" identify a notable association between conservative ideologies and increased receptivity to unconventional phenomena, including UFO sightings and conspiracy theories.

Building on this foundational research, "Jones (2018)" presents a comprehensive analysis of political affiliation and the likelihood of UFO reporting. The study suggests that individuals with conservative inclinations may exhibit a heightened propensity to interpret aerial anomalies as extraterrestrial phenomena. Remarkably, the data implies a potential interplay between political partisanship and the cognitive interpretation of celestial anomalies.

Expanding the discourse to include popular non-fiction literature, works such as "The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry" by J. Allen Hynek and "UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Record" by Leslie Kean offer insightful perspectives on the enigmatic realm of unidentified flying objects. Additionally, fictional narratives like Carl Sagan's "Contact" and H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds" fuel the imagination and shape societal conceptions of extraterrestrial visitations.

Going beyond conventional research sources, the present inquiry encompasses a wide-ranging survey of eclectic material. This includes perusal of satirical articles, science fiction magazines, and even the backs of shampoo bottles. While the scholarly merit of the latter may be dubious, their unconventional juxtaposition with political analysis and UFO phenomena cannot be discounted in the pursuit of a holistic understanding of the subject matter.

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 Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and UFO sightings in Arizona. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse and National UFO Reporting Center . You used data from 1976 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]]
"Are Republican Senators Secretly Alien Ambassadors? A Correlative Analysis of GOP Votes and UFO Sightings in Arizona"

[[ABSTRACT]]
This study leverages data from the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and National UFO Reporting Center to explore a peculiar linkage between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and reported sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). The correlation coefficient of 0.8856585 and p < 0.01 for the years 1976 to 2020 presents a compelling case for a potential connection between conservative political preferences and extraterrestrial visitations. We delve into the implications of these findings, offering a whimsical yet intriguing perspective on the intersection of political affiliations and otherworldly phenomena. Our results warrant further investigation and may inspire unconventional discussions on the diverse factors influencing constituent behavior and electoral outcomes in the American Southwest.

[[INTRODUCTION]]
The night sky has long been a source of fascination and mystery, beckoning us to ponder the existence of extraterrestrial life forms and their potential influence on our earthly affairs. Meanwhile, in the realm of politics, the interplay of ideologies and electoral outcomes continues to captivate scholars and pundits alike. Could these two seemingly disparate domains be more interconnected than we ever imagined? Our study ventures beyond the bounds of conventional political analysis to uncover an unexpected correlation between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and the enigmatic sightings of UFOs.
While it may seem like a flight of fancy to link political affiliations with intergalactic visitations, our analysis of robust data sources from esteemed institutions has yielded a striking degree of correlation. We tread the fine line between scientific rigor and speculative inquiry as we embark on this unusual intellectual voyage. Our findings may prompt some to quip about "alien constituents" or even entertain the notion of clandestine alliances between Republican Senators and extraterrestrial envoys. However, we approach this matter with the gravitas it warrants, recognizing the need for thorough examination of this unorthodox relationship.
The American Southwest, renowned for its vast deserts and clear skies, has been a hotbed of UFO sightings. At the same time, the region has been a bastion of conservative politics, with Arizona serving as a focal point of Republican support. Could there be a cosmic connection between these seemingly incongruent phenomena? As we probe the depths of this strange confluence, we invite the reader to embark on a journey of intellectual curiosity and whimsical contemplation. After all, in the grand tapestry of the universe, who's to say that politics and extraterrestrial encounters cannot intersect in peculiar and serendipitous ways?

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

ChatGPT:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

The methodology employed in this research endeavor encompasses a confluence of data collection, statistical analysis, and a hint of speculative wonder. Data on Republican votes for Senators in Arizona from 1976 to 2020 was obtained from the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, while reported UFO sightings in Arizona during the same period were sourced from the National UFO Reporting Center. The intertwining of these datasets initiated a quirky journey into the realm of correlation analysis and whimsical conjecture.

To establish a foundation for our analysis, UFO sightings were classified based on their reported attributes, such as the shape of the observed object, the duration of the sighting, and the perceived behavior of the UFO. For instance, cigar-shaped sightings might be correlated with the passing of certain smoking-related legislation, while brief and erratic sightings could be linked to the turbulence of political campaigns. With these classifications in mind, a series of odd and often illogical criteria were developed to align UFO characteristics with the electoral cycles and campaigns of Republican Senators.

