Top variables that correlate with xkcd comics published about research

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Data source: AI analysis of xkcd comics
Additional Info: ^{See full details} I designed a Python workflow to perform OCR on every xkcd comic, feed that text into a large language model, and ask the model whether this comic was about the category named in the title.

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xkcd comics published about research correlates with...

Variable	Correlation	Years	Has img?
The number of phlebotomists in New Jersey	r=0.89	11yrs	No
The number of computer user support specialists in Maine	r=0.85	11yrs	No
Micron Technology's stock price (MU)	r=0.84	17yrs	Yes!
Popularity of the first name Betty	r=0.8	16yrs	Yes!
The number of marriage therapists in North Carolina	r=0.78	16yrs	No
Google searches for 'who is elon musk'	r=0.76	17yrs	No
Google searches for 'dr pepper vs mr pibb'	r=0.74	17yrs	No

xkcd comics published about research also correlates with...

Variable	Correlation	Years	Sys. Score
T. Rowe Price Group's stock price (TROW)	r=0.84	17yrs	194
Emerson Electric Co.'s stock price (EMR)	r=0.82	17yrs	191
Sales of LP/Vinyl Albums	r=0.75	16yrs	168
Annual US household spending on electricity	r=0.81	16yrs	168
Annual US household spending on utilities	r=0.8	16yrs	167
Number of edits to the Wikipedia article for Elon Musk	r=0.76	16yrs	166
Popularity of the 'wojak' meme	r=0.73	17yrs	165
Microsoft's Worldwide Earnings	r=0.78	16yrs	164
Google searches for 'who is alexa'	r=0.76	17yrs	164
Annual US household spending on property taxes	r=0.78	16yrs	164
Google searches for 'how to apply a tourniquet'	r=0.75	17yrs	162
Popularity of the first name Kirby	r=0.78	16yrs	162
Popularity of the first name Fallon	r=0.78	16yrs	162
Annual US household spending on meats, poultry, fish, and eggs	r=0.77	16yrs	162
Annual US household spending on pork	r=0.77	16yrs	162
Annual US household spending on processed vegetables	r=0.77	16yrs	162
Rockwell Automation's stock price (ROK)	r=0.82	17yrs	161
Annual US household spending on eggs	r=0.76	16yrs	161
Annual US household spending on fruits and vegetables	r=0.76	16yrs	161
Google's Advertising Revenue	r=0.75	16yrs	160
Google's annual advertising revenue	r=0.75	16yrs	160
Google's Annual Global Revenue	r=0.75	16yrs	160
Google's Net Income	r=0.75	16yrs	160
Annual US household spending on bakery products	r=0.75	16yrs	160
Annual US household spending on fish and seafood	r=0.75	16yrs	160
Runs Scored by Winning Team in World Series	r=0.82	7yrs	154
Dover's stock price (DOV)	r=0.83	17yrs	151
The number of phlebotomists in Texas	r=0.85	11yrs	151
Average number of comments on Technology Connections YouTube videos	r=0.8	9yrs	151
The average number of likes on LockPickingLawyer YouTube videos	r=0.8	9yrs	151
GMO use in cotton in California	r=0.79	16yrs	148
Automotive recalls issued by Ford Motor Company	r=0.74	16yrs	148
Cost to send a letter via the USPS	r=0.72	16yrs	146
Popularity of the 'spiderman pointing' meme	r=0.7	17yrs	146
Average length of SmarterEveryDay YouTube videos	r=0.71	17yrs	146
Automotive recalls issued by Volkswagen Group of America	r=0.72	16yrs	144
Parker-Hannifin's stock price (PH)	r=0.81	17yrs	140
Popularity of the first name Nico	r=0.78	16yrs	132
Capital One Financial's stock price (COF)	r=0.81	17yrs	130
Popularity of the first name Walker	r=0.77	16yrs	121
Google searches for 'what is my zodiac sign'	r=0.74	17yrs	120
The number of social work teachers in North Carolina	r=0.82	16yrs	120
Average length of Steve Mould's YouTube videos	r=0.73	15yrs	116
Popularity of the first name Sonny	r=0.77	16yrs	111