The statistical analysis entailed the calculation of the correlation coefficient and associated p-values using spectral analysis disguised as astrological readings. The resulting correlation coefficient of 0.8856585 and p < 0.01 was acquired using a combination of quantum computing and tea leaf readings, lending an air of otherworldly legitimacy to the findings.

Furthermore, a qualitative inquiry into historical accounts and anecdotal evidence of alleged encounters between Republican Senators and potential alien entities was conducted. These speculative narratives were tempered with a touch of playful skepticism, as we meticulously sifted through urban legends and unfounded rumors for entertaining anecdotes to enliven the otherwise staid academic discourse.

Finally, the cross-validation of our results involved a measure of levity and satirical reflection, as we engaged in spirited discussions with fellow researchers and impassioned skeptics. This evaluative process provided an opportunity to challenge our own assumptions and revel in the zany implications of our findings, ensuring that our exploration of this unconventional nexus between politics and interstellar entanglements remained intellectually stimulating.

In summary, our methodological approach, while decidedly unconventional, allowed for a whimsical yet empirically defensible examination of the purported correlation between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and UFO sightings. The amalgamation of statistical analyses and speculative inquiry provided a multidimensional perspective on the intertwining of political phenomena and apparent extraterrestrial visitations – a foray into the peculiar and, at times, the preposterous, befitting the enigmatic nature of our findings.

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

Please make up the results section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and UFO sightings in Arizona. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse and National UFO Reporting Center .

For the time period 1976 to 2020, you found a correlation 0.8856585, r-squared of 0.7843910, and p < 0.01.

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

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
"Are Republican Senators Secretly Alien Ambassadors? A Correlative Analysis of GOP Votes and UFO Sightings in Arizona"

[[ABSTRACT]]
This study leverages data from the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and National UFO Reporting Center to explore a peculiar linkage between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and reported sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). The correlation coefficient of 0.8856585 and p < 0.01 for the years 1976 to 2020 presents a compelling case for a potential connection between conservative political preferences and extraterrestrial visitations. We delve into the implications of these findings, offering a whimsical yet intriguing perspective on the intersection of political affiliations and otherworldly phenomena. Our results warrant further investigation and may inspire unconventional discussions on the diverse factors influencing constituent behavior and electoral outcomes in the American Southwest.

-------

And here is the methodology section that led to this result:
[[METHODOLOGY]]
The night sky has long been a source of fascination and mystery, beckoning us to ponder the existence of extraterrestrial life forms and their potential influence on our earthly affairs. Meanwhile, in the realm of politics, the interplay of ideologies and electoral outcomes continues to captivate scholars and pundits alike. Could these two seemingly disparate domains be more interconnected than we ever imagined? Our study ventures beyond the bounds of conventional political analysis to uncover an unexpected correlation between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and the enigmatic sightings of UFOs.
While it may seem like a flight of fancy to link political affiliations with intergalactic visitations, our analysis of robust data sources from esteemed institutions has yielded a striking degree of correlation. We tread the fine line between scientific rigor and speculative inquiry as we embark on this unusual intellectual voyage. Our findings may prompt some to quip about "alien constituents" or even entertain the notion of clandestine alliances between Republican Senators and extraterrestrial envoys. However, we approach this matter with the gravitas it warrants, recognizing the need for thorough examination of this unorthodox relationship.
The American Southwest, renowned for its vast deserts and clear skies, has been a hotbed of UFO sightings. At the same time, the region has been a bastion of conservative politics, with Arizona serving as a focal point of Republican support. Could there be a cosmic connection between these seemingly incongruent phenomena? As we probe the depths of this strange confluence, we invite the reader to embark on a journey of intellectual curiosity and whimsical contemplation. After all, in the grand tapestry of the universe, who's to say that politics and extraterrestrial encounters cannot intersect in peculiar and serendipitous ways?

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[RESULTS]]

ChatGPT:

[[RESULTS]]

The results of our analysis revealed a remarkably high correlation coefficient of 0.8856585 between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and reported sightings of UFOs from 1976 to 2020. This finding indicates a strong positive relationship, suggesting that as Republican votes increased, so did the number of reported UFO sightings. The coefficient of determination (r-squared) of 0.7843910 further underscores the robustness of this association, explaining approximately 78.44% of the variability in UFO sightings by Republican votes for Senators.

The statistical significance of the correlation was confirmed by a p-value of less than 0.01, providing compelling evidence that this relationship is not due to random chance. The probability of the observed correlation occurring by mere coincidence is exceedingly low, bolstering the case for a tangible link between conservative political preferences and otherworldly aerial phenomena.

Figure 1 presents a scatterplot illustrating the striking correlation between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and the frequency of UFO sightings. The figure visually encapsulates the compelling nature of our findings, although we must stress that correlation does not imply causation. However, the strength and consistency of the association pique curiosity and prompt contemplation of potential underlying mechanisms.

These unexpected results prod us to contemplate a whimsical alternative interpretation of electoral dynamics. Are Republican Senators inadvertently serving as emissaries to extraterrestrial beings, secretly negotiating cosmic treaties over interstellar legislation? While we tread this speculative path with caution, the statistical evidence compels us to entertain the notion of non-human influences on political landscapes.

In summary, our analysis unveils an intriguing correlation between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and UFO sightings, underscoring the interplay of diverse forces shaping political and cosmic landscapes. These findings spark novel and offbeat discussions on the multifaceted factors shaping electoral behavior and elevate the scientific discourse to include the whimsical world of intergalactic intrigue.

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 Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and UFO sightings in Arizona. 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]]
"Are Republican Senators Secretly Alien Ambassadors? A Correlative Analysis of GOP Votes and UFO Sightings in Arizona"

[[ABSTRACT]]
This study leverages data from the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and National UFO Reporting Center to explore a peculiar linkage between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and reported sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). The correlation coefficient of 0.8856585 and p < 0.01 for the years 1976 to 2020 presents a compelling case for a potential connection between conservative political preferences and extraterrestrial visitations. We delve into the implications of these findings, offering a whimsical yet intriguing perspective on the intersection of political affiliations and otherworldly phenomena. Our results warrant further investigation and may inspire unconventional discussions on the diverse factors influencing constituent behavior and electoral outcomes in the American Southwest.

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]
In "Smith et al. (2020)," the authors find a positive correlation between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and reported UFO sightings in Arizona. This surprising alignment between political leanings and extraterrestrial encounters prompts a reevaluation of traditional voter-behavior models. Similarly, "Doe and Johnson (2015)" identify a notable association between conservative ideologies and increased receptivity to unconventional phenomena, including UFO sightings and conspiracy theories.
Building on this foundational research, "Jones (2018)" presents a comprehensive analysis of political affiliation and the likelihood of UFO reporting. The study suggests that individuals with conservative inclinations may exhibit a heightened propensity to interpret aerial anomalies as extraterrestrial phenomena. Remarkably, the data implies a potential interplay between political partisanship and the cognitive interpretation of celestial anomalies.
Expanding the discourse to include popular non-fiction literature, works such as "The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry" by J. Allen Hynek and "UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Record" by Leslie Kean offer insightful perspectives on the enigmatic realm of unidentified flying objects. Additionally, fictional narratives like Carl Sagan's "Contact" and H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds" fuel the imagination and shape societal conceptions of extraterrestrial visitations.
Going beyond conventional research sources, the present inquiry encompasses a wide-ranging survey of eclectic material. This includes perusal of satirical articles, science fiction magazines, and even the backs of shampoo bottles. While the scholarly merit of the latter may be dubious, their unconventional juxtaposition with political analysis and UFO phenomena cannot be discounted in the pursuit of a holistic understanding of the subject matter.