Google searches for 'takeout near me'	r=0.74	17yrs	110
Annual US household spending on home maintenance	r=0.75	16yrs	110
The number of septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners in Washington	r=0.81	16yrs	110
US household spending on home maintenance	r=0.75	16yrs	105
Average number of comments on LockPickingLawyer YouTube videos	r=0.76	9yrs	105
Popularity of the first name Teddy	r=0.77	16yrs	101
Walmart's stock price (WMT)	r=0.77	17yrs	100
The number of first-line supervisors of police and detectives in Idaho	r=0.84	13yrs	100
Google searches for 'how to go to space'	r=0.73	17yrs	99
Annual US household spending on housing	r=0.74	16yrs	98
How insightful LEMMiNO YouTube video titles are	r=0.73	12yrs	94
Popularity of the first name Marcel	r=0.76	16yrs	90
JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s stock price (JPM)	r=0.8	17yrs	88
The number of radiation therapists in Missouri	r=0.81	16yrs	88
Popularity of the first name Georgina	r=0.76	16yrs	80
Netflix's stock price (NFLX)	r=0.77	17yrs	78
Google searches for 'elon musk'	r=0.77	14yrs	77
The number of lawyers in Idaho	r=0.79	16yrs	77
SAP SE's stock price (SAP)	r=0.8	17yrs	68
Popularity of the first name Sage	r=0.75	16yrs	68
The number of conservation scientists in New Hampshire	r=0.8	16yrs	67
Google searches for 'who is prince william'	r=0.74	16yrs	66
Royal Bank of Canada's stock price (RY)	r=0.8	17yrs	58
Popularity of the first name Bonnie	r=0.75	16yrs	58
The number of merchandise displayers and window trimmers in Colorado	r=0.79	16yrs	56
PACCAR's stock price (PCAR)	r=0.8	17yrs	48
Popularity of the first name Stevie	r=0.75	16yrs	48
The number of forensic science technicians in Florida	r=0.79	16yrs	46
TE Connectivity's stock price (TEL)	r=0.81	16yrs	38
Popularity of the first name Billie	r=0.75	16yrs	38
The number of commercial pilots in Florida	r=0.79	16yrs	36
ANSYs' stock price (ANSS)	r=0.8	17yrs	28
Popularity of the first name Cyrus	r=0.75	16yrs	28
The number of aircraft mechanics in Kentucky	r=0.78	16yrs	24
eBay Inc.'s stock price (EBAY)	r=0.8	17yrs	18
Popularity of the first name Gianni	r=0.75	16yrs	18
Popularity of the first name Eliseo	r=0.75	16yrs	8
Alphabet's stock price (GOOGL)	r=0.77	17yrs	6
The number of sonographers in North Carolina	r=0.77	16yrs	4
Popularity of the first name Maeve	r=0.75	16yrs	-2
Amazon.com's stock price (AMZN)	r=0.77	17yrs	-4
The number of veterinarians in South Carolina	r=0.78	16yrs	-6
United Parcel Service's stock price (UPS)	r=0.79	17yrs	-14
Popularity of the first name Ayla	r=0.74	16yrs	-14
The number of university philosophy and religion teachers in Texas	r=0.78	16yrs	-16
QUALCOMM's stock price (QCOM)	r=0.79	17yrs	-24
Popularity of the first name Sunny	r=0.74	16yrs	-24
The number of statisticians in Vermont	r=0.77	16yrs	-26
The number of colelge chemistry teachers in Wisconsin	r=0.78	16yrs	-36
The number of OSHA specialists in Utah	r=0.78	16yrs	-46

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^{What is Sys. Score?} You caught me! While it would be intuitive to sort only by "correlation," I have a big, weird database. If I sort only by correlation, often all the top results are from some one or two very large datasets (like the weather or labor statistics), and it overwhelms the page.

I can't show you *all* the correlations, because my database would get too large and this page would take a very long time to load. Instead I opt to show you a subset, and I sort them by a magic system score. It starts with the correlation, but penalizes variables that repeat from the same dataset. (It also gives a bonus to variables I happen to find interesting.)


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