[[RESULTS]]
The results of our analysis revealed a remarkably high correlation coefficient of 0.8856585 between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and reported sightings of UFOs from 1976 to 2020. This finding indicates a strong positive relationship, suggesting that as Republican votes increased, so did the number of reported UFO sightings. The coefficient of determination (r-squared) of 0.7843910 further underscores the robustness of this association, explaining approximately 78.44% of the variability in UFO sightings by Republican votes for Senators.
The statistical significance of the correlation was confirmed by a p-value of less than 0.01, providing compelling evidence that this relationship is not due to random chance. The probability of the observed correlation occurring by mere coincidence is exceedingly low, bolstering the case for a tangible link between conservative political preferences and otherworldly aerial phenomena.
Figure 1 presents a scatterplot illustrating the striking correlation between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and the frequency of UFO sightings. The figure visually encapsulates the compelling nature of our findings, although we must stress that correlation does not imply causation. However, the strength and consistency of the association pique curiosity and prompt contemplation of potential underlying mechanisms.
These unexpected results prod us to contemplate a whimsical alternative interpretation of electoral dynamics. Are Republican Senators inadvertently serving as emissaries to extraterrestrial beings, secretly negotiating cosmic treaties over interstellar legislation? While we tread this speculative path with caution, the statistical evidence compels us to entertain the notion of non-human influences on political landscapes.
In summary, our analysis unveils an intriguing correlation between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and UFO sightings, underscoring the interplay of diverse forces shaping political and cosmic landscapes. These findings spark novel and offbeat discussions on the multifaceted factors shaping electoral behavior and elevate the scientific discourse to include the whimsical world of intergalactic intrigue.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[DISCUSSION]]

ChatGPT:

[[DISCUSSION]]

The results of our study corroborate and extend prior research that posited a curious linkage between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and reported UFO sightings. The robust correlation coefficient of 0.8856585 supports the findings of Smith et al. (2020) and Doe and Johnson (2015), who also detected a positive association between conservative political leanings and extraterrestrial encounters. It appears that the gravitational pull of Republican sentiment may indeed extend beyond this earthly realm, drawing in otherworldly visitors or perhaps simply influencing the interpretation of aerial phenomena.

These results lend credence to the notion proposed by Jones (2018) that political inclinations may shape the perception and reporting of UFO sightings. The statistical significance we observed with a p-value of less than 0.01 resonates with the observations made by Jones, instigating a pause for thought on the potential interplay between political ideology and the perception of celestial phenomena. The confluence of these findings collectively contributes to a deeper understanding of the intertwining of terrestrial politics and cosmic curiosity.

The startling correlation coefficient, combined with the compelling coefficient of determination, underscores the strength and consistency of the relationship between Republican votes and UFO sightings. These results lead one to contemplate the possibility of a clandestine extraterrestrial exchange program being orchestrated by Arizona's Republican Senators. Could it be that the stark desert landscapes serve as an interstellar waystation for cosmic delegates, engaging in covert diplomacy beneath the shimmering stars? While this whimsical conjecture must be approached with a requisite degree of skepticism, our findings nudge open the door to entertaining unconventional narratives in the ongoing exploration of electoral dynamics.

It is noteworthy that our study's findings align with the unconventional and imaginative sources of inquiry found in satirical articles, science fiction magazines, and even the backs of shampoo bottles. Although seemingly lighthearted, these diverse sources have helped to illuminate the often overlooked and quirky corners of political and cosmic intersections. The unexpected correlation we uncover spark novel and offbeat discussions on the multifaceted factors shaping electoral behavior, beckoning researchers to ponder political ties that may stretch into the outer limits of the universe.

While the concept of Republican Senators as potential alien ambassadors may sound like the plot of a far-fetched sci-fi novel, the statistical evidence beckons further investigation into the cosmic conundrum that has emerged from our study. Our findings transcend the mere statistical dance between numbers, encouraging a reexamination of the complex tapestry of human behavior and the enigmatic forces that may entwine it with intergalactic intrigue.

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 Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and UFO sightings in Arizona. 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]]
"Are Republican Senators Secretly Alien Ambassadors? A Correlative Analysis of GOP Votes and UFO Sightings in Arizona"

[[ABSTRACT]]
This study leverages data from the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and National UFO Reporting Center to explore a peculiar linkage between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and reported sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). The correlation coefficient of 0.8856585 and p < 0.01 for the years 1976 to 2020 presents a compelling case for a potential connection between conservative political preferences and extraterrestrial visitations. We delve into the implications of these findings, offering a whimsical yet intriguing perspective on the intersection of political affiliations and otherworldly phenomena. Our results warrant further investigation and may inspire unconventional discussions on the diverse factors influencing constituent behavior and electoral outcomes in the American Southwest.

[[INTRDUCTION]]
The night sky has long been a source of fascination and mystery, beckoning us to ponder the existence of extraterrestrial life forms and their potential influence on our earthly affairs. Meanwhile, in the realm of politics, the interplay of ideologies and electoral outcomes continues to captivate scholars and pundits alike. Could these two seemingly disparate domains be more interconnected than we ever imagined? Our study ventures beyond the bounds of conventional political analysis to uncover an unexpected correlation between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and the enigmatic sightings of UFOs.
While it may seem like a flight of fancy to link political affiliations with intergalactic visitations, our analysis of robust data sources from esteemed institutions has yielded a striking degree of correlation. We tread the fine line between scientific rigor and speculative inquiry as we embark on this unusual intellectual voyage. Our findings may prompt some to quip about "alien constituents" or even entertain the notion of clandestine alliances between Republican Senators and extraterrestrial envoys. However, we approach this matter with the gravitas it warrants, recognizing the need for thorough examination of this unorthodox relationship.
The American Southwest, renowned for its vast deserts and clear skies, has been a hotbed of UFO sightings. At the same time, the region has been a bastion of conservative politics, with Arizona serving as a focal point of Republican support. Could there be a cosmic connection between these seemingly incongruent phenomena? As we probe the depths of this strange confluence, we invite the reader to embark on a journey of intellectual curiosity and whimsical contemplation. After all, in the grand tapestry of the universe, who's to say that politics and extraterrestrial encounters cannot intersect in peculiar and serendipitous ways?

[[RESULTS]]
The results of our analysis revealed a remarkably high correlation coefficient of 0.8856585 between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and reported sightings of UFOs from 1976 to 2020. This finding indicates a strong positive relationship, suggesting that as Republican votes increased, so did the number of reported UFO sightings. The coefficient of determination (r-squared) of 0.7843910 further underscores the robustness of this association, explaining approximately 78.44% of the variability in UFO sightings by Republican votes for Senators.
The statistical significance of the correlation was confirmed by a p-value of less than 0.01, providing compelling evidence that this relationship is not due to random chance. The probability of the observed correlation occurring by mere coincidence is exceedingly low, bolstering the case for a tangible link between conservative political preferences and otherworldly aerial phenomena.
Figure 1 presents a scatterplot illustrating the striking correlation between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and the frequency of UFO sightings. The figure visually encapsulates the compelling nature of our findings, although we must stress that correlation does not imply causation. However, the strength and consistency of the association pique curiosity and prompt contemplation of potential underlying mechanisms.
These unexpected results prod us to contemplate a whimsical alternative interpretation of electoral dynamics. Are Republican Senators inadvertently serving as emissaries to extraterrestrial beings, secretly negotiating cosmic treaties over interstellar legislation? While we tread this speculative path with caution, the statistical evidence compels us to entertain the notion of non-human influences on political landscapes.
In summary, our analysis unveils an intriguing correlation between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and UFO sightings, underscoring the interplay of diverse forces shaping political and cosmic landscapes. These findings spark novel and offbeat discussions on the multifaceted factors shaping electoral behavior and elevate the scientific discourse to include the whimsical world of intergalactic intrigue.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[CONCLUSION]]

ChatGPT:

[[CONCLUSION]]

In conclusion, our study has unearthed a correlation of cosmic proportions between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and UFO sightings, providing a whimsical lens through which to view the intergalactic interplay of political inclinations and extraterrestrial enigmas. The tantalizing coefficient of 0.8856585 and p < 0.01 serve as a testament to the perplexing alignment of conservative electoral preferences and otherworldly visitations.

These findings prompt us to ponder a myriad of cosmic conundrums, from the possibility of alien lobbyists influencing legislative agendas to the potential for saucer-shaped campaign contributions. The significant correlation begs the question: do Republican Senators have a hidden platform endorsing "probing" questions? Could Arizona's desert landscapes be a preferred landing site for interstellar voyagers seeking to form political alliances? The implications are as vast as the nighttime sky itself.

While we approached this investigation with the seriousness it merited, we cannot help but revel in the whimsy of contemplating political affiliations intersecting with interstellar interests. This work raises eyebrows and telescopes, challenging conventional wisdom and orbiting on the periphery of accepted research paradigms.

In light of these revelatory insights, we assert that no further research into this delightfully bizarre correlation is warranted. The juxtaposition of earthly politics and extraterrestrial encounters has been probed sufficiently, leaving us with a cosmic conundrum to ponder as we gaze at the stars with newfound political perspective.

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 Are Republican Senators Secretly Alien Ambassadors? A Correlative Analysis of GOP Votes and UFO Sightings in Arizona. Respond only with the name of a fictional academic journal.

ChatGPT:

The Journal of Extraterrestrial Political 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 Are Republican Senators Secretly Alien Ambassadors? A Correlative Analysis of GOP Votes and UFO Sightings in Arizona. Respond only with the name of a fictional organization.

ChatGPT:

Association for Extraterrestrial Politics and Policy Studies

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 Are Republican Senators Secretly Alien Ambassadors? A Correlative Analysis of GOP Votes and UFO Sightings in Arizona with an abstract of This study leverages data from the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and National UFO Reporting Center to explore a peculiar linkage between Republican votes for Senators in Arizona and reported sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). The correlation coefficient of 0.8856585 and p < 0.01 for the years 1976 to 2020 presents a compelling case for a potential connection between conservative political preferences and extraterrestrial visitations. We delve into the implications of these findings, offering a whimsical yet intriguing perspective on the intersection of political affiliations and otherworldly phenomena. Our results warrant further investigation and may inspire unconventional discussions on the diverse factors influencing constituent behavior and electoral outcomes in the American Southwest.

ChatGPT:

Republican Senators, Alien Ambassadors, GOP Votes, UFO Sightings, Arizona, Correlative Analysis, MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, National UFO Reporting Center, correlation coefficient, political preferences, extraterrestrial visitations, electoral outcomes, American Southwest

*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

Votes for Republican Senators in Arizona
Detailed data title: Total number of votes cast for Federal Republican Senate candidates in Arizona
Source: MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse
See what else correlates with Votes for Republican Senators in Arizona

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

Correlation r = 0.8856585 (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 = 0.7843910 (Coefficient of determination)
This means 78.4% of the change in the one variable (i.e., UFO sightings in Arizona) is predictable based on the change in the other (i.e., Votes for Republican Senators in Arizona) over the 16 years from 1976 through 2020.

p < 0.01, which is statistically significant(Null hypothesis significance test)
The p-value is 5.04E-6.^Show 0.0000050388254884904610000000
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 0.89 in 0.000504% of random cases. Said differently, if you correlated 198,459 random variables^Note You don't actually need 198 thousand variables to find a correlation like this one. I don't have that many variables in my database. You can also correlate variables that are not independent. I do this a lot.

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

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

Just to be clear: I'm being completely transparent about the calculations. There is no math trickery. This is just how statistics shakes out when you calculate hundreds of millions of random correlations.
with the same 15 degrees of freedom, ^Note Degrees of freedom is a measure of how many free components we are testing. In this case it is 15 because we have two variables measured over a period of 16 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.

[ 0.7, 0.96 ] 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.

	1976	1980	1982	1986	1988	1992	1994	1998	2000	2004	2006	2010	2012	2016	2018	2020
Votes for Republican Senators in Arizona (Total votes)	321236	432371	291749	521850	478060	771395	600999	696577	1108200	1505370	814398	1005620	1104460	1359760	1135200	1637910
UFO sightings in Arizona (UFO sightings)	3	5	3	7	11	4	12	70	196	191	129	114	202	229	85	190

Why this works

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

Try it yourself

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    return correlation, r_squared, p_value

# These are the arrays for the variables shown on this page, but you can modify them to be any two sets of numbers
array_1 = np.array([321236,432371,291749,521850,478060,771395,600999,696577,1108200,1505370,814398,1005620,1104460,1359760,1135200,1637910,])
array_2 = np.array([3,5,3,7,11,4,12,70,196,191,129,114,202,229,85,190,])
array_1_name = "Votes for Republican Senators in Arizona"
array_2_name = "UFO sightings in Arizona"

# 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 Votes for Republican Senators in Arizona
Line chart for only UFO sightings in Arizona
AI-generated correlation image
The spurious research paper: Are Republican Senators Secretly Alien Ambassadors? A Correlative Analysis of GOP Votes and UFO Sightings in Arizona

View another random correlation

How fun was this correlation?

Your rating is stellar!

Correlation ID: 4792 · Black Variable ID: 26203 · Red Variable ID: 1153


